You Can't Do That

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You Can't Do That is a song on The Beatles' 1964 album A Hard Day's Night. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon/McCartney.

Contents

Writing

By 1964, John Lennon and Paul McCartney had been writing together less frequently. The lyrics show the jealousy and possessiveness John Lennon was feeling towards women at the time. He was influenced musically by US R&B and soul at the time, specifically by Wilson Pickett.

Recording

You Can't Do That was recorded on February 25, 1964. The band also started work on And I Love Her and I Should Have Known Better, but the latter two were not completed. The song was completed in nine takes, four of which were complete. It featured George Harrison's first prominent use of his new Rickenbacker 12-string guitar, which was given to him when in New York for the Ed Sullivan Show. It can best be heard in the introduction and ending of the song. Take six, which contained guide vocals from John Lennon, was featured on Anthology 1. John Lennon told Melody Maker in 1964, "I'd find it a drag to play rhythm all the time, so I always work myself out something interesting to play. The best example I can think of is like I did on You Can't Do That. There really isn't a lead guitarist and a rhythm guitarist on that, because I feel the rhythm guitarist role sounds too thin for records. Anyway it drove me potty to play chunk-chunk rhythm all the time. I never play anything as lead guitarist that George couldn't do better. But I like playing lead sometimes, so I do it." On May 22, 1964, after the song had already been released, George Martin recorded a piano track for You Can't Do That. It was never used and remains unreleased. The Beatles recorded You Can't Do That for the BBC four times. The first was recorded at BBC Picadilly Studios on February 28, just three days after the studio version was recorded. This version, recorded for the program From Us To You, was broadcast on March 30, just days after the release of the Can't Buy Me Love single was released. It was recorded again for Saturday Club at the Playhouse Theatre on March 31 and broadcast on April 4. They taped a third version on May 1 for the From Us To You program. This was first broadcast on May 18. The final radio version was recorded at Broadcasting House for the Top Gear program on July 14. It was broadcast on July 16.

Release

Originally, You Can't Do That was considered to be The Beatles' sixth single. Instead, it was first released as the B-Side of Can't Buy Me Love in March 1964. It was again released on the second, non-film half of the Hard Day's Night album in the UK and on The Beatles' Second Album in the US.

Recording Sessions

Personnel

The Beatles

Production

Live Performances

You Can't Do That quickly became part of The Beatles' live repertoire in 1964. It usually was the second song they performed during their September Australian tour and their August and September North American tours, after Twist And Shout. It was performed at the NME Pollwinners' Concert on April 26 and on their appearance on Blackpool Night Out July 19.

In The Film A Hard Day's Night

Though it was never actually used in the film, The Beatles were filmed lip-synching to You Can't Do That for the final concert sequence in A Hard Day's Night. This was filmed at the Scala Theatre in London on March 31, 1964. This clip, though not included in the final movie, was sent by United Artists to the Ed Sullivan Show, where it was broadcast on May 24.

Available Versions

The Beatles

Ringo Starr

  • Live at Irving Plaza, New York City, New York, USA, June 19, 2005, (Bootlegs)
  • Live at Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois, USA, June 24, 2005, (Bootlegs)

Known Unavailable Versions

Available On

Sources

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