Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand
From BeatlesWiki
Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand is a song by The Beatles. It was originally released as a single in Germany. It is a German-language version of I Want To Hold Your Hand.
Contents |
Story
This song, as well as Sie Liebt Dich, a German version of She Loves You, was recorded in Paris in January 1964. Electrola Gesellschaft, the West German division of EMI, had convinced Brian Epstein and George Martin that the only way to sell Beatle records in Germany was to have The Beatles record some songs in German. George Martin agreed and had to convince the group to go along with the plan. Since The Beatles were doing a 19-day concert series at Paris' Olympia Theatre, Otto Demmlar, a translator from Cologne, went to Paris' Pathe Marconi Studios to teach The Beatles to sing I Want To Hold Your Hand and She Loves You in German. Getting The Beatles into the studio, however, was not easy. George Martin recalls, "We waited an hour before I telephoned their suite at the George V hotel. Neil Aspinall answered, 'They're in bed, they've decided not to go to the studio.' I went crazy - it was the first time they had refused to do anything for me. 'You tell them they've got to come, otherwise I shall be so angry it isn't true! I'm coming over right now.' So the German [translator] and I jumped into a taxi, we got to the hotel and I barged into their suite, to be met by this incredible sight, right out of the Mad Hatter's tea party. Jane Asher - Paul girlfriend - with her long red hair, was pouring tea from a china pot, and the others were sitting around her like March Hares. They took one look at me and exploded, like in a school room when the headmaster enters. Some dived onto the sofa and hid behind curtains. 'You are bastards!' I screamed, to which they responded with impish little grins and roguish apologies. Within minutes we were on our way to the studio. They were right, actually. It wasn't necessary for them to record in German, but they weren't graceless, they did a good job."
Recording
Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand was the first song recorded during the January 29, 1964 session at Pathe Marconi Studios that produced the two German-language songs. The original four-track tape from October 17, 1963 was mixed down to two tracks, onto which The Beatles overdubbed new vocals. Eleven takes were recorded, with the best being a combination of takes five and seven. After they were edited together, The Beatles overdubbed handclaps. After that, they recorded Sie Liebt Dich and Can't Buy Me Love, a completely new song.
Recording Sessions
- January 29, 1964: Recording of Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand, Sie Liebt Dich, and Can't Buy Me Love. →
Personnel
The Beatles
- Lead Vocals: John Lennon
- Rythm Guitar: John Lennon
- Handclaps: John Lennon
- Lead Vocals: Paul McCartney
- Bass: Paul McCartney
- Handclaps: Paul McCartney
- Lead Vocals: George Harrison
- Lead Guitar: George Harrison
- Handclaps: George Harrison
- Drums: Ringo Starr
- Handclaps: Ringo Starr
Production
- Producer: George Martin
- Engineer: Norman Smith
Available Versions
- Partial Take 1, January 29, 1964, (Bootlegs)
- Partial Take 2, January 29, 1964, (Bootlegs)
- Partial Take 7, January 29, 1964, (Bootlegs)
- Partial Take 9, January 29, 1964, (Bootlegs)
- Partial Take 10, January 29, 1964, (Bootlegs)
- Partial Unknown Take, January 29, 1964, (Bootlegs)
- Takes 5 and 7 plus overdubs, October 17, 1963/January 29, 1964, (Released as a single)
Available On
- Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand/Sie Liebt Dich German single, 1964.
- Something New, 1964.
- Rarities (UK Edition), 1978.
- Past Masters Volume 1, 1988.
