Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Get Back sessions - January 7, 1969 - Day 4
Jan 07, 1969
Other Ray Charles songs

Unreleased song
Officially appears on Live At The BBC
Officially appears on Anthology 1
Related interviews
Interview for SmartLess podcast
Nov 23, 2020 • From SmartLess
2019 • From paulmccartney.com
Oct 01, 1999
July 1990 • From Guitar Player
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Song facts
Paul McCartney remembering when Ringo Starr joined the Beatles, and his ability to play the drums on “What’d I Say“:
I probably bore him by telling him the moment when the three of us realised he was The Guy. In my recollection, it’s at the Cavern and there’s me, John and George — which, right there, is pretty cool — standing at the front doing our thing, facing out on the mics. And then behind us, there’s this new guy depping, who we knew we liked — we’d seen him in another band. But now he was playing with us. And it just felt so different. It felt so amazing, and it just locked in with what we were all about. And I have this very vivid recollection of kind of looking at John and him looking at me and looking at George and him looking at me, and the three of us are going, ‘What the fuck, this is fucking amazing!”‘
As McCartney describes this, he wipes his eye. “And as you can see, it gets emotional. There was a moment. And I know there was a song a lot of bands used to do, a Ray Charles song, ‘What’d I Say’, and we used to do it but none of the drummers could get it. It’s quite a hard drum part — on the ride cymbal you’ve got to go” — McCartney sings out the cymbal part — “and at the same time you’ve got to go” — McCartney sings the other overlapping rhythm “you’ve got to put that together. And there’s a bass drum involved. So you’ve got to have a knack of putting those rhythms together. And here it was, right behind us.” McCartney whispers their breathless response. “Oh, yes!’ And it was a very special moment“.
Paul McCartney, from the Flaming Pie Archive Collection, 2020
Last updated on August 10, 2020
Bootlegs
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 7th, 1969 - 1 & 2
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
1:22 • Rehearsal • Medley with "Carry That Weight","Shout"
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocal
- George Harrison :
- Guitar
- Session Recording:
- Jan 07, 1969
- Studio :
- Twickenham Film Studios, London, UK
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 7th, 1969 - 3 & 4
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
0:24 • Rehearsal • Jan.07 - D4-24 - What'd I Say 7.112
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Ringo Starr • John Lennon • George Harrison
- Session Recording:
- Jan 07, 1969
- Studio :
- Twickenham Film Studios, London, UK
Give Us That Knowing Wink - Official Rarities - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
4:55 • Studio version • [live 3-15-99]
Live Archives Vol. 3 (1997-2001)
Unofficial live • Released in 2017
Live
Concert From "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame" in New York, USA on Mar 15, 1999
Live performances
“What'd I Say” has been played in 3 concerts and 1 soundchecks.
Latest concerts where What'd I Say has been played

Mar 15, 1999 • USA • New York • Waldorf Astoria
Nov 24, 1987 • United Kingdom • Newcastle • Tyne Tees Newcastle Studios • TV show
Sep 09, 1987 • Part of Buddy Holly Week
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