There's a Place

Infobox Song
Name = There's a Place
Artist = The Beatles
Album = Please Please Me
Released = March 22 1963 (mono)
April 26 1963 (stereo)
track_no = 13
Recorded = February 11 1963
Genre = Rock and roll
Length = 1:49
Writer = McCartney/Lennon
Label = Parlophone
Producer = George Martin
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Please Please Me
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one
# "I Saw Her Standing There"
# "Misery"
# "Anna (Go to Him)"
# "Chains"
# "Boys"
# "Ask Me Why"
# "Please Please Me";Side two
# "Love Me Do"
# "P.S. I Love You"
# "Baby It's You"
# "Do You Want to Know a Secret?"
# "A Taste of Honey"
# "There's a Place"
# "Twist and Shout"Infobox Song
Name =There's a Place
Type =Single B-side to "Twist and Shout"
Artist =The Beatles
Released =2 March 1964
Label =Tollie 9001 (US)

"There's a Place" is a song composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and was first released as a track on The Beatles UK debut LP, "Please Please Me". Lennon and McCartney share the main vocal with George Harrison singing back up vocal.

Origins

The song was inspired by Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere" from "West Side Story" which contained the line: "somewhere there's a place for us". Paul McCartney owned the album of the soundtrack at the time of writing "There's a Place" and acknowledges its influence.cite book |first=Barry |last=Miles |authorlink=Barry Miles |title=Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now |year=1998 |pages=95 |publisher=Vintage |location=London |isbn=0-7493-8658-4] The "place" in question was "the mind", making its subject matter slightly more cerebral than Britain's kissing and cuddling songs and America's surf music from that period.cite book |first=Ian |last=MacDonald |title=Revolution in the Head |year=1998 |pages=58] Lennon is quoted as saying: ""There's a Place" was my attempt at a sort of Motown, black thing."cite book |first=Ian |last=MacDonald |authorlink=Ian MacDonald |title=Revolution in the Head |year=1998 |pages=58 |publisher=Pimlico |location=London |isbn=0-7126-6697-4] It says the usual Lennon things: 'In my mind there's no sorrow...' It's all in your mind." Composed at McCartney's Forthlin Road home, it was part of the group's stage repertoire in 1963.cite book |first=Bill |last=Harry |authorlink=Bill Harry |title=The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia |year=1992 |pages=649 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=0-86369-681-3] With its major seventh harmonica intro (later reprised) and searing two-part vocal harmonies in fifths (Lennon low, McCartney high), it stands out as an early Beatles milestone track. The song was recorded on 11 February 1963 in ten takes during the first of three sessions for "Please Please Me".cite book |first=Mark |last=Lewisohn |authorlink= Mark Lewisohn |title=The Complete Beatles Chronicle |year=1992 |pages=99 |publisher=Hamlyn |location=London |isbn=0-600-61001-2]

The song was officially credited to Paul McCartney and John Lennon, in that order, as were all other Lennon/McCartney originals on the "Please Please Me" album. The songwriting credit was changed to "Lennon-McCartney" for their second album, "With The Beatles".

Personnel

*John Lennon – joint lead vocal, harmonica, rhythm guitar
*Paul McCartney – joint lead vocal, bass guitar
*George Harrison – backing vocal, lead guitar
*Ringo Starr – drums:Credits per Ian MacDonaldcite book |first=Ian |last=MacDonald |authorlink=Ian MacDonald |title=Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties |year=2005 |pages=65 |edition=Second Revised Edition |publisher=Pimlico (Rand) |location=London |isbn=1-844-13828-3]

Cover versions

A cover version was released by The Flamin' Groovies.

Cultural legacy

It was used at the start of Daniel Farson's Associated-Rediffusion documentary "Beat City", a portrait of Liverpool which was shown at Christmas 1963.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/~beatleboy1/dba01please.html The Beatles Ultimate Experience Database: Please Please Me]