Home · Songs · The Beatles · Tell Me What You See
From album
Help!
The Beatles · 1965
Details
TonalidadG
Compás4/4
Tempo136 BPM
Duración2:33
CompositorJohn Lennon / Paul McCartney
ÁlbumHelp!
Año1965
Credits
Music John Lennon, Paul McCartney
If you like this, try
The story behind
In "Tell Me What You See", The Beatles explore a sound that anticipates the direction they would take on their next album, Rubber Soul. The song is distinguished by the use of the Hohner Pianet, an electric piano that provides a particular timbre, and which appears on other tracks from the album Help! recorded around the same time. Additionally, the percussion is enriched with instruments such as the güiro, the tambourine, and the claves, giving the rhythmic base a more marked presence than usual for the band up to that point. The way the guitar is structured, played as if it were acoustic despite being electric, and the descending strum before each verse, suggest a folk influence. The lyrics, for their part, draw from a religious phrase that John Lennon had in his childhood home, and Kenneth Womack has even pointed out a possible connection to Elvis Presley's 1956 song, "Tryin' to Get to You".
The composition of "Tell Me What You See" is attributed to Lennon–McCartney, but both Paul McCartney and John Lennon identified it as mostly McCartney's work. McCartney described it as a filler piece, useful for completing albums or as a B-side, acknowledging that it was not one of his most outstanding compositions. The recording took place on February 18, 1965, during the sessions for the soundtrack of their film Help!. It was the last track recorded that day, after "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and a failed attempt at "If You've Got Trouble". With George Martin producing and Norman Smith and Ken Scott as engineers, the band achieved a solid foundation in four takes. McCartney played bass, Lennon rhythm guitar, Ringo Starr drums, and George Harrison the güiro. Later, vocals by McCartney and Lennon were added, along with additional percussion by Starr and Lennon, and the aforementioned electric piano part by McCartney. The mono mix was done on February 20, and the stereo mix on February 23. An instrumental version of the song was recorded by George Martin for his 1965 album, George Martin and His Orchestra Play Help!.
0:00