She's Leaving Home

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She's Leaving Home is a song off The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written by Paul McCartney with help from John Lennon.

Contents

[edit] Writing

The song was inspired by Melanie Coe, a 17-year-old schoolgirl from Stamfrd Hill, north London. She had left her parents without a car, checkbook, or clothes. Her father had said "I cannot imagine why she should run away. She has everything here." It was later found out that she had rented a Paddington flat with a croupier she met in a nightclub, ten days after the newspaper story on her had been published. Paul McCartney wrote the lyrics, with George Martin saying the song was "not, strictly speaking, a Beatles song at all, pure McCartney, from start to finish". Paul, however, recalls getting a small amount of help from John Lennon. Melanie Coe recalled, "The amazing thing about the song was how much it got right about my life. It quoted the parents as saying 'We gave her everything money can buy,' which was true in my case. I had two diamond rings, a mink coat, handmade clothes in silk and cashmere and even my own car. Then there was the line 'After living alone for so many years,' which really struck home to me because I was an only child and I always felt alone. I never communicated with either of my parents. It was a constant battle... I heard the song when it came out and thought it was about someone like me but never dreamed it was actually about me. I can remember thinking that I didn't run off with a man from the motor trade, so it couldn't have been me! I must have been in my twenties when my mother said she'd seen Paul on television and he'd said that the song was based on a story in a newspaper. That's when I started telling my friends it was about me." Coe had met The Beatles coincidentally on October 4, 1963, when she had won a miming contest on Ready, Steady, Go. Paul McCartney had presented her with the award. She recalled, "I spent that day in the studios going through rehearsals, so I was around The Beatles most of that time. Paul wasn't particularly chatty and John seemed distant but I did spend time talking to George and Ringo." The "man from the motor trade" was taken by some to be Terry Doran, Brian Epstein's partner in Brydor Cars. Others had thought it to be a euphemism for an abortionist. In reality, neither were true. Paul said, "It was just fiction, like the sea captain in Yellow Submarine; they weren't real people. The man from the motor trade was just a typical sleazy characer, the kind of guy that could pull a young bird by saying, 'Would you like a ride in my car, darlin'?' Nice plush interior, that's how you pulled birds. So it was just a nice little bit of sleaze."

[edit] Recording

Just like 1966's Eleanor Rigby, no instruments were played by The Beatles. It included a string backing, including harp, violins, violas, cellos and a double bass. Paul had commissioned Mike Leander to score this, as George Martin was unavailable because of the short notice Paul wanted the string section. Paul recalled, "I rang him and I said, 'I need you to arrange it.' He said, 'I'm sorry, Paul, I've got a Cilla [Black] session.' And I thought, Fucking hell! After all this time working together, he ought to put himself out. It was probably unreasonable to expect him to. Anyway, I said, 'Well, fine, thanks George,' but I was so hot to trot that I called Mike Leander, another arranger. I got him to come over to Cavendish Avenue and I showed him what I wanted, strings, and he said, 'Leave it with me.'" Even though George Martin was very hurt by this, he still did produce the session. "I couldn't understand why he was so impatient all of a sudden," said Martin, "It obviously hadn't occurred to him that I would be upset." The first recording date was March 17, 1967, when the string section was recorded. It is unlikely any Beatles were at this session. Six takes were recorded, though Take 1 was decided best. John and Paul's vocals were recorded on March 20, and were overdubbed twice to get the sound of more voices.

[edit] Personnel

[edit] The Beatles

[edit] Guest Musicians

[edit] Production

[edit] Available Versions

[edit] Available On

[edit] Cover Versions

  • Bee Gees
  • Billy Bragg
  • Larry Coryell
  • Counting Crows
  • Brian Ferry
  • Les Fradkin
  • James Genus
  • Guys n' Dolls
  • Richie Havens
  • Greg Hawkes
  • Al Jarreau
  • Branimir Krstic
  • Brad Mehldau
  • The Magic Numbers
  • Harry Nilsson
  • Syreeta
  • McCoy Tyner
  • Carrie Underwood
  • Brian Wilson

[edit] Source

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