Notes and Quotes: "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

Written in the basement music room of the Ashers (57 Wimpole Street, London).

Lennon: We wrote a lot of stuff together, one on one, eyeball to eyeball. Like in "I Want to Hold Your Hand," I remember when we got the chord that made the song. We were in Jane Asher's house, downstairs in the cellar playing on the piano at the same time. And we had 'oh, you-u-u . . . got that something . . . ." And Paul hits this chord and I turn to him and say, "That's it!" I said "do that again!" In those days we really used to absolutely write like that — both playing into each other's noses. (Miles 1997: 107-08 from Playboy 1980)

McCartney: "Eyeball to eyeball" is a very good description of it. That's exactly how it was. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was very co-written. It was our big number one; the one that would eventually break us in America. (Miles 1997: 108)

McCartney: Looking back on it now, I can say, "Yes, okay, in the studio I could be overbearing." Because I wanted to get it right! I heard tapes recently of me counting in "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," which was our first number one in the States, and I'm being pretty bossy: "Sssh, Sssh! Clean beginning, c'mon, everyone. One, two. No, c'mon, get it right!" and I can see how that could get on your nerves. (Miles 1997: 579)

Schedule

8 February, 2012