What You're Doing

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What You're Doing is a song on The Beatles' 1964 album Beatles For Sale. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon/McCartney.

Contents

Writing

What You're Doing was inspired by Paul McCartney's troubled relationship with then-girlfriend Jane Asher. McCartney recalls, "What You're Doing was a bit of a filler. I think it was a little more mine than John's, but I don't have a very clear recollection so to be on the safe side I'd put it as 50-50. It doesn't sound like an idea that I remember John offering, so it sounds like a way to get a song started, some of them are just that. 'Hey, what'cha doing?' You sometimes start a song and hope the best bit will arrive by the time you get to the chorus... but sometimes that's all you get, and I suspect this was one of them. Maybe it's a better recording than it is a song, some of them are. Sometimes a good recording would enhance the song."

Recording

What You're Doing was recorded over three days in Abbey Road Studios. The first session was on September 29, 1964. On this date, The Beatles recorded the first seven attempts at the basic track. The next day, on September 30, 1964, they recorded a further five takes. At this point, the instrumental break was an octave higher and there was a brief pause before the coda. The song was finished on October 26, 1964, when it was the last song recorded during the last session of the recording of the Beatles For Sale album. Seven more takes were recorded, only three of which were complete. Take 19 was used on the album.

Recording Sessions

Personnel

The Beatles

Guest Musicians

Production

Release

What You're Doing was first released on the UK album Beatles For Sale. It was not released in the US until June 1965, when it was released on the album Beatles VI.

Love Mix

Certain instrumental and vocal parts of What You're Doing were incorporated in an artificial "medley" on the 2006 Beatles remix album LOVE along with Drive My Car and The Word. In addition to the three songs listed in the medley, the mix also contains the guitar solo from Taxman and vocals from Helter Skelter.

Available Versions

Known Unavailable Versions

A (%) indicates an overdub, edit piece, or basic track available only as part of another recording. The overdub, edit piece, or basic track by itself has not been released.

Available On

Sources

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