THE BEATLES – “I Feel Fine”
The sliver of feedback that opens “I Feel Fine” has become one of pop’s great use-other-facts-please. It’s historically interesting, it’s a strong gimmick, but it has very little to do with the rest of the record, which is the Beatles having good clean fun with Rickenbackers. The section where riff and solo interplay is easily the liveliest of the whole song, but the overall emphasis on guitar gives a sense of the band moving with their times. That said this is the third Beatles song in a row about buying things – tracing a cynical arc from the pious separation of romance and commerce to diamond rings as a proof of affection. There’s a hint in that of a tune in need of changing.
(Flash Fact: this song’s worth as a singalong was proved by me at Glastonbury last year, much to the horror of anyone present.)
6
I like the b side, “She’s A Woman” a lot more – which is not about buying things but the opposite. It’s also the closest to reggae they got for some time.
Stateside, this single was released with a good amount of reverb. I rather prefer these tunes that way, they just sound massive. Especially both intros.
And me and my mum were on the front page of the local rag! Thank gawd I wasn’t christened Noel.
TOTPWatch: The Beatles performed I Feel Fine (and She’s A Woman) on the Top Of The Pops of 3 December 1964. Also in the studio that week were; Freddie & The Dreamers, PJ Proby, The Searchers and Val Doonican. Pete Murray was the host. No copy survives.
this also hit number one in the US, as noted here:
http://nohardchords.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/125-the-beatles-i-feel-fine/
I’ve always liked this for it’s feeling of running on the spot – like a precursor of the motorik beat of Neu!
And at two…a 60s anthem about losing yourself: http://musicsoundsbetterwithtwo.blogspot.com/2011/07/lend-your-voice-petula-clark-downtown.html Thanks for reading as always!
The Beatles must have REALLY loved Bobby Parker’s Watch Your Step – the main riff is not only the hook for for I Feel Fine, but at 0.33 you can hear the 1965 Xmas no.1 too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvtabNAb_wE
I like the subtle suggestion in the lyric that Lennon is a fool, being strung along and he knows it:
“She’s happy as can be, y’know, she says so….”.
And more tellingly:
“I’m so glad that she’s my little girl
She’s so glad she’s telling all the world
….that her baby buys her things”
Gold digger!
The Beatles would (possibly) also have noted Adam Faith’s 1961 cover of the Bobby Parker track – it’s the first track on his “Adam Faith” LP of that year. It’s slighly more “anglicised”. I’ve had the Adam Faith LP for almost 40 years now and I still notice the similarity/influence every time I hear it.