It's Only Love
Written by: John Lennon (100%)(credited as Lennon-McCartney)
Working title: That's A Nice Hat
Recorded: June 15, 1965 (Studio 2, Abbey Road Studios, London, England)
Mixed: June 18, 1965
Length: 1:53
Takes: 6
Musicians:
John Lennon: lead vocal (double-tracked), acoustic rhythm guitar (1964 Framus 12-string "Hootenanny")
Paul McCartney: bass guitar (1961 Hofner 500/1)
George Harrison: lead guitar (1962 Gretsch 6119 "Tennessean"), rhythm guitar (1964 Rickenbacker "Fire-glo" 360-12)
Ringo Starr: drums (Ludwig), tambourine
Available on: (CDs in bold)
Help! (UK: Parlophone PMC 1255; PCS 3071; Parlophone CDP 7 46439 2)
Yesterday (EP) (UK: Parlophone GEP 8948)
Rubber Soul (US: Capitol (S)T-2442)
History:
- As evidenced by the working title, the John-penned ballad "It's Only Love" was written to order to flesh out the Help! soundtrack, and as such has no personal connection to Lennon's life, unlike many of the songs he'd been writing for the past year. Indeed, the rather pedestrian lyrics later led the singer to denounce his creation, going so far as to claim this as the only Beatles song of his he hated. However, many fans who look past the lyrics consider this one of his most underrated, vulnerable ballads, especially given John's rather affecting vocal.
- This song was recorded after five aborted attempts (including four complete takes) in one three-hour afternoon session, the 11th for the Help! project. John's vocal was then overdubbed, as was a tambourine played by Ringo in the choruses.
- "It's Only Love" features the very first Beatles guitar solo played through the rotating "Leslie" speaker of the Hammond B-3 organ, which, along with the group's recently purchased tone pedal, gives the lead its shimmering effect.
- The excessive number of takes (for the time) can be attributed mainly to Ringo's trouble mastering his drum part; on Anthology 2 outtakes he can be heard defending himself to John: "Well, we all make mistakes!"
- The rather sloppy double-tracking of John's vocal on the original vinyl version led Capitol to erroneously claim this, on the US version of Rubber Soul, as a dual John and Paul harmony vocal. Later CD mixes of this song "correct" the anomaly somewhat.
- The bootleg Indian Rope Trick contains a bogus "acoustic version" of this song that is merely one isolated channel of the released version.
