I've Just Seen a Face

Song infobox
Name = I've Just Seen a Face


Artist = The Beatles
Album = Help!
Released = 6 August 1965
track_no = 12
Recorded = 14 June 1965
Genre = Country, pop rock, folk, R&B
Length = 2:07
Writer = Lennon/McCartney
Label = Parlophone, Capitol, EMI
Producer = George Martin
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Help!
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one
# "Help!"
# "The Night Before"
# "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"
# "I Need You"
# "Another Girl"
# "You're Going to Lose That Girl"
# "Ticket to Ride";Side two
# "Act Naturally"
# "It's Only Love"
# "You Like Me Too Much"
# "Tell Me What You See"
# "I've Just Seen a Face"
# "Yesterday"
# "Dizzy Miss Lizzy""I've Just Seen a Face" is a song by The Beatles. It appears on their 1965 UK album, "Help!"

"I've Just Seen a Face" was written by Paul McCartneycite book |author=Barry Miles |title=Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now |year=1997 |pages=200 |publisher=Henry Holt & Company |location=New York |isbn=0-8050-5249-6] cite book |author=David Sheff (interviewer) |title=All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono |year=2000 |pages=195 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |isbn=0-312-25464-4] (credited to Lennon-McCartney), and features McCartney on vocals. Before its release, the song was briefly titled "Aunty Gin's Theme," after his father's youngest sister, because it was one of her favorites.cite book |author=Bill Harry, |title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated |year=2000 |pages=559 |publisher=Virgin Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-7535-0481-2] cite book |author=Ian MacDonald |title=Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties |year=1994 |pages=123 |publisher=Henry Holt and Company |location=New York |isbn=0-8050-2780-7] It is one of the very few guitar based Beatles songs which doesn't have a bass track. Another notable one is "Blackbird".

The "Help!" version was recorded on 14 June 1965 at Abbey Road Studios in London in the same session with "Yesterday."cite book |author=Mark Lewisohn |title=The Beatles Recording Sessions |year=1988 |pages=59 |publisher=Harmony Books |location=New York |isbn=0-517-57066-1]

Credits

*Paul McCartney – vocal, acoustic guitar
*John Lennon – acoustic guitar
*George Harrison – twelve string acoustic guitar
*Ringo Starr – brushed snare, maracas

McCartney live versions

The song has remained a favourite of McCartney's as indicated by live performances during his solo career. It was one of only five Beatles numbers performed on his Wings Over America Tour in 1976. Post-Beatles live versions appear on the 1976 album "Wings over America", on the 1991 album "Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)", and on the 2005 DVD, "Live In Red Square".

Cover versions

*Notable covers of "I've Just Seen a Face" have been done by The BoDeans, The Paperboys, The Dillards, Arlo Guthrie and Warren Zevon, Holly Cole, The Living End, Kenny Rankin, Eddie Vedder, The String Cheese Incident, Lucy Kaplansky, Gray Matter, John Pizzarelli, Thrice, Richie Sambora, Brandi Carlile, and Tyler Hilton.
*Travis used the section of "Had it had been another day..." in "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
*The song is sung by actor Jim Sturgess in the film "Across the Universe", a musical based on Beatles songs.
* The View recorded the song as a b-side to their "Skag Trendy/The Don" double A-side single.
*Brennan Gilmore recorded a warp-speed acoustic version in 2001 with his band Walker's Run.
*Beck Hansen also recorded an obscure parody titled "I've Just Seen a Face Lift", which appears on an early demo tape.
*"American Idol" finalist Carmen Rasmusen recorded a country version of the song. It's available on her 2004 "Carmen (EP)". In the seventh season of this reality show a contestant, Chikezie, did a cover of the song, with a harmonica, which he learned for the occasion.

Notes