I Want to Tell You

The story behind

When George Harrison sat down to write I Want to Tell You in early 1966, he was exploring new territory, both in his life and in his songwriting. The experience with LSD led him to reflect on an "avalanche of thoughts" that were difficult to express. This search for deep communication is reflected in the music: a repeating guitar riff with a particular cadence and dissonances in the melody that convey that complexity. It is interesting to note that in the recording, Paul McCartney recorded his bass part after the rhythm section was already in place, a technique that became habitual in the Beatles' subsequent productions. The song, with its structure based on a constant hum that rarely deviates from its main key, and the use of Indian-style vocal melismas, especially at the end, show that Eastern influence that Harrison was incorporating. It is one of the few songs by the band that begins with a *fade-in*, creating a gradual entrance that invites immersion into its atmosphere.