Ask Me Why (the song)
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You know how you hear a Beatles song a thousand times and you think the lyric is one thing because it was written like that in a Beatles songbook (and later on the internet?)
Well, I just discovered I’ve been singing the wrong word in this song from a guy online (who I believe is British - was it you, wandy? He has the same first name as you!)
The correct line is “ Now you’re mine. My happiness NEAR makes me cry.” All these years I thought it was “ My happiness STILL makes me cry!”
I just pulled out my vinyl copy of Please Please Me and listened to it!
P.S. And I admitted to the guy he was right, btw. -
@njr said in Ask Me Why (the song):
You know how you hear a Beatles song a thousand times and you think the lyric is one thing because it was written like that in a Beatles songbook (and later on the internet?)
Well, I just discovered I’ve been singing the wrong word in this song from a guy online (who I believe is British - was it you, wandy? He has the same first name as you!)
The correct line is “ Now you’re mine. My happiness NEAR makes me cry.” All these years I thought it was “ My happiness STILL makes me cry!”
I just pulled out my vinyl copy of Please Please Me and listened to it!
P.S. And I admitted to the guy he was right, btw.Hmm
Don't think it was me. I used to sing ( I Feel Fine ) "everybody's seen cos I'm the one who won your love". But of course it's, "everybody's GREEN, cos I'm the one who won your love".Q. Why do hairdressers get to their destination before everybody else.
A. They know short cuts. -
But the lyrics are: .....still makes me cry, not near makes me cry!
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@beatles4ever-1 said in Ask Me Why (the song):
But the lyrics are: .....still makes me cry, not near makes me cry!
Give it a listen again (maybe with earphones) Even to the naked ear you can tell there is no “st” or “ll” sound. I was gobsmacked myself!
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I just listened to it again, I think it is "My happiness dear, makes me cry"
I always thought it was "My happiness nearly, makes me cry" -
Update: i consulted on FB messenger with four of the Johns in 4 Beatles tribute bands: Mark Benson from 1964: The Tribute (after we texted he ended up calling me through FB!) We talked for 15 minutes! He’s not sure what the word is, but we both agreed that whatever it was, John probably flubbed it and that’s why it’s so hard to understand.
Eli Mendez Echevarria from BritBeat thinks it’s “still.”
Ron MNeil from The Fab Four thinks it’s “it.”
Juan Carlos del Valle from Jukebox Beatles thinks it’s “ma-makes” me cry (John stuttering/stammering)
Too bad John Lennon and George Martin aren’t around to ask. I bet Giles Martin would know though!
P.S. I no longer think it’s “near” (or “dear”) I hear “ma-makes” me cry. After all these years believing it was “still” it was really weird to not hear that word yesterday when I played the song on my stereo. -
John likely flubbed it. He did that quite frequently. But....the official lyrics are .....my happiness still makes me cry. I guess I hear it that way because it's written that way in the official printed lyrics. Listening to it again...just now, however,....it is hard to tell exactly what he sings when it comes to "that" word.
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@beatles4ever-1 said in Ask Me Why (the song):
John likely flubbed it. He did that quite frequently. But....the official lyrics are .....my happiness still makes me cry. I guess I hear it that way because it's written that way in the official printed lyrics. Listening to it again...just now, however,....it is hard to tell exactly what he sings when it comes to "that" word.
Yep, John was famous for flubbing lyrics on the recordings (Please Please Me) and in live performances (Help! and Don’t Let Me Down) just to mention a few.
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Yeah, I love when he sings "I" when it should be "you"....never even try, girl.... in "Please Please Me," it just jumps right out at you. Paul sings it correctly. But, overall, the take on the song sounds just so perfect and energetic that it doesn't matter. No wonder Martin never asked them to do it again.
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@beatles4ever-1 said in Ask Me Why (the song):
Yeah, I love when he sings "I" when it should be "you"....never even try, girl.... in "Please Please Me," it just jumps right out at you. Paul sings it correctly. But, overall, the take on the song sounds just so perfect and energetic that it doesn't matter. No wonder Martin never asked them to do it again.
Totally agree! Like GM told them, “You’ve just recorded your first #1 hit, boys!”
