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Released in 1965

Think For Yourself

Written by George Harrison

Last updated on May 20, 2017

Album This song officially appears on the Rubber Soul (UK Mono) LP.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1965

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

From Wikipedia:

“Think for Yourself” is a song by English rock band The Beatles, and written by George Harrison who sings and plays guitar on the track. First appearing on their 1965 album Rubber Soul, it is a warning against listening to lies, and the first of Harrison’s songs not to be a love song. In a departure from all precedent at the time, the song has two bass lines, a normal one and one created by Paul McCartney’s then-unique application of a fuzzbox to his bass. A brief repeated clip of the song was featured in The Beatles 1968 animated movie Yellow Submarine and was reissued for the 1999 Yellow Submarine Songtrack album.

Origin

In Harrison’s book I, Me, Mine he writes, “But all this time later, I don’t quite recall who inspired that tune. Probably the government.” As the song was recorded about six weeks after Pete Best’s libel suit against Ringo, the Beatles, and Playboy magazine was filed, and contains such lyrics as “you’re telling all those lies about the good things that we can have if we close our eyes,” “I left you far behind, the ruins of the life that you have in mind” and “I know your mind’s made up, you’re gonna cause more misery,” some have speculated that it might be about Best — which Harrison likely would have been reluctant to ever admit.

Musical structure

The song is in the key of G major, but its musical premise appears to be permanent tonic key ambiguity and restless root movement (musically echoing the title) through extensive borrowing from the parallel G minor. Thus, the G7 introduction appears to ground us in G major (G Mixolydian); yet the verse soon opens (“I’ve got a word or two“) with a ii chord (Am) that suggests we are in A Dorian mode or even A Aeolian mode with the following move to a Dm chord on “word or two” being a iv rather than a v in G major. The immediate shift to B♭ chord (♭III in G major) on “to say” and the C chord (IV in G major) on “about the things” again confuses as the Bb and C chords seem to hint at a ♭Vi- ♭VII rock run in D Aeolian. When we arrive at the chorus (“Think for yourself…“) the anticipated tonic-identifying V-I (D7 chord-G7 chord) shift, is preceded (pointedly on “Think“) with a strange ♭VI (E♭/B♭) chord in second inversion that undermines its tonal direction. This overlapping of major and minor harmony and restless root movement is an intriguing characteristic of Harrison’s songwriting as far back as “Don’t Bother Me“. […]

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

  • [a] mono 9 Nov 1965
    UK: Parlophone PMC 1267 Rubber Soul 1965.
    US: Capitol T 2442 Rubber Soul 1965.
  • [b] stereo 9 Nov 1965
    UK: Parlophone PCS 3075 Rubber Soul 1965.
    US: Capitol ST 2442 Rubber Soul 1965.
  • [c] stereo 1987
    CD: EMI CDP 7 46440 2 Rubber Soul 1987.

Lyrics

I've got a word or two

To say about the things that you do

You're telling all those lies

About the good things that we can have

If we close our eyes

Do what you want to do

And go where you're going to

Think for yourself

'Cause I won't be there with you

I left you far behind

The ruins of the life that you had in mind

And though you still can't see

I know your mind's made up

You're gonna cause more misery

Do what you want to do

And go where you're going to

Think for yourself

'Cause I won't be there with you

Although your mind's opaque

Try thinking more if just for your own sake

The future still looks good

And you've got time to rectify

All the things that you should

Do what you want to do

And go where you're going to

Think for yourself

'Cause I won't be there with you

Do what you want to do

And go where you're going to

Think for yourself

'Cause I won't be there with you

Think for yourself

'Cause I won't be there with you

Officially appears on

See all official recordings containing “Think For Yourself”

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Think For Yourself”

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

Paul McCartney writing

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