- Published in 1966
- Author: Lennon/McCartney
- Track 9 on “Revolver“
Beatles quotes about “And Your Bird Can Sing”
JOHN 1972: “Another horror.”
JOHN 1980: “Another of my throwaways.”
GEORGE 1987: “I think it was Paul and me, or maybe John and me, playing (guitar) in harmony– quite a complicated little line that goes through the middle-eight.”
PAUL 1995: “One of my favorites on the Anthology is, ‘And Your Bird Can Sing,’ which is a nice song, but this take of it was one we couldn’t use at the time. John and I got a fit of the giggles while we were doing the double-track. You couldn’t have released it at the time. But now you can. Sounds great just hearing us lose it on a take.”
About “And Your Bird Can Sing”
“And Your Bird Can Sing” was released on their 1966 album Revolver, apart from in the United States and Canada, where it instead appeared on Yesterday and Today. It was written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. George Harrison and Paul McCartney play an extended dual-guitar melody that anticipates the harmonised guitar arrangements commonly used in Southern rock, hard rock, and heavy metal.
The song’s working title was “You Don’t Get Me”. Several interpretations have been offered due to the song’s oblique lyrics and Lennon’s failure to reveal what they mean. There is a theory that Lennon was addressing Frank Sinatra in response to an article in Esquire magazine hagiographing the singer; another speculates that he was addressing Mick Jagger.
The Beatles originally recorded the track in the Byrds’ style. The outtakes compilation Anthology 2 released this version of the discarded song, which includes Lennon and McCartney laughing while attempting to sing over the vocal overdub. The 2022 Super Deluxe Edition of Revolver included this version (without the laughing overdub).
Personnel
- John Lennon – lead vocal, rhythm guitar, handclaps
- Paul McCartney – harmony vocal, bass, lead guitar, handclaps
- George Harrison – harmony vocal, lead guitar, handclaps
- Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine, handclaps
