I Saw Her Standing There

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“I Saw Her Standing There”
US single cover
B-side to "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
Released	26 December 1963 (U.S.)
Length	2:55
Label	Capitol 5112 (U.S.)

"I Saw Her Standing There" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and is the opening track on the The Beatles' debut album Please Please Me, released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone on 22 March 1963.

In December 1963, Capitol Records released the song in the United States as the B-side on the label's first single by The Beatles, "I Want to Hold Your Hand". The single topped the U.S. charts for seven weeks starting 18 January 1964. "I Saw Her Standing There" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on 8 February 1964, remaining there for 11 weeks, peaking at number 14.

[edit] Composition

The song was a Lennon & McCartney collaboration based on McCartney's original idea.^[1] Initially titled "Seventeen", the song was conceived by McCartney whilst driving home from a Beatles concert in Southport, Merseyside^[2] and later completed at his Forthlin Road home in September 1962^[1] McCartney said: "I had 'She was just seventeen,' and then 'Beauty queen'. When I showed it to John, he screamed with laughter, and said 'You're joking about that line, aren't you?'"^[2] "It was one of the first times he ever went 'What? Must change that...'"^[3] The lyrics were written on a Liverpool Institute exercise book. Remember, a book by McCartney's brother Mike McCartney, includes a photograph of Lennon and McCartney writing the song while strumming guitars and reading the exercise book. McCartney admits to lifting his bass line directly from a Chuck Berry song called "I'm Talking About You" (1961).^[1]

[edit] Recording

The song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on 11 February 1963, as part of the marathon recording session that produced 10 of the 14 songs on Please Please Me. The Beatles were not present for the mixing session on 25 February 1963,^[4] which was not unusual at that time.

On the album, the song starts with a rousing "one-two-three-FOUR!" count-in by McCartney (pronounced "one-two-three-FAH!"). Usually, these count-ins are edited off the final audio mix. However, this was left on by record producer George Martin, as it was considered especially spirited,^[3] and began the album in an upbeat vein. Music journalist, Richard Williams suggests that this dramatic introduction to their debut album was just as stirring as Elvis Presley's "Well, it's one for the money, two for the show…" on his opening track, Blue Suede Shoes, for his debut album seven years earlier^[5] and makes the statement that the Beatles were a performing band as they also opened their live set in this way. However, by listening to outtakes of the song, one can hear that the count-in is actually from take 9, while the master take is take 1. (Take 1 was not preceded by a loud count-in).^[6] George Martin initially contemplated recording the Please Please Me LP live at the Cavern in front of their own audience^[6] and visited the Liverpool club to experience the Beatles phenomenon for himself.^[7] But when time constraints intervened it was decided to book them into the Abbey Road studios instead.

Outtakes of this recording reveal that Paul McCartney on occasion, altered his bass line during the chorus as he regularly did on live versions.

[edit] Release

In the UK, "I Saw Her Standing There" is the opening track on Please Please Me. In the U.S., Vee Jay Records released it as the opening track on both versions of Introducing... The Beatles, editing out the "One, two, and three" portion of the count in - thus the song starts with, "FOUR!". In addition to the "I Want to Hold Your Hand" B-side offer, Capitol released it as the second track on Meet the Beatles!, released in late January 1964. Vee-Jay had a limited portfolio of Beatle songs to offer, and re-issued their material using various names including Songs, Pictures and Stories of the Fabulous Beatles and other packages.

Capitol reissued the song twice in the 70's, once on the Rock 'n' Roll Music compilation released on 11 June 1976, and as the opening track in the 14-disc Limited-limited edition boxed set, The Beatles Collection released in December 1978.

[edit] Credits

• Paul McCartney – bass guitar, vocal, handclaps
• John Lennon – rhythm guitar, backing vocal, handclaps
• George Harrison – lead guitar, handclaps
• Ringo Starr – drums, handclaps

Credits: Ian MacDonald ^[6]

[edit] Critical acclaim

Carr and Tyler, in The Beatles: An Illustrated Record, claimed it was only the third all-British rock classic up to that time, the previous two being Cliff Richard's "Move It" and Johnny Kidd's "Shakin' All Over".

[edit] Cover versions

A 1974 live version was released as a duet by Lennon and Elton John as the B-side to the latter's "Philadelphia Freedom" single. The song is available on the Lennon Box Set, and on Elton John's To Be Continued... box set as well as the expanded CD edition of his 1976 live album Here and There. Lennon's introduction:

McCartney included "I Saw Her Standing There" on his live albums Tripping the Live Fantastic (1990), Back in the U.S. (2002) and Back in the World (2003). In 1987, he recorded a new version for his album CHOBA B CCCP, but left it to outtakes. The song has become a mainstay of McCartney's live sets, and a special version was played when McCartney and his band returned to Liverpool in June 2008. It featured special guest drummer Dave Grohl, the lead singer of the Foo Fighters.

Other versions include:

• The Who filmed and recorded a version of the song for their film The Kids Are Alright; Keith Moon sang the lead vocal. However, this was not released on the film or soundtrack album, and has only been available on bootleg recordings. The Who also performed the song on their 1982 Farewell Tour, with John Entwistle on lead vocal, including a performance at Shea Stadium.
• Daniel Johnston covered "I Saw Her Standing There" on his album Continued Story/Hi How Are You?
• In 1988, Tiffany released "I Saw Him Standing There" as a single and as a track on her self-titled debut album.
• Santo & Johnny did a version (which features steel guitar) on an LP of Beatle songs.
• In 1977, The Tubes covered "I Saw Her Standing There" on their live CD What Do You Want From Live.
• Carmaig de Forest recorded an acoustic version of "I Saw Her Standing There" in his own kitchen in 1991. Halfway through the song, it turns into his own composition "Julie Among the Redwoods", but reverts back to "I Saw Her Standing There" in the end.
• Peter Grant recorded a Jazz version on his debut album New Vintage released in 2006.
• The Punkles did a Punk cover on their first Album "Beat The Punkles".
• Allister released a cover version on the Japanese-only EP, Guilty Pleasures.
• In 1991, mexican singer Mimí recorded a spanish version of this song called "Te Ví Parado Ahí" and included it on her self-titled debut album.
• Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis on Jerry Lee Lewis's 2006 CD Last Man Standing.
• Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis on American Idol Season 6 finale.
• David Hernandez on American Idol, Season 7.

[edit] In Popular Culture

In the 1988 Motion Picture Rain Man, the song is sung by the titular character (portrayed by Dustin Hoffman) to his younger brother Charlie.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt & Company, 93-94. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Badman, Keith (2000). The Beatles Off The Record. London: Omnibus, 50. ISBN 0-7119-7985-5. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions. London: Hamlyn, 9. ISBN 0-600-55798-7. 
4. ^ Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books, 24. ISBN 0-517-57066-1. 
5. ^ (2002) Mojo Special Limited Edition # M-04951. London: EMAP Metro Limited, 40. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} MacDonald, Ian (1998). Revolution in the Head. London: Pimlico, 68. ISBN 0-7126-6697-4. 
7. ^ Q Collectors Limited Edition. London: Maddy Ballantyne, 36.