Not a Second Time

There are moments in music that, upon hearing them, make us stop and think: 'what is happening here?'. In The Beatles' *Not a Second Time*, one of those instances occurs towards the end. When the lyrics say 'You hurt me then. You're back again. No, no no, not a second time', the harmony takes an unexpected turn. Instead of resolving in the way one would expect, a change occurs that generates a particular tension. This detail, which some music analysts have explored, gives the song a depth that goes beyond a simple rock melody. It's as if the music itself were saying 'wait a moment', inviting the listener to pay more attention to the sonic details.

This piece, written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, was recorded in September 1963 at EMI Studios in London. It was part of *With the Beatles*, the band's second studio album in the UK, released in November of the same year. The recording was completed in nine takes, a fairly straightforward process for the time. Producer George Martin was in charge, overseeing the sessions that would also lead to other compositions and singles that would mark the way. The song, with its duration of just over two minutes, falls within the rock genre and shows the sonic evolution that The Beatles were already exploring.