{"id":8405,"date":"2021-03-04T17:37:40","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T22:37:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thefest.com\/kdstaging2\/?p=8405"},"modified":"2021-03-04T17:37:40","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T22:37:40","slug":"rubber-soul-deep-dive-part-3-you-wont-see-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/rubber-soul-deep-dive-part-3-you-wont-see-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Rubber Soul Deep Dive Part 3: You Won’t See Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

Side One, Track Three<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

by Jude Southerland Kessler and Tom Frangione<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Fest for Beatles Fans<\/strong>\u2019 deep dive into the innovative tracks on Rubber Soul<\/em> continues with Jude Southerland Kessler, author of The John Lennon Series<\/strong>, and Tom Frangione, host of the \u201cWay Beyond Compare\u201d <\/strong>program on Sirius XM\u2019s Beatles Channel, Channel 18. For years, Tom has been an integral part of the Fest. He has also served as the popular co-host of The Beatles Channel\u2019s \u201cFab Fourum.\u201d Recently, Tom launched a third show called \u201cApple Jam,\u201d with co-host David Fricke. Together, they explore The Beatles\u2019 groundbreaking record label.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here are Jude and Tom with a fresh, new look at this McCartney classic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What\u2019s Standard:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Date Recorded: Thursday, 11 November 1965<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Time Recorded:<\/em><\/strong> Evening Session (6.00 p.m. – 7.00 a.m.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Studio:<\/em><\/strong> EMI Studios, Studio 2<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tech Team:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Producer:<\/em><\/strong> George Martin<\/em><\/p>\n

Engineer:<\/em><\/strong> Norman Smith<\/em><\/p>\n

Second Engineers:<\/em><\/strong> Ken Scott (and according to Margotin and Guesdon, Richard Lush)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Stats:<\/em><\/strong> Recorded in 2 takes on 11 November, with superimpositions added later.<\/em><\/p>\n

Inspiration:<\/em><\/strong> The melodic bass work of Detroit bass man, James Jamerson as well as the chord progression in \u201cThe Same Old Song\u201d by the Four Tops. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Instrumentation and Musicians:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rarely is the instrumentation list controversial. In this case, however, sources widely differ on \u201cwho played what.\u201d Some authorities list Paul\u2019s bass plus two<\/strong> additional guitars at work: one, George\u2019s and one, John\u2019s. Some experts say John only played tambourine. Others list Ringo as manning the tambourine. Some sources say that John played the piano; far more state that the piano was played by Paul. Here is a compilation of all possible scenarios. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Paul McCartney, the composer,<\/em><\/strong> plays bass, piano, and supplies lead vocal.<\/em><\/p>\n

John Lennon,<\/em><\/strong> sings backing vocal (In some sources, John is on the piano, and others have John also playing guitar.)<\/em><\/p>\n

George Harrison<\/em><\/strong> sings backing vocal, and some sources designate George as playing rhythm guitar.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ringo Starr <\/em><\/strong>plays drums\u2026possibly, he plays tambourine, if John is not playing the tambourine.<\/em><\/p>\n

Mal Evans<\/em><\/strong> plays the Hammond organ.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Sources:<\/em><\/strong> Lewisohn, <\/em>The Complete Beatles Chronicle, 206, Lewisohn, <\/em>The Beatles Recording Sessions, 68, Spizer, <\/em>The Beatles for Sale on Parlophone Records, 201,\u00a0 Margotin and Guesdon, <\/em>All the Songs, 282-283, Winn, <\/em>Way Beyond Compare, 376, Hammack, <\/em>The Beatles Recording Reference Manual, 94-95 and 268, Turner, <\/em>A Hard Day\u2019s Write, 90, Riley, <\/em>Tell Me Why, 159-160, Spignesi and Lewis, <\/em>100 Best Beatles Songs, 129, Miles, <\/em>The Beatles\u2019 Diary, Vol. 1, 217, Everett, <\/em>The Beatles as Musicians: the Quarry Men Through Rubber Soul, 332-333, and<\/em> \u00a0Norman, <\/em>John Lennon: The Life, 416.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

What\u2019s Changed:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Paul\u2019s Waning Patience – <\/strong>As the desultory \u201cwar\u201d between Jane Asher\u2019s independence and Paul\u2019s need for a girl who could be \u201chere, there, and everywhere\u201d for him waged on, his tone began to change. At first, on A Hard Day\u2019s Night<\/em>, Paul was merely wistful, regretting the fact that Jane and he were estranged so often. \u201cWishing [she] weren\u2019t so far away,\u201d but agreeing to compensate by remembering the \u201cthings [they] said today,\u201d Paul pressed on. As months passed, he was still mildly optimistic that if Jane could \u201ctry to see things [his] way,\u201d they \u201ccould work it out.\u201d And yet, there was always the underlying implication if the self-determining lovers couldn\u2019t<\/em> \u201cget it straight,\u201d then ultimately, Paul would \u201csay goodnight.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    By the time that Rubber Soul<\/em> was in production, very little had changed in the famous long-distance relationship. And Paul was disturbed. In \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me,\u201d his tone was much less conciliatory. He bluntly stated: \u201cI have had enough, so act your age.\u201d Without trying to sugar-coat his discontent, McCartney vowed that if nothing altered, he would certainly \u201close his mind.\u201d Indeed, the lovers\u2019 problems were plainly enumerated in the bridge (cleverly housed in a minor key to convey melancholy): \u201cTime after time, you refuse to even listen\u2026I wouldn\u2019t mind, if I knew what I was missing!\u201d Paul\u2019s endurance had all but expired.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    One wonders if it was coincidence or brilliance that McCartney (as Ken Womack aptly points out in Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of The Beatles<\/em>) \u201cborrowed the three-chord sequence that undergirds \u2018You Won\u2019t See Me\u2019\u201d from The Four Tops\u2019 hit, \u2018It\u2019s the Same Old Song\u2019.[2]<\/a> Because singing \u201cthe same ole song\u201d \u2014 albeit in creative, chart-topping iterations \u2014 is precisely<\/em> what McCartney was lamenting in \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me.\u201d Paul was weary of the same woeful complaints, song after song. He was tired of trying to get his girl to engage. He felt defeated that Jane and he had \u201clost the time that was so hard to find.\u201d So, pounding out brusque piano bursts and short, clipped lyrics, he vented his long-standing frustration. By late 1965, Paul\u2019s patience had waned.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Employment of Lennonesque Double Entendre<\/em> – <\/strong>Beatles fans tend to think of the \u201cLiterary Beatle,\u201d John Lennon (author of In His Own Right<\/em> and A Spaniard in the Works<\/em>), as The Beatles\u2019 wordsmith, the lyricist. And indeed, Paul was the first to admit that he wrote his music first with lyrics following later. In \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me,\u201d however, Paul enjoys verbal dublage<\/em> as much as John does in brilliant songs such as \u201cIt Won\u2019t Be Long\u201d and \u201cPlease Please Me.\u201d Several lines in \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d intertwine multiple levels of meaning.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      First, look at the opening lines of the song. Paul sings, \u201cWhen I call you up, your line\u2019s engaged.\u201d This phrase could mean, quite simply, that when he rings his love on the telephone, her phone line is \u201cengaged\u201d or as Americans say, the phone line is \u201cbusy.\u201d<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      However, a secondary meaning hovers in the wings. \u201cYour line\u201d may also mean \u201cyour line of thinking.\u201d (As in, \u201cI\u2019m not falling for your line<\/strong>!\u201d) And the word \u201cengaged\u201d may also mean \u201cput into action\u201d or \u201cput into play.\u201d (As in, \u201cHe engaged his technical skills<\/strong> in the challenging task.\u201d) If you insert those two secondary meanings into the song, then Paul is cleverly saying that when he tries to connect with his girlfriend to discuss their problems, her standard way of thinking (aka, \u201cher line\u201d) is already at work (or \u201cengaged\u201d). In other words, when he tries to reach out to her, she is immediately defensive and unreceptive to what he\u2019s saying.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Similarly, take a look at the title phrase, \u201cYou won\u2019t see me,\u201d which is repeated throughout the song. In the beginning of the track, \u201cYou won\u2019t see me,\u201d simply translates as, \u201cYou won\u2019t talk to me,\u201d or \u201cYou won\u2019t meet with me,\u201d or \u201cYou won\u2019t hear me out.\u201d A very straightforward complaint.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      But then, the meaning shifts slightly. Instead of complaining that he is being merely physically and literally rejected, Paul\u2019s use of \u201cyou won\u2019t see me\u201d alters a bit here:<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      We have lost the time<\/em>
      \nThat was so hard to find,
      \nAnd I will lose my mind
      \nIf you won\u2019t see me.<\/em><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Here the singer seems to be bemoaning the fact that his love won\u2019t try to understand <\/em>him. He\u2019s not merely despondent because she won\u2019t connect with him face-to-face; he\u2019s disappointed that she won\u2019t make an effort to \u201csee\u201d what he is trying to say. This iteration of the phrase is akin to the popular British idiom, \u201cYou won\u2019t see sense!\u201d which translates, \u201cYou won\u2019t try to comprehend the facts or the truth in the matter.\u201d Failure to \u201csee him\u201d and his side of the story is the singer\u2019s underlying grievance.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      But\u2026there is yet another<\/em> level of meaning to the simple phrase, \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me.\u201d Look at it in this final context:<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      I won\u2019t want to stay (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)<\/em>
      \nI don’t have much to say, (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
      \nBut I’d get turned away (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
      \nAnd you won’t see me!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Here the singer is threatening that if his love continues to push him away and turn a deaf ear to his rationale, then he \u201cwon\u2019t want to stay.\u201d He vows that he will give up trying to explain and \u201cwon\u2019t have much to say.\u201d And ultimately, she won\u2019t \u201csee\u201d him at all, because he will walk away. In other words, the lovers won\u2019t be \u201cseeing each other\u201d anymore. Their story will end.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      This adroit use of such an unpretentious phrase illustrates the growing maturity of McCartney as a lyricist in 1965. Even on a song that he was pressed to create (because The Beatles needed to complete Rubber Soul<\/em> quickly), Paul produced a title phrase that functioned on three complex levels of meaning.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Finally, what is one to make of the \u201cooh-ooh la, la, la\u201d backing chorus verbiage? Certainly, that is not a phrase that four former leather-wearing, swearing, drinking, carousing Liverpool boys would ever say\u2026or sing! And yet, this whimsical patter is repeated over and over, as the response to Paul\u2019s every grievance in the song.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Sung in the upper scale, the \u201cOoh-ooh la, la, las!\u201d appears to be the feminine response to the male singer\u2019s objections. Is Paul depicting his love\u2019s answer to his complaints as \u201cWhatever!\u201d or \u201cBlah, blah, blah!\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m not listening! I\u2019m not listening!\u201d? Possibly. The \u201cooh-ooh la, la, la\u201d tag at the end of each line does seem to serve as a brush-off to his arguments.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      All in all, \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d is a song teeming with lyrical surprises. It is rich in the \u201cwink, wink, nudge, nudge\u201d tradition that Scousers could master so well. This is the third song on the Rubber Soul<\/em> LP that \u2014 once we examine the words\u2014 takes us by surprise.<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      A Fresh New Look: <\/strong><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Recently, I was thrilled to chat with my long-time friend from The Fest for Beatles Fans, Tom Frangione<\/strong>, who not only co-hosts two radio shows on Sirius XM\u2019s Beatles Channel, but also hosts his own Beatles Channel program, \u201cWay Beyond Compare.\u201d We are so proud of our beloved Emcee for the Jersey and Chicago Fests,<\/em>\u00a0and we welcome Tom to the Fest Blog discussion of <\/em>Rubber Soul.<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      Jude Southerland Kessler: Tom, Barry Miles in <\/em>The Beatles\u2019 Diary, Vol. 1, calls \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d a \u201csuperb piece of commercial songwriting.\u201d (p. 217) What makes this track so marketable? What is the unique appeal of this late 1965 McCartney offering?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      Tom Frangione:<\/strong> Well, without over-generalizing, it has all the hallmarks of the \u201cmature\u201d period of the early Beatles pop. They\u2019re writing material that\u2019s rapidly outpacing the standard Top-40 fare of the day, bringing a bit more conflict into the lyrics, stacking the harmonies in the backing vocals \u2013 not just the \u201coohs and aahs,\u201d \u2014 but also in the echoed cascading phrases of the choruses (\u201cif I knew I wouldn\u2019t, no I wouldn\u2019t\u201d). That gives the song a great deal of texture. And to borrow a phrase, it provides \u201can early clue to the new direction\u201d for Ringo\u2019s drumming. The fills are much busier, and Ringo would explore this at greater length in upcoming works, including his own favorite drum part in \u201cRain.\u201d Furthermore, his hi-hat work is a precursor to what we would soon hear in songs like \u201cPaperback Writer.\u201d<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      Kessler: The first two songs on Side One of <\/em>Rubber Soul have depicted relationships with strong, autonomous women. Is the invisible female protagonist in \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d portrayed much in the same vein?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      Frangione: <\/em><\/strong>That\u2019s a very interesting point I\u2019d never considered, but yes, women are clearly taking on a more dominant, less passive role in the first THREE songs on Rubber Soul<\/em>. The mix of independence and taking the lead in \u201cDrive My Car\u201d and \u201cNorwegian Wood\u201d sees the ante raised here. This female is pretty much dictating the pace of this relationship. Gone is the \u201cbut I\u2019ll do anything to win you\u201d urgency from her male counterpart; however, in the end you can sense a scenario where there\u2019s a risk of losing at all costs. This theme may be an early precursor to Jackson Browne\u2019s line years later: \u201cYou win. I win. We lose.\u201d<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      Kessler: What haven\u2019t we discussed\/discovered about \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d that you would like to share with us, Tom?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Frangione:<\/strong> The song\u2019s structure is quite deceiving. In 2016, Paul included \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d in the acoustic set on one of his latter-day tours (2016, I think), showing the underlying foundation upon which the chords were built \u2013 a 2-string descending line.<\/p>\n

      (Check it out on YouTube<\/a>).<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Yet, when we \u201clegend in our own room\u201d guitar types play it, we see a chord progression that actually ascends from A to B to D and back to A for the choruses. That buried descending line provides the secret ingredient. Toss in a modulation from major key to minor in the 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0line of each verse, and the dissonance of diminished chords in JUST the right spot in the chorus (it\u2019s right on the word \u201crefuse\u201d, precisely where the entire conflict of the lyrics rest), and you\u2019ve got a very sophisticated piece of songwriting.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d is another one of those Beatles songs that, had it been a single, would have a been a MONSTER hit!<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      *********<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      Check out Tom Frangione\u2019s TWO new hit programs on Sirius XM\u2019s \u201cBeatles Channel\u201d (Channel 18):<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \u201cWay Beyond Compare\u201d – <\/em><\/strong>an informative look at Beatles Rarities, alternate takes, live performances, and versions of Beatles songs you\u2019ve never heard before! This unique program debuts each week on Sunday\u2026and \u201canytime at all\u201d on the Sirius XM app as well. <\/em><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      \u201cApple Jam\u201d – <\/em><\/strong>a close look at the history, artists (such as Mary Hopkin, Badfinger, Billy Preston, James Taylor, etc.), and records released on The Beatles\u2019 own Apple Records label. Tom Frangione co-hosts the show with rock\u2019n\u2019roll journalist, David Fricke. Catch this one-hour program on the first Wednesday of each month\u2026with repeats throughout the month and \u201canytime at all\u201d on the Sirius XM app as well!<\/em><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      Also\u2026look for Tom\u2019s articles in <\/em>Beatlefan<\/strong> magazine! <\/em><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

      [1]<\/a> Margotin, Jean-Michel and Phillipe Guesdon, \u201cWe Can Work It Out,\u201d All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles\u2019 Release<\/em>, 314. Margotin and Guesdon remind us that \u201cWe Can Work It Out\u201d was written in 1964 at Rembrandt, the Liverpool house that Paul bought for his father. Chronologically, therefore, the song and the progression of the relationship portrayed by Paul in \u201cWe Can Work It Out\u201d falls in between A Hard Day\u2019s Night<\/em> and Rubber Soul<\/em>.<\/p>\n

      [2]<\/a> Womack, Kenneth, Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of The Beatles<\/em>, 118.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Side One, Track Three   \u201cYou Won\u2019t See Me\u201d   by Jude Southerland Kessler and Tom Frangione   The Fest for Beatles Fans\u2019 deep dive into the innovative tracks on Rubber Soul continues with Jude Southerland Kessler, author of The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":8406,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[98,89,117,136,135],"class_list":["post-8405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-beatles","tag-jude-southerland-kessler","tag-rubber-soul","tag-the-beatles","tag-tom-frangione","tag-you-wont-see-me"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8405"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8407,"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8405\/revisions\/8407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}