Things We Said Today

Album: A Hard Day's Night (1964)
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Songfacts®:

  • Paul McCartney wrote this while he was on vacation in The Bahamas and away from his girlfriend. Along with McCartney on the yacht voyage were Ringo Starr and his girlfriend and future wife Maureen. McCartney told interviewer Barry Miles: "I got away from the main party but it was a bit queasy downstairs; you could smell the oil and the boat was rocking a bit and I'm not the best sailor in the world, so I wrote a little bit of it downstairs and then the rest of it on the back deck where you couldn't smell the engine." Kind of accounts for the dour mood if you're seasick.
  • "Things We Said Today" was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, home to The Beatles for most of their career together and given its tribute in the Abbey Road album. Abbey Road started out as a nine-bedroom townhouse built in 1930 before being converted into apartments. Gramophone bought the property in 1930 and converted it into a studio. The first European rock and roll song recorded there was Cliff Richard's "Move It," released 1958.
  • Maureen McGovern recorded this and "For No One" as a 2-song medley for her 1992 album Baby I'm Yours. Other acts to cover this song include Dick Rivers, Mary McCaslin, Jackie DeShannon, Dwight Yoakam, and one pastiche version by Beatles-parody act The Rutles.
  • In the UK, this song was used as the B-side of the UK single release of "A Hard Day's Night," which was a far more up-tempo and rollicking song.
  • McCartney's vocal was double-tracked to make it stand out.

Comments: 22

  • Grimtraveller from North West LondonBoth "Please please me" and "With the Beatles" were recorded at the studio in Abbey Road. During the 60s, it wasn't even called Abbey road, it was EMI studios and there were three studios, studio 1, studio 2, and studio 3.
  • Serg from UkraineOf all the songs the band wrote for their thirteen studio albums, Things We Said Today shows the only example of the Phrygian mode.
  • Les from UkA deceptively simple song that always sounds brilliant. Paul's voice was perfect for this one.
  • Roy from Slough, United KingdomWell......shes not really his sister shes he's wife AND her name is Michele Pillar Carlton. ''GULP''
  • Roy from Slough, United KingdomIf you want to hear a real brilliant version of this,listen to the version by Larry Carlton & his sister Pillar....GOOSEBUMPS!
  • M from Lennonland, NyThis song sounds quite eerie indeed, and I just love it. Just listened to it the first time today.
  • Steve Dotstar from Los Angeles, Cawhat a brilliant song and recording..it has kind of a drone sound....haunting and eerie...
  • Matthew from Bromley, United KingdomCliff Richard recorded a fantastic version of this song in the mid/late sixties. It was used as an ep track (la la la la la is the EP) It is hard to find and brillant to listen to.
  • Lateeka from Kelowna, CanadaAmazing chemistry between McCartney and Harrison... it's rare to have them sing together .. or John and George! It's usually Paul and John. Good stuff
  • Jill from Dumfries, VaThis is one of my favorite beatles songs.
    You can just hear the sincerity in his voice.
    and george on the guitar makes it even better, God rest your soul Mr. Harrison <3.
  • Bulldog from Goldsboro, NcStorybox included a version of this song on the album No Dancing Allowed.
  • Tim from New York, NyMe and my gf picked this as our song, cause its soo true, that when you are away from your signifigant other, all you can think about is them, all you remember is time spent with them...
  • Krista from Elyria, OhCool, Luna. I like this slow song.
  • George from Yonkers, NyA proto folk rock song on the underrated Hard Day's Night album.
  • Brian from Sydney, CanadaPaul's fascination with the art of letter writing that is in a few of his songs. Just off the top of my head, "P.S. I Love You", "All My Loving", "Paperback Writer", and"From Me To You" in a sense.
  • Luna from London, EnglandNot only Paul wrote this song. He was on vacation with Ringo Starr, Ringo's girlfriend(and later wife) Maureen, and Jane Asher. The FOUR of them wrote it while on a boat.
  • Jon from Tucson, AzThe lyrics are optimistic but the music sounds weary.
  • Alan from Grande Prairie, Alberta, CanadaMy favourite Beatles song hands down.
  • Mauricio from Hanford, CaJust cannot stop liking this song...
  • Sophia from Mesquite, TxI never get tired of this song.
  • Jeff from Boston, MaPaul McCartney wrote this song while abpard a yacht called "Happy Days", cruisin' tthe Carribean. It was a about his relationship with his girlfriend at the time - Jane Asher, and the fact that by nature oftheir occupations, they wouldn't be able to spend alot of time together, and that when they were apart, he could remember the things they had said to each other the last time theyt were together.
  • Jeff from Boston, MaThis song may have been on the B-side of "A Hard Day's Night" in the UK, but in the US, "I Should Have Known Better" was on the flip side of "A Hard Day's Night".
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