I'm Happy Just to Dance with You

Single infobox
Name = I'm Happy Just to Dance with You


Artist = The Beatles
from Album = A Hard Day's Night
A-side = "I'll Cry Instead"
Recorded = Abbey Road Studios 1 March 1964
Released = 20 August 1964
Format = 7"
Genre = Rock and roll
Length = 01:58
Label = Capitol (US)
Writer = Lennon/McCartney
Producer = George Martin
Chart position =
* #95 (US Billboard Hot 100)
* #20 (CAN CHUM Chart)
Last single = "A Hard Day's Night"
(1964)
This single = "I'll Cry Instead"
(US-1965)
Next single = "And I Love Her"
(US-1964)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = A Hard Day's Night
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one
# "A Hard Day's Night"
# "I Should Have Known Better"
# "If I Fell"
# "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You"
# "And I Love Her"
# "Tell Me Why"
# "Can't Buy Me Love";Side two
# "Any Time at All"
# "I'll Cry Instead"
# "Things We Said Today"
# "When I Get Home"
# "You Can't Do That"
# "I'll Be Back"

"I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" is mainly a John Lennon composition (Though credited to both Lennon and McCartney) recorded by The Beatles for the film soundtrack to "A Hard Day's Night". Though the track only reached #95 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964, it is an airplay favorite to this day on oldies-based radio stations.

Beatles original

It was written specifically for George Harrison to sing at a time when he lacked the confidence to compose his own material. Years later, McCartney described it as a "formula song",cite book |first=Barry |last=Miles |authorlink=Barry Miles |title=Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now |year=1997 |pages=163 |publisher=Henry Holt & Company |location=New York |isbn=0-8050-5249-6] and Lennon said, "I would never have sung it myself".cite book |first=Bill |last=Harry |authorlink=Bill Harry |title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated |year=2000 |pages=546 |publisher=Virgin Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-7535-0481-2]

Structurally, it features hectic Bo Diddley rhythm and busy banjo style guitar playing in juxtaposition with Harrison's vocal. Its composers give it an unpredictable choice of chord (augmenting the B7th on "I'm happy just to "dance" with you") right at the crux of its title, jarring the chorus.cite book |author=Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation |title=The Beatles - Complete Scores |year=1993 |pages=492 |publisher=Hal Leanord |location=Milwaukee |isbn=0-7935-1832-6] The Beatles recorded "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" on a Sunday, the first time they had used Abbey Road Studios on other than a normal work day.

Anne Murray version

"I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" was covered in 1980 by Canadian country-pop singer Anne Murray, who had had some success in previous years covering other Beatles songs such as "You Won't See Me" and "Day Tripper." Unlike the Beatles' original, Anne Murray's version of "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" is an adult-contemporary ballad.

Murray's record reached #64 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #23 on the Billboard country chart in 1980.

Personnel

*George Harrison – lead vocal, lead guitar
*John Lennon – backing vocal, rhythm guitar
*Paul McCartney – backing vocal, bass guitar
*Ringo Starr – drums

Notes