All I’ve Got To Do: Introduction
“All I’ve Got To Do” is a Fab Four song from their 1963 album, “With The Beatles.” Indeed, this was The Beatles’ second British album from those heady Beatlemania days.
In Detail
- Release Date: November 22, 1963 in the UK, and January 20, 1964 in the US
- Recorded: September 11, 1963
- Genre: Pop, rock and soul
- Track Duration: 2:04
- Record Label: Parlophone in the UK and Capitol in the US
- Songwriters: Lennon-McCartney
- Producer: George Martin
- Engineer: Norman Smith
Performers And Instruments
- John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass guitar
- George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar
- Ringo Starr: drums
Where To Find All I’ve Got To Do
You can still buy this song because the following album contains it:
All I’ve Got To Do: The Song
Written by John Lennon but with credit going to the Lennon-McCartney partnership, “All I’ve Got To Do” was specifically for the American market, according to the composer. This is because in the UK, teenagers would hardly ever call up their girlfriends or boyfriends. Indeed, the song has many references to calling on someone, i.e., “All I gotta do is call you on the phone.”
While mobile phones are commonplace nowadays, in the 1960s, telephones or landlines were not the usual way for British teenagers to communicate.
Lennon’s inspiration came from Smokey Robinson again. In fact, the song has similar traits, both musically and lyrically, to The Miracles’ “You Can Depend On Me.” However, there is a striking resemblance to their own cover version of The Shirelles‘ “Baby It’s You” as well.
“That’s me trying to do Smokey Robinson again.”
John Lennon
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
Of course, there is a connection between The Beatles and Smokey Robinson. This is because they both recorded “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” However, Robinson’s song title was “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me.” But it’s basically the same song.
Together with “It Won’t Be Long” and “Not a Second Time,” these three songs are primarily John Lennon compositions for the “With The Beatles” album.
Recording Studio
The Beatles recorded the song on September 11, 1963, in Studio Two of the EMI Studios, London, during the 2.30 p.m.–6 p.m. sessions. Indeed, there were 15 takes in total. However, many takes were incomplete, suggesting that The Beatles hardly knew the song. That’s not surprising because the song was never in the band’s live repertoire.
They used take 15 as the master track, and there was both a mono mix and a stereo mix. The song relied heavily on the bass chords, played by Paul McCartney.
On “With The Beatles,” the song is on side 1, track 2, after “It Won’t Be Long” and comes before “All My Loving.”
Despite The Beatles not singing this song as part of their live act, “All I’ve Got To Do” is certainly a strong song. So much so, it could easily have become a single in it’s own right. Indeed, if not an A-side, it would certainly grace the B-side of any early Fab Four single or EP.
Take A Listen
Have a listen to the song, then leave your comments below.
