Cry For A Shadow

From BeatlesWiki

[edit] Sheet

Song version
Song	Cry For A Shadow
Index	warning.pngEmpty strings are not accepted.
Date	June 22/23, 1961
Short description	Recording of Cry For A Shadow in Hamburg, on June 22 or June 23, 1961
Version	{{{Version}}}
Version description	Original Polydor version

[edit] Participants

Lead Guitar: George Harrison
Rythm Guitar: John Lennon
Bass: Paul McCartney
Drums: Pete Best
Producer: Bert Kaempfert

[edit] Story

"Cry for a Shadow" is an early Beatles instrumental. It was recorded on June 22, 1961 while they were performing as Tony Sheridan's backup band for a few tracks. It was written by George Harrison with John Lennon as a parody of The Shadows style. (The Shadows, who backed Cliff Richard were the biggest British instrumental rock & roll group at the time of the recording.) Overtly, The Beatles did not take The Shadows seriously, although in reality they probably admired them. It imitates and even pokes fun at the lead guitar with typical Hank Marvin licks, the melodic bass fills, and even has an imitation during the second middle 8 of the famous Jet Harris yell. It is the only Beatles track to be credited to Lennon and Harrison alone.

It was intended to be released as the b-side of "Why (Can't You Love Me Again)" another Sheridan song with The Beatles, but the record company chose to release another song instead. In early 1964, as The Beatles were gaining popularity, the record company decided to release it--with "Why(can't you love me again)" changed to the b-side. According to Bill Harry, editor of the Mersey Beat newspaper, Cry for a Shadow's original title was "Beatle Bop."

It was also released much later in 1995 as part of the Anthology 1 compilation