I’ll Be Back: Introduction

“I’ll Be Back” is a Beatles’ song from their 1964 album, “A Hard Day’s Night.” However, the song is also on their “Anthology 1” album from 1995 as well.

In Detail

Release Date: July 10, 1964
Recorded: June 1, 1964
Studio: EMI Studios, London
Genre: Rock
Track Duration: 2:20
Record Label: Parlophone
Songwriters: Lennon-McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith

Performers And Instruments

John Lennon: double-tracked vocal and acoustic rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: harmony vocal and bass guitar
George Harrison: classical acoustic guitar and acoustic guitar
Ringo Starr: drums

Where To Find “I’ll Be Back”

You can still buy this track on the following albums:

I’ll Be Back: Background

Written primarily by John Lennon, but credit goes to the songwriting partnership of Lennon-McCartney. Of course, “I’ll Be Back” was for The Beatles’ 1964 soundtrack album, “A Hard Day’s Night.” However, the song is not part of the film by the same name.

Lennon simply reworked the chords to the Del Shannon hit single “Runaway” and, as a result, came up with a fantastic track for the album:

“I’ll Be Back is me completely. My variation of the chords in a Del Shannon song.”
John Lennon
All We Are Saying, David Sheff

Although Lennon says that the song is “completely” his, McCartney says otherwise. Be that as it may, McCartney tells us how they would compile an album:

“I’ll Be Back was co-written, but it was largely John’s idea. When we knew we were writing for something like an album, he would write a few in his spare moments, like this batch here. He’d bring them in, we’d check ’em.

I’d write a couple, and we’d throw ’em at each other, and then there would be a couple that were more co-written. But you just had a certain amount of time. You knew when the recording date was, and so a week or two before then, we’d get into it.”
Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

Recording Studio

The Beatles began recording the song on June 1, 1964, in Studio Two of the EMI Studios, London, during the 7.00pm–10.00pm session. They recorded 16 takes that day, as well as recording “Matchbox,” “I’ll Cry Instead” and “Slow Down.”

Their original 16 takes include the first 9 being the rhythm track, while the last 7 were the overdubs. This involved double-tracking John Lennon’s vocals at this point together with harmony vocals and then adding the prominent acoustic guitar.

This song is the last track on the album after “You Can’t Do That,” but there was room for another song. The album ended up with only 13 tracks, possibly because by June 3, Starr was suffering from acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis.

Take A Listen

Finally, click play, and then leave us your thoughts below.