“ALL I’VE GOT TO DO”

(John Lennon – Paul McCartney)

With all the creative songwriting output from the Lennon / McCartney team in 1963, as well as the magnitude of their incredibly busy schedule during the start of their catapult to fame, it is only to be expected that a song or two might not receive the attention it rightfully deserved, even if that song is a masterpiece. This is truly the case with the beautifully written “All I’ve Got To Do.”

It sadly appears that the average Beatles' fan of today hasn't heard of this song and it rarely if ever receives exposure. It was never included on any compilation or "greatest hits" package. It’s almost never featured in any Beatles tribute band set list. Even The Beatles themselves viewed it with little regard. In their entire career, this song was only in their focus for one day; the day that it was recorded. After that day, "All I've Got To Do" was possibly never thought about by the band ever again. Even when interviewed about their songwriting, Lennon and McCartney barely mention a word about the song.

All this being the case, there is an understandable aura of mystery surrounding this very song, especially because of its undeniable likeability. Once introduced to the song, it’s hard for the listener to dismiss as just a filler track for this album. This track has a classy appeal that suggests that it could have attracted much more attention than it did. With the detailed analysis provided here, undoubtedly the most information you'll ever find written about "All I've Got To Do," it is surely hoped that a much greater appreciation of it will be achieved. As the opinions of most Beatlemaniacs suggest, this is truly deserved.  

Songwriting History

The only indication made in print as to the time period when "All I've Got To Do" was written was in Steve Turner's 1994 book "A Hard Day's Write," the author suggesting sometime in the year 1961. While this very well could be true, what is known is that The Beatles never performed this song live throughout their career; not in their early Cavern appearances or in Hamburg, nor after their fame solidified from 1963 onward.

On the surface, this fact makes the 1961 claim appear unlikely, since the claim cannot be substantiated from any other source as of this writing. An undeniable fact is that The Beatles usually incorporated their original composition in their live sets throughout the early years.

But, to play devil’s advocate, we must consider that, since it has been well established that this was a 100% Lennon composition, he could have held this song close to his chest throughout those formative years and only pulled it out when a new composition was sorely needed for inclusion on their second British LP "With The Beatles."

Either way, what is known is that Paul, George and Ringo were entirely unaware of the existence of this song on the day that they were introduced to it in EMI Studios when it was recorded. Barry Miles, in his McCartney biography "Many Years From Now," explained that "All I've Got To Do" had been "showed to Paul only in the studio just before recording." This studio procedure of introducing a new song on the day of the recording session was new to The Beatles up to this point, although this became much more of a standard practice as time went on. The pressure of finishing a second album before the end of 1963 may have appeared to be a daunting task, which might have instigated the desperate act of John purging his memory to unearth this gem. Similar desperate acts did happen in later years for the same reason, such as with the beautiful “Michelle” for the Rubber Soul album at the end of 1965.

Another help in determining the time of writing is to take a look at the influences of inspiration for this song. A rare John quote concerning the song, as related in David Sheff's book "All We Are Saying," revealed that it was his attempt at "trying to do Smokey Robinson again." John's infatuation with the music of The Miracles was evident on this second British album “With The Beatles.” Much of his songwriting style on the album has been admittedly inspired by Smokey Robinson, not to mention the group's excellent cover of his recent American 1963 top ten hit “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me.” Especially noteworthy in “All I’ve Got To Do,” though, is the influence of The Miracles’ 1959 song “You Can Depend On Me,” with its lyrical similarity and its introductory suspended fourth chord.

Being highly influenced by his musical heroes at this point, traces of other influences can also be detected in this Lennon composition. The soulful songwriting of Arthur Alexander, his professed favorite singer of that period, can easily be detected throughout the chord structure, melody line, singing style and their detailed arrangement. It has also been suggested that Lennon's obsession with the early '60s "girl groups," most notably The Shirelles 1962 hit "Baby It’s You," which they covered on their first album, can be heard, as well as early songs by The Drifters.

Since both Arthur Alexander’s popularity and “Baby It’s You” were in 1962, their influence may have been only in the singing style and arrangement of the song if “All I’ve Got To Do” was indeed completely composed by 1961. Of course, this is left to guesswork but, nonetheless, helps us to paint a more vivid picture as to the songwriting history of this Beatles' song.

One final argument in favor of the song’s being written at a later date, possibly September of 1963, is the fact that it was apparently written with US audiences in mind. The depiction of calling a female on the phone was something common for American teenagers in the early '60s but not in Britain, so Lennon purposely put this in to appeal to the youth of America. For instance, regarding their song “No Reply” which also mentioned calling a girl on the phone, Lennon explained, "I had the image of walking down the street and seeing her silhouetted in the window and not answering the phone, although I have never called a girl in my life because phones weren’t part of the English child’s life."

It should also be noted, however, that the Jerry Reed-written hit "That's All You Gotta Do" as recorded by Brenda Lee, which peaked at #6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, has remarkably similar lyrics, a plea for a boy to "call me on the telephone" featured here as well. Therefore, this song is quite likely to have been an influence in writing "All I've Got To Do," if even only subliminally.

Keeping in mind that Beatles' manager Brian Epstein had actually encouraged John and Paul in September of 1963 to compose songs with US audiences in mind, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” being the result in that month, it seems quite convincing to conclude that “All I’ve Got To Do” was also composed around then. The insertion of the word "yeah," this being the customary American word that had been utilized to great effect in "She Loves You" as well as in two other songs written around this time, "It Won't Be Long" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand," also adds to the argument that "All I've Got To Do" was not composed until around September of 1963, although "yeah" could have been inserted into the previously written song when the band was recording it. Nevertheless, it has to be admitted that, with memories hazy from the passing of time and John Lennon's untimely death in 1980, there may always be uncertainty concerning when the song was actually written.   

Recording History

Two recording sessions (July 18th and July 30th, 1963) had transpired, the result being that just over half of the group's second LP, "With The Beatles," was finished. About one and a half months later, on September 11th, 1963, The Beatles reconvened at EMI Studio Two to begin work on the other half of the LP. Since six of the eight previously recorded tracks for the new album were cover songs, the primary focus of this session was newly written original compositions. Five new songs were recorded on this day, but only two of them were finished, “All I’ve Got To Do” being one of them.

Their afternoon session started at 2:30 pm, beginning with aborted attempts at two newer songs, “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “Little Child.” After it was decided to leave both of these songs for another day, work started on “All I’ve Got To Do” at approximately 3:30 pm.

After John introduced it for the first time to the other Beatles, they recorded fourteen live takes of this song. Eight of these takes were false starts, which is evidence that they were unfamiliar with this composition. "Take 14" was deemed to be best, which was then re-recorded from the original two-track tape onto another two-track machine in order for an unspecified overdub to be added simultaneously, this now becoming "take 15." This became the finished track as we know it, and The Beatles never played it again. That completed the afternoon recording session at 6 pm.

While The Beatles were on vacation and out of the country, producer George Martin and engineers Norman Smith and Geoff Emerick made the mono mix of "All I've Got To Do" on September 30th, 1963 in the control room of EMI Studio Two. The same three staff members created the stereo mix on October 29th, 1963 in the control room of EMI Studio Three, with the engineering assistance of an employee with the initials B.T. Interestingly, when these mixes were given to Capitol Records in America, they decided to create a mono "Type B" version of the song for the mono edition of the "Meet The Beatles!" album by combining both channels of the stereo mix into one channel instead of using the superior mono mix created on September 30th, 1963 by George Martin. 

Song Structure and Style

The structure for “All I’ve Got To Do” is uniquely similar to the cover version of “A Taste Of Honey” that the band did on their first album. The similarity lies in the use of a refrain in replacement of a bridge. When a refrain is used it usually completes the framework of the song and returns you to the home key while not necessarily repeating the title of the song in the lyrics. The overall structure of the song, therefore, is 'verse/ verse/ refrain/ verse/ refrain' (or aabab). The structure of the song ends there, although The Beatles chose to reprise the verse but in a hummed fashion which fades away seconds after it begins. No solos or instrumental sections are deemed necessary to complete the desired picture.

After the introductory suspended fourth chord fades out, an unusual eleven-measure verse starts the song off. The first six measures of this verse are delivered in an exotic syncopated beat that appears as a refined version of the rhythm they utilized in “Ask Me Why” from their first UK album. The first through sixth measures of the verse display Paul playing dual strings simultaneously on his bass following the pattern Ringo plays on his kick drum, this being very impressive considering that Paul had just been introduced to this song on that day. This technique is arguably the first time in the history of rock music that a bass guitarist played multiple strings simultaneously on a popular song. The fifth and sixth of these measures also highlight McCartney’s usual adeptness at higher harmony when the song’s title is heard. The next four measures pick up the mood with a more steady rocking rhythm which works well as a backdrop to the lyrical solution to what is posed in the song’s title.

The final measure of this verse actually has a three part use. The first would be their standard "Beatles break" which has by now become a hallmark of their early catalog. The second use would be an actual return to the exotic syncopated drum pattern which is an appropriate segue into another verse. The third use is as the actual beginning of the following verse, since the melody line of the verse begins before the first measure does.

The second verse was identical in structure apart from different lyrics and the absence of the "break" in the last measure. Instead of this "break" we transcend into a rise in intensity leading to the nine measure refrain, which now crescendos as the climax of the song, highlighted by Lennon’s dramatic lead vocals along with convincing background vocals from Paul and George. This time, the ninth and final measure of the refrain becomes the "break" with a three part use that segues nicely into a third verse, which is actually a hybrid of the first and second verses lyrically by using the first half of the second verse with the second half of the first verse.

We then witness an identical repeat of the refrain with slightly different vocal accents from Lennon, which show how he, as its writer, truly had the song’s framework and vocal style well rehearsed in his mind before this day, although he was really the only Beatle who was well rehearsed. This final refrain is actually extended to eleven measures because of the repeat of the last line “you just gotta call on me.” The final break of the refrain then naturally moves the listener into what appears to be a further verse but, as previously stated, it has a hummed vocal line with full McCartney harmony humming as the song dissolves into a satisfying fade-out just before the final four steady rock rhythm measures were due to occur.

This final conclusion chosen for the song, unprecedented in review of The Beatles' catalog up to this point, is indication of the creativity that was brewing within the minds of these young musicians that would evolve into the groundbreaking no-holds-barred songwriting and arrangements we all would see as time progressed. Noteworthy also is their use of this ending to relate an emotional satisfaction of a comfortable romantic relationship. Nothing else needs to be explained as the happy John Lennon rides off into the sunset.

Although the simplified lyrics are somewhat clichéd and predictable, paired with this melody line, chord structure and vocal styling, these come across as appropriate and convincing. Simply put, the message is quite clear that the singer’s needs are met by his girl whenever they are requested and, to be fair, her needs are graciously met in return. The only catch is for them to just simply ask, and that was ‘all they’ve got to do.’ This exact sentiment is actually repeated less than a year later in Lennon’s “Any Time At All,” probably owing more to their time crunch than to any real attraction to the story. The lyrics are somewhat more convincing the first time around as is usually the case.

Noteworthy in John’s lyrics at this time is his obsession with the Americanism “yeah,” as used to great effect in “She Loves You.” The Beatles' focus on attracting the young American audience was quite successful, “yeah, yeah, yeah” becoming the band's trademark throughout the following year or so. Unfortunately, the continuation of throwing in the meaningless word “yeah” at the end of a lyric line began to cheapen the music a little. As in this case, the phrase “and when I want to kiss you, yeah” for example, shows that Lennon might have needed to think outside of the box a little bit in order to keep things fresh. “Not A Second Time,” also recorded on this day, repeated the same gimmick, along with the opening lyrics to “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” Fortunately, this marked the end of the “yeah” trend.

As to individual performances, Lennon is truly the highlight, with the aforementioned emotive vocal delivery that displays a definite Smokey Robinson / Arthus Alexander inspiration. John's latest fixation with double tracking his lead vocal was not done here, thus allowing for an appropriate singular tone to go with the intimate lyrics. John’s rhythm guitar, although somewhat rudimentary, provided what was necessary to accentuate his amazing vocal delivery.

Paul next deserves accolades for his craftsman-like harmony work falling right into place regardless of his never hearing the song before this day. In spite of his unfamiliarity with it, Paul also quickly, but masterfully, created an innovative bass line, complete with double-stops during the subdued sections of the verses and by plucking on dual strings simultaneously, this performance working perfectly within the song without coming across as too busy.

Harrison shines in delivery, from his classy opening chord and throughout this entire song, with his dampened guitar chords that create a downbeat atmosphere during the first section of the verses and a jarring mood-swing during the refrains. His harmonic vocal touches, while not his usual strong suit, are noteworthy for being ‘spot-on’ considering his unfamiliarity with the song.

The return of Ringo's squeaky drum pedal from the first album is irritatingly evident but, nonetheless, the unmistakable charm and professionalism of his performance on this song holds it all together. His sparse hi-hat strokes throughout the moody verses, in contrast with the pounding bass drum beats that begin both refrains, shows how fast this drummer could learn a song and rhythmically lead the group through an effortlessly tight performance.

All in all, The Beatles played “All I’ve Got To Do” with the same charismatic diligence that they would have if this was their next single. Since "take 14" was the last time they ever played the song as a group, it says a lot about the determination The Beatles had to break into the American youth market and, in return, solidify their career. This inner motivation waned as time went on and was something the band sometimes struggled to recapture. Focusing on this strong early motivation helps us all to enjoy the early Beatles albums as much as the highly acclaimed studio wizardry of their later years. 

American Releases

The first and only official American release of the song in the '60s was on January 20th, 1964 on their legendary Capitol LP “Meet The Beatles!” The song's minimal exposure kept this an essential but forgotten essential album track. Because this was sandwiched between their dynamic “It Won’t Be Long” and the attention-getting “All My Loving,” "All I've Got To Do" unfortunately didn’t stand out. This LP was eventually released on an individual CD on January 21st, 2014, both the mono and stereo mixes contained on a single disc. The mono edition of this album on opaque blue vinyl was later released on November 22nd, 2024 for sale exclusively at Target stores.

Also in January of 1964, Capitol issued the now rare compact 33 disc of “Meet The Beatles!” for jukeboxes only. Side two featured “All I’ve Got To Do” as the second of three songs, their intention being to popularize this track in the neighborhood soda shops and "greasy spoons."

Sometime in 1967, Capitol brought out Beatles material on a brand new but short-lived format called "Playtapes." These tape cartridges did not have the capability to include entire albums, so two truncated four-song versions of "Meet The Beatles" were released in this portable format, "All I've Got To Do" being featured on both of these releases. These "Playtapes" are highly collectable today.

The first time that the British "With The Beatles" album became available in America was on the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's "Original Master Recording" vinyl edition released in January of 1987. This album included "All I've Got To Do" and was prepared utilizing half-speed mastering technology from the original master tape on loan from EMI. This album had a limited production, reportedly because of a damaged metal part that was needed for pressing the vinyl. Therefore, this is said to be the rarest and most valuable Beatles album in the “Original Master Recording” series.

On February 26th, 1987 the British “With The Beatles” album was released in the US on compact disc, which contained "All I've Got To Do." A vinyl edition of this album was later released on July 21st, 1987. While these releases were in mono only, the remastered stereo CD version came out on September 9th, 2009, the remastered vinyl edition being released on November 13th, 2012.

Their November 26th, 2004 released CD box set “The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1” also contains the song in stereo and "Type B' foldover mono as featured on the original "Meet The Beatles!" album. 

The September 9th, 2009 released CD box set “The Beatles In Mono” also features the song, but in this case in a beautifully remastered mono mix that is worth its weight in gold. The vinyl edition first came out on September 9th, 2014. 

Live Performances

As previously stated, the group never performed this song again after its recording in EMI Studios and, because the song was written and introduced to the rest of them just before recording, it had no opportunity for a performance life before it was recorded. The Beatles were much more interested in promoting their new single “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” this coming out almost simultaneously with their second British LP. As far as selecting album tracks to play live, The Beatles chose to focus on some of their all-time favorite cover tunes, such as “Roll Over Beethoven,” the mature sounding “Till There Was You,” and the dynamic original composition “All My Loving.” 

Conclusion

The immense Beatles catalog is full of tracks that are unheard of by the masses. It has been admitted by the songwriters that some of these are half-baked "work songs" that didn’t become known for good reason. It must be acknowledged that their dismissal of some of these works is part truth and part humility, being a bit too hard on themselves.

The song “All I’ve Got To Do” is a stark example of the latter. This song can in no way be dismissed as a "work song" of no significance. It is the product of a genius who brilliantly condensed his favorite musical influences into a convincing arrangement strongly characteristic of its sources and yet uniquely expressed as his own. And, after quickly introducing this to a band who were hungry to make their mark in the music world, it wound up as a tightly rhythmic and impressive example of just what The Beatles were capable of.

Song Summary

"All I’ve Got To Do”

Written by:  John Lennon / Paul McCartney

• Song Written: (most likely) September 1963
• Song Recorded: September 11, 1963
• First US Release Date: January 20, 1964
• First US Album Release: Capitol #ST-2047 “Meet The Beatles!”
• US Single Release: Capitol #SXA 2047 (Meet The Beatles Jukebox EP)
• Highest Chart Position: n/a
• British Album Release: Parlophone #PCS 3045 “With The Beatles”
• Length: 2:04
• Key: E major
• Producer: George Martin
• Engineers: Norman Smith, Richard Langham 

Instrumentation (most likely):

• John Lennon – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar (1962 Gibson J160E)
• Paul McCartney - Bass Guitar (1961 Hofner 500/1), Harmony Vocals
• George Harrison – Rhythm Guitar (1962 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman), Harmony Vocals
• Ringo Starr – Drums (1963 Ludwig Downbeat Black Oyster Pearl) 

Written and compiled by David Rybaczewski

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