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- Album This song officially appears on the Help! (Mono) LP.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Feb 17, 1965
Feb 18, 1965
Feb 23, 1965
Apr 18, 1965
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“The Night Before” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 film Help and accompanying album Help! The song was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney.
Composition and recording
John Lennon plays a Hohner Pianet electric piano throughout the song. The verses have a call and response structure. McCartney’s lead vocal alternates with Lennon and George Harrison’s harmony, singing the chorus “Ahhh, the night before …“, the whole being alternated with a second melody. In the opinion of musicologist Walter Everett, had the Beatles recorded “The Night Before” at a slower tempo, it “could have been a Kinks or Animals song”.
The Beatles recorded the song at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London on 17 February 1965. The band achieved a satisfactory rhythm track after two takes, and then overdubbed the vocals, lead guitar parts and maracas. The guitar solo over the third verse is repeated in part over the coda. Among Beatles biographers, Ian MacDonald considers that the playing is more in McCartney’s style, while Kenneth Womack credits only McCartney as the soloist and lists Harrison on rhythm guitar, playing his Gretsch Tennessean. However, the solos were performed by Harrison and McCartney together. Lennon later recalled that Harrison and McCartney played “the same break exactly, both playing but in different octaves”.
Film performance
For the film Help!, the Beatles performed “The Night Before” on location at Salisbury Plain. Just as the song finishes, a bomb explodes. The scene was filmed in the shadow of Stonehenge.
Live performances
The Beatles performed “The Night Before” during their final BBC radio session, on 26 May 1965. Titled The Beatles Invite You to Take a Ticket to Ride, this performance was broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on 7 June that year.
McCartney played the song on 15 July 2011 at Yankee Stadium, stating from the stage that it was the first time he had performed the song in concert. […]
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
[a] mono 18 Feb 1965.
UK: Parlophone PMC 1255 Help! 1965.[b] stereo 23 Feb 1965.
UK: Parlophone PCS 3071 Help! 1965.
US: Capitol SMAS 2386 Help! 1965.[b1] mono made from [b] 1965, by Capitol.
US: Capitol MAS 2386 Help! 1965.[c] stereo 1987.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46439 2 Help! 1987.
Last updated on May 9, 2021
Lyrics
We said our goodbyes, ah, the night before
Love was in your eyes, ah, the night before
Now today I find you have changed your mind
Treat me like you did the night before
Were you telling lies, ah, the night before?
Was I so unwise, ah, the night before?
When I held you near you were so sincere
Treat me like you did the night before
Last night is a night I will remember you by
When I think of things we did it makes me wanna cry
We said our goodbye, ah, the night before
Love was in your eyes, ah, the night before
Now today I find you have changed your mind
Treat me like you did the night before
When I held you near you were so sincere
Treat me like you did the night before
Last night is a night I will remember you by
When I think of things we did it makes me wanna cry
Were you telling lies, ah, the night before?
Was I so unwise, ah, the night before?
When I held you near you were so sincere
Treat me like you did the night before
Like the night before
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1965
2:35 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1965
2:36 • Studio version • B1 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 23, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1965
2:37 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 23, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 1965
2:35 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 23, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1987
2:35 • Studio version • C • Stereo • 1987 mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- 1987 mix, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2006
2:37 • Studio version • B2006 • Stereo • 2006 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 23, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2006
2:36 • Studio version • B1.2006 • Mono • 2006 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 23, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2009
2:35 • Studio version • A2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Sean Magee :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2009
2:35 • Studio version • B2009 • Stereo • 2009 stereo remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Sean Magee :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 23, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Help! (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
2:35 • Studio version • C2009 • Stereo • 2009 stereo remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Lead guitar, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Electric piano, Harmony vocals
- George Harrison :
- Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- 1987 mix, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Feb 17, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
On The Run - Bologna, Italy - November 26, 2011
Unofficial live
3:14 • Live
Concert From the concert in Bologna, Italy on Nov 26, 2011
On The Run - Bologna, Italy - November 27, 2011
Unofficial live
3:04 • Live
Concert From the concert in Milan, Italy on Nov 27, 2011
Unofficial live
3:39 • Live
Concert From "Teenage Cancer Trust 2012" in London, United Kingdom on Mar 29, 2012
Live performances
“The Night Before” has been played in 38 concerts and 1 soundchecks.
Latest concerts where The Night Before has been played
Edmonton • Rexall Place • Canada
Nov 29, 2012 • Part of On The Run Tour
Edmonton • Rexall Place • Canada
Nov 28, 2012 • Part of On The Run Tour
Nov 25, 2012 • Part of On The Run Tour
Houston • Minute Maid Park • USA
Nov 14, 2012 • Part of On The Run Tour
Saint Louis • Scottrade Center • USA
Nov 11, 2012 • Part of On The Run Tour
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