Come and Get It (song)

This article is about the Badfinger song. For other songs with the same name, see Come and Get It (disambiguation).

"Come and Get It"
Single by Badfinger
from the album Magic Christian Music
B-side	"Rock of All Ages"
Released	5 December 1969 (1969-12-05)
Format	7" vinyl
Recorded	1969
Genre	Powerpop
Length	2:22
Label	Apple
Writer(s)	Paul McCartney
Producer	Paul McCartney
Badfinger singles chronology
"Dear Angie" (The Iveys) (1969) "Come and Get It" (1969) "No Matter What" (1970)

"Come and Get It"
Song by The Beatles from the album Anthology 3
Released	28 October 1996
Recorded	24 July 1969
Genre	Rock, pop
Length	2:30
Label	Apple Records
Writer	Paul McCartney
Producer	George Martin

"Come and Get It" is the name of a song composed by Paul McCartney for the 1969 film The Magic Christian, and made popular by the group Badfinger.

Beatles version

McCartney recorded a solo demo of the song on July 24, 1969, when he arrived early for an Abbey Road session. He sang the double-tracked lead vocal and played all the instruments: he sang and played piano on the first take, sang again and played maracas on the first overdub, drums came third and bass guitar was added last. It took less than an hour to finish.^[1] The demo appears on various bootlegs. It was officially released in 1996 on The Beatles Anthology 3 and issued under The Beatles' name, even though McCartney was the only Beatle performing on the record.

Badfinger versions

On August 2, 1969, McCartney presented his demo to Apple band Badfinger (then called The Iveys) telling them, "Okay, it's got to be exactly like this demo." His "carrot" for the band was his offer to produce this song and two other Iveys originals for the movie The Magic Christian, since he had a contract to supply three songs for it. The band followed his instructions.^[2]

McCartney auditioned each of the four Iveys to sing lead on "Come and Get It". Ultimately, he picked fellow Liverpudlian Tom Evans over the three Welshmen, Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, and Mike Gibbins.

The single was released on Apple Records on 5 December 1969. "Come and Get It" was a hit single for the band, peaking at No. 7^[3] in the United States, and No. 4^[4] in the United Kingdom. It was the opening theme for the film The Magic Christian, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr (it was also repeated during the movie's closing credits, with an additional string arrangement added). The biggest differences between the two versions are a slower tempo on McCartney's original and Badfinger's version featuring the use of three-part harmonies.

The UK picture sleeve for the single shows all four members of Badfinger that appear on the song, although bassist Ron Griffiths departed the band before the single was released.

In 1978 a reformed version of Badfinger re-recorded "Come and Get It" for K-Tel Records, with Evans again singing lead.^{[5][dead link]} This served to provide a demo recording to give to Elektra, and resulted in the Airwaves album in 1979.

Other versions

The song was covered by Peruvian band We All Together on their 1973 first and self-titled album. There is also a version by Elton John and a band Lazlo Bane.

This song was also produced by Maclen Music Inc. (BMI) on Epic Records (45rpm) album #5-10580 for release to radio stations on March 4, 1970 and performed by the Vic Lewis Orchestra and His Singers.

Notes

1. ^ Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books. p. 182. ISBN 0-517-57066-1. 
2. ^ The Beatles Anthology, p. 289
3. ^ "allmusic - Badfinger - Billboard singles". http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p3612. Retrieved 20 February 2009. 
4. ^ "Chart Stats - Badfinger - Come And Get It". http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=5293. Retrieved 20 February 2009. 
5. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}