Baby's in Black

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"Baby's in Black"
Song by The Beatles

from the album Beatles for Sale

Released 4 December 1964
Recorded Abbey Road
11 August 1964
Genre Country rock
Length 2:02
Label EMI, Parlophone, Capitol
Writer Lennon/McCartney
Producer George Martin
Beatles for Sale track listing

"Baby's in Black" is a song by The Beatles, co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney[1][2] and released in the United Kingdom on Beatles for Sale[3] and in the United States on Beatles '65.[4]

Contents

[edit] Composition

AMG described the song as "a love lament for a grieving girl that was perhaps more morose than any previous Beatles song."[5] The lyrics are about Astrid Kirchherr,[6] a friend and photographer the Beatles met during their first trip to Hamburg.[7][8] She was Stuart Sutcliffe's fiancée,[9] and was distraught over his death.

The song has a 6/8 time signature[10] with a moderate tempo that makes it sound like 3/4 (waltz-time).

[edit] Recording

The Beatles recorded "Baby's in Black" on 11 August 1964 the first song recorded for Beatles for Sale.[11]

Lennon and McCartney sang their vocal parts simultaneously through the same microphone. This was done at their own insistence in order to achieve a closer feel to the performance. McCartney was subsequently contacted by their music publisher in 1964 inquiring as to which melody line was the main tune (i.e. Paul's higher or John's lower melody). McCartney later said that he told the publisher they were both the main melody.[12]

[edit] Live performances

The Beatles performed "Baby's in Black" live during their appearances from late 1964 until their last tour in 1966, and usually as the third song in their set after "Rock and Roll Music" and "Long Tall Sally". McCartney said they introduced the song by saying, "'And now for something different.' ... We used to put that in there, and think, 'Well, they won't know quite what to make of this, but it's cool.'"[2] "Baby's in Black" was also performed at The Beatles' 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.

In 1996, a live version of "Baby's in Black" was released as a B-side to the second (and last) Beatles reunion single, "Real Love".[13]

[edit] Personnel

Personnel per Ian MacDonald[14]

[edit] Cover versions

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Sheff 2000, p. 205.
  2. ^ a b Miles 1997, p. 175.
  3. ^ Lewisohn 1988, p. 200.
  4. ^ Lewisohn 1988, p. 201.
  5. ^ a b Unterberger 2007.
  6. ^ Cross 2005, p. 320.
  7. ^ Miles 1997, pp. 61, 63–64.
  8. ^ Spitz 2005, pp. 220–224.
  9. ^ Harry 2000, p. 608.
  10. ^ Hal Leonard 1993, p. 79.
  11. ^ Lewisohn 1988, p. 47.
  12. ^ Miles 1997.
  13. ^ Cross 2005, pp. 484–485, 543.
  14. ^ MacDonald 2005, pp. 122-123.

[edit] References

[edit] External links