Why Is This Beatles Song So Messy?

With unexplained sounds, disappearing instruments, and a somewhat mysterious lineage, "I'm Looking Through You" might unintentionally be the messiest song that the Beatles officially released.
As a fair warning: you can't unhear this!
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[@millicentgarciameiring9713]

The tapping disappears when they say “love has a nasty habit of DISAPPEARING”

[@andresmontes72]

That’s some Word Painting right there , so it was intentional

[@johnnybravoski7048]

Great catch! Brilliant!!!

[@justinsaunders110]

If it was intentional the tapping would cease as he says disappearing but it stops beforehand.

[@retronerd7832]

omg illuminatiiiiiii

[@deadeyes2803]

@@justinsaunders110 yeah it stops beforehand like 3000 miliseconds beforehand so whats your point

[@barrymcallister2986]

Messiest song the Beatles ever recorded *Revolution 9: Am I a joke to you?*

[@CathyHarrisLCSW]

good one hahahaaa

[@andrewwagner9901]

Exactly my thought

[@paddawan_]

Hahaha right XD

[@ronaldowens5025]

Everything in 9 was intentional to sound like that, it's really more a sonic painting than a song.

[@proudfootz]

You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)

[@bernie2231]

I love this song. I've heard it "a million" times, and never noticed anything wrong with it.

[@davidparker357]

Because there's nothing wrong with it! that's the beauty of the song, there's no problem with it, it's just very quirky studio recording

[@dannyho6786]

My uncle had this song playing when he hanged himself in taiwan (RIP- uncle jojo)

[@notethan_]

@@dannyho6786 oh

[@inwoodliver]

Agreed

[@humbertss2866]

It is because is a perfect and beautiful song and when you listen to The Beatles, who’s looking for mistakes or mishaps?? This song was produced and recorded in 1965 and there was no auto-tune or the type of sophisticated filters used today to correct the amount of garbage that it’s created a produced musically today. The Beatles where great then and today even with a couple of stitches on the recording tape? Lol !

[@stargate9921]

I think every "mistake" just really adds to the charm of the song.

[@robward367]

Exactly! Always loved it for its 'faults' - noticed most of the so-called mistakes but had assumed all as intended. A favourite song.

[@freddiewhitehorn9734]

But then there's no mistakes, just happy accidents.

[@dbspaceoditty]

random bob ross comment for the win.

[@freddiewhitehorn9734]

Wisdom of the ancients.

[@michaelmace924]

Bob Ross comment of the day.

[@feeelsbad]

Titanium white?

[@swordfish52]

I concur Freddie .... Jimmie ...

[@JeffRebornNow]

John Lennon said in his 1980 Playboy interview, "There's not a single one of our songs that I wouldn't redo." Nothing is ever perfect in art. Everything only approximates perfection.

[@williampatterson1795]

I always liked John, a lot. and I "get" what he means in the comment. but, I feel that ALL as in redo ALL the songs is or was over the top. some? ok...........maybe even quite a few? ok, but all? not if I was in the band and everyone or anyone hoped and expected my vote to be with John? they would be disappointed. John too :) no way. most of it IS perfect in my opinion, and going back and fixing any of it would be a nightmare. and "fixing" ALL of it would be impossible. I'll likely get yelled at for this. but the remasters of whenever that was of all the UK Beatles Albums was an exercise in pointlessness, in my opinion. I listened to a lot of the remasters and then bought new copies of the original CD collection. they sound better than the remasters, to me anyway

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

I agree with you that all art is imperfect, but John is not exactly the best example of someone to poll about re-recording Beatles songs. Especially not that 1980 interview.

[@williampatterson1795]

@@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep Yeah, John had a bit a burr in his saddle. Fair do's...he was harshest about his own work. to me, recording artists need to do the best they can, but once it's pressed released and purchased by 8 zillion people, that's enough to leave the message that this apparently does NOT need to be fixed. perhaps that's too simplistic. I don't know

[@JeffRebornNow]

@@williampatterson1795 Oh, he wasn't suggesting going back, he didn't care about remaking them, he was just making an observation that, to him, they were far from perfect. An artist has an idealized conception of what a piece of art should look or sound like and in the execution of his vision the finished product rarely coincides perfectly with his original vision. I am sure Beethoven found fault with his 9th Symphony

[@williampatterson1795]

@@JeffRebornNow you are quite right, of course. my post almost sounds as if I were "ragging on John" which I hadn't intended to do at all! thanks for your comments, and for the comment about Beethoven. perhaps none of us will ever be happy with our work, in retrospect. thanks :)

[@droiD392]

i love it when you hear a sound only once at a random point in a song. it makes every second of the song unique, especially when it's in pop form.

[@RandomGuy-bi4nx]

I honestly think that this adds to the character of the song. This song has a very classic rock “hashing out your emotions in the garage” feel to it and the mistakes make it feel like your just listening in on a Beatles jam session, mistakes and all.

[@Jimmy__Jazz]

When you're listening late at night, you may think that the band are not quite right. But they are, as it's only a northern song

[@Ryan23H]

well played

[@stephenward7856]

Very good 👍🏻

[@milosit]

Perfect! Except it's bands not band. As in 'the radio bands can't be exactly tuned'. That also explains its plural use.

[@dggydddy59]

They just play it like that. 😁

[@merlinaudubon6202]

@@milosit no, 'band' is used here as a collective noun, so it is plural.

[@GabzitoHD]

honestly I'm looking through you might be my favorite beatles song

[@Pokezigzag]

GabzitoHD I love your stuff man

[@RyanWSi]

It is my favorite..I think it's their best

[@yoursleepparalysisdemon8171]

It's my favorite because it's so messy

[@Alexander-tj2dn]

I really hate it. One of their worst songs.

[@2v_5r84]

That's a cool favorite Beatles song to have

[@simoncolvex]

As Paul and John explained.. they introduced their new songs at the beginning of the recording sessions giving both George and Ringo barely any time to come up with their parts. Considering how brilliant and varied their parts are, I think the mistakes are part of the magic.

[@simonjames1604]

considering this was the 3rd attempt at recording the song and the beatles languished 5 studio days on it yeah unfamilarity wasnt the issue, problem was 1 its not a very good song 2 they ran out of time and the remake was done quicly and sloppily because they had no more tiem tof fix it

[@FunkyDisco79]

@@simonjames1604 not a very good song? I beg to differ.

[@simonjames1604]

@@FunkyDisco79 really? its poorly recorded. its a misogynist drag of a lyric showing paul at his poorest with one of his weakest melodies. sounding smug and superior while at the same time showing what a thin skinned and callow youth he was. jane deserved better...its poor on every level.

[@FunkyDisco79]

@@simonjames1604Ok. So you know everything about what happened then.

[@simonjames1604]

@@FunkyDisco79 its pretty well documented yeah

[@jonsdad77]

Personally, I love the "imperfections".

[@Nooz2u]

One of my favorite "imperfections" isn't even mentioned, which is the two false starts before the song begins, I believe on the stereo version, and left out on the mono version.

[@pete7164]

Answer: They were really, really f-ing high

[@robbiewilliams7138]

HA HA YEEAAH you show Right about that,,,

[@jaimelannister1797]

Punk Rock Secrets of they were really fucking high throughout all of rubber soul

[@judebigelow2689]

Lololol!

[@alexarthur5173]

basically every artist in the 60s and 70s were high

[@michaelmace924]

Hey, that's messed up. To say that all 60s & 70s artists were on drugs isn't kewl.

[@kingtrebor7215]

Funnily enough, I'm Looking Through You is one of my favourite Beatles songs.

[@iangardiner6995]

ptxmae it’s a good song. This guy is just into ruining it for himself. At the same time this shows us a subtle mistake within a band that many, including myself, see as perfect.

[@madimucha5832]

ptxmae I love this song! One of my favourite songs on the Rubber Soul Album!

[@fastlane444]

@@madimucha5832 - as I said somewhere above, my favorite song period - so not sure why ptxmae said "funnily enough"

[@dianamiller3307]

Mine too...because these "errors" are there to create a sense of disconsternation (is that a word?) In the listener

[@cognitivedissonance8406]

I used to like it a lot more before I found out the lyrics are just Paul being the pettiest possible person he can be to his ex-girlfriend Still a good listen though

[@dmenglebrecht]

I've recognized several of these sounds over the years listening to this song and always found them to be points of interest and never considered them mistakes or messy. Especially the sound of the tambourine, I wait to hear it and find it comforting.

[@NooceneSounds]

I love this!

[@85geoffm]

Same!

[@prettyshinyspaghetti8332]

Yep! They're just.......part of the song. Intended or not, theyre just quirks to the recording of a great song

[@user-wo8de5rv9o]

When I first heard this song in my junior year in high school, I could hardly catch up with the tempo, which sounded challenging; hence, I would proceed with the other Beatles songs instead. By merely following the bass runs, I eventually figured out its timing.

[@rays7805]

The clicking: Ringo revealed that he was tapping on a box of matches.

[@o.b.v.i.u.s]

That people are dissecting the Beatles' music to this degree ==generations later== is testimony to their importance and greatness.

[@melciveng]

Correct

[@28Pluto]

Except that some people dissect things to such a degree that they seem to forget it's just rock n' roll. And that it was made with archaic technology and methods which are proven to be unreliable. Much of the mystery behind The Beatles is made-up completely by the fans who need to obsess over every single sound, instead of just enjoying the music. There is plenty of documentation where they have said something like, "We were just freewheeling the recording, and spliced many things together. The final product was a collage of many crazy hours in the studio."

[@karenmcboogerballs3434]

Exactly?

[@PMJugwunth]

It still sounds geat.

[@aaronjohnson3463]

@@nafanarefour4564 nobody will be talking about the garbage produced in the last 30 years 50 years from now.

[@justmebeingbored1794]

“Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight” ingenious song

[@ezekielbrockmann114]

As the snaps dissappear. Brilliant!

[@ChrisMaxfieldActs]

@Yer Blues Or a confessional lyric about himself, too.

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

Which is also what happens at the end of Norwegian Wood off the same album!

[@FunkyDisco79]

@@ezekielbrockmann114 That means love is snaps.

[@ezekielbrockmann114]

@@FunkyDisco79 lol I suppose it does, yes.

[@elisalzman]

As a long-time guitar player with acoustic being my mainstay, my best guess on those off-beat taps is actually the sleeve button of the shirt of the player hitting the body as he strummed. It can be off-beat because it flops around a bit randomly, and it can be LOUD and un-editable because it's on the guitar mic track. Also could be a watch or piece of jewelry....but that is unlikely as most people take those off before playing. But that sleeve button...we often forget it and curse it.

[@oldmanuserphan]

The two clicks that were pointed out sound just like my bad habit of tapping the pick on the acoustic's top while doing partial strums.

[@groceries__tho]

I thought that too. You hear it a lot on Blood on the Tracks

[@TimTromley]

Buttons on the sleeves ... isn't this the reason that the Kingston Trio always wore short sleeves?

[@stephenjones101]

I was thinking the same. When playing my acoustic wearing a long sleeve shirt, I occasionally hear these little random clicks. Given you have to really work hard to isolate and hear them, I doubt the Beatles cared. And as fans, we certainly never noticed at the time.

[@palindrome1959]

My daughter generalized all Beatles albums in this way: All killer, no filler. Thanks Steffy

[@JosephRElder]

Yeah. That's good.

[@jamesrobiscoe1174]

She's prime material to be an editor in any medium.

[@Vanderstein950]

Idk Beatles for sale has filler

[@inkoinfinity2]

Ob la di,ob la da

[@nicholasdedea7830]

@@Vanderstein950 idk what you’re talking about BFS is fucking immaculate

[@ericbrewerguitar1499]

They were trolling us audio nerds from the future 😂

[@Seeker0fTruth]

Eric Brewer Guitar YES!

[@jacobweaver4493]

I want to accept this as truth

[@TheImpures]

or it was done on purpose

[@psychedonhigh7277]

and this is why recordings from the 60's are so much more exciting than the exacting decades of "perfection" that followed.

[@suswan]

Exactly!!!!

[@fredgien]

Totally true!

[@LuisAngel-mu4zv]

Same with modern films, everything looks way to clean and polished

[@Jonas-cd4hf]

Please look into alternative music, and @luis angel, please watch different movies.

[@lukeluke295]

Yep

[@jeffreydavidson5870]

Now that I'm listening more carefully, I think I hear a short screech of microphone feedback at about 1:18. But like some others here, I've always found this to be one of my favorite Beatles songs.

[@turnbackthealarm]

yes absolutely I hear that. With respect to the other comments I think the most likely conclusion is that the album and this song in particular was rushed. The fake opening chords are perhaps another example. The tapping is just odd because it comes and goes hard to think they did that deliberately so maybe just didnt have time to redo it.

[@StellaWaldvogel]

That's what made the Beatles fun: listening closely, maybe putting the headphones on, hearing the odd bits of weirdness and trying to puzzle out what was up. Now the click tracks, autotune, etc. have taken a lot of the fun out of music. It's often like a picture that's been airbrushed and photoshopped into a kind of embalmed perfection. It's dead.

[@canesvenatici4259]

Ah.. The Olde days of tape editing!

[@mcfabb]

Well said. I love your phrase “embalmed perfection”.

[@reginaldcampos5762]

I used to not understand the criticism of being "overproduced". I thought that if a song was just really well made then it was good. But not when it takes it to an extreme. A band needs to make the sound, not the producers. The noise i hear on the radio these days are just assembled sound clips that the producers thought sounded good, not the writers and performers accomplishing brilliance. It all blends together now. Not much to distinguish between any sonfs other than the voice, which even then is performed to how the producers want it.

[@greenday12341]

You’re my hero! Bravo to that point 👏

[@tdalton72]

I`ve heard John say they did things like this often just to mess around and see if people noticed. I think Ringo mentioned it as well.

[@oldmanuserphan]

Yep. They have a lot of oddities throughout their entire catalog that they did on purpose for the fun of it. Today we would say it's "for the meme."

[@bes03c]

In McCartney 3, 2, 1, Paul said that there are plenty of mistakes in their earlier albums. They only had a short time lay down the tracks and often thought they were good enough. They didn't mind leaving in a few small mistakes. If anything, I like the slightly more raw feel. Modern tracks feel can often feel too perfect with the ease of fixing problems in post production..

[@TeShiky]

Listen to the tambourine at the end of And Your Bird Can Sing. It gets so offbeat.

[@JaredFrankbaby]

Well someone finally noticed

[@dmellis]

And there was the tit tit tit chorus on Girl.

[@pauls5096]

George Martin: "C'mon lads, we can't put this take on the album." John Lennon: "Ah George, don't get your knickers in a twist. They'll never have record players good enough to even hear it."

[@Psython]

@newagetojo Homie, you entirely missed the point of this video. Chill.

[@knowhereman1]

I can hear John saying that. Lol

[@guidomotshagen7541]

😂

[@andrewarsenault1906]

95% of the people listening to that song at that time probably were listening to it on a 3 1/2" car radio speaker. John was correct!

[@MrTimothy1967]

I had that album on vinyl and I heard the "mistakes". I always thought they made the simple song better.

[@maldorthegreat]

One of my favorite Beatles songs ever. I always assumed the messiness was intentional because of the overall tone of the lyrics.

[@leonardogoulart3245]

This. The whole theme of the song is "something is off". The mistakes were deliberate.

[@Cheryltwin2012]

The whole "Rubber Soul" album is amazing, but "I'm Looking Through" You might be my favorite cut, messiness and all. Heck, maybe the messiness is what makes it so great. Or maybe because it's the mother of all break up songs?

[@derryorchard905]

Taps have a nasty habit of disappearing overnight

[@chelseaabbott8167]

🤣

[@rwitorshiroy3448]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@dickon728]

Taps?

[@elliehamlin2311]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@randomrecordings9757]

It took 54 years before I realized they had disappeared and I had the mono album in December 1965 and listened to it just about every day until Revolver was released.

[@digitalsketchguy]

"As machines become more and more efficient and perfect, so it will become clear that imperfection is the greatness of man." Ernst Fischer

[@garyn.9450]

I have no idea where that quote comes from, but I thank you for placing it here. It's a beautiful statement and it applies perfectly to the over-whelming beauty of all The Beatles music.

[@111whitepony111]

So true

[@BBINGHAM032352]

Yes, indeed that is true greatness.

[@alyssakeezer4672]

I LOVE that!

[@kenhoughton2594]

Amen. And now it is much more real than when Fischer made that comment.

[@filippocanaliderossi8721]

instrumental omissions correspond to the nasty habit of love: disappearing overnight

[@PilkScientist]

That very much sounds like a "picking up a tambourine" noise, the one you thought was dropping. They're rather hard to pick up quietly, it's a problem for concert music.

[@richardburke6902]

There is a similar errant tambourine tap in John Barry’s “Out of Africa” soundtrack on cut 7 “Flying Over Africa” around :45. I’m thinking it was a conscious decision by Barry to leave it in, like Indigenous art that always includes an error. By the way, I listen to the Out of Africa soundtrack in my car during long trips so I can feel like I’m in a movie.

[@johnedwards1321]

"Art is never finished. It's abandoned." --Toulouse Lautrec

[@SoundVillageChunin17]

That's a good one.

[@aboxofbroken8tracks983]

I'm writing that down.

[@armorer94]

"Movies aren't released. They escape" -George Lucas.

[@halodude7239]

From what I can find, this is a Leonardo DaVinci quote, not a Lautrec one. I may be wrong but I couldn't find anything saying that it was by Lautrec. Not to be rude or correct you, I just wanted to point that out if you didn't realize. Peace and love!

[@christrontherobot4100]

@@halodude7239 yes you are correct, certainly a Da Vinci quote

[@guitorb]

The clapping was Jane Asher. It stopped when she realized the song is about her. JK.

[@TS-qq7vr]

It inspired Yoko's career.

[@deanky]

Was genuinely about to believe this

[@LLawliet-pz1rm]

LOL

[@christopherfletcher5384]

Kind of like when Paul realized wah- wah was about him.

[@jeffa6780]

Paul would laugh at that joke.

[@donnaveitpolanski4154]

I love that we're still listening and dissecting Beatles songs 50 years on!

[@Nooz2u]

The two false guitar starts at the beginning are not even mentioned, I think on the stereo version and not on the mono one.

[@astral_brain]

The fact that it was finished just days before the final mixing of the album probably explains it all. They didn't have time to focus on the details and polish it up to the standard of the other songs. It's very easy to miss stray sounds and small details like this when you are in a hurry.

[@garymcadams8328]

Perfection is boring. Music, art, and love should be a bit “messy”.

[@PhilSchaffrinMusic]

Absolutely!!

[@nocturnal7345]

But when a non beatle artist, preferably modern, makes a messy song, they get crucified.

[@PhilSchaffrinMusic]

@@nocturnal7345 says who?

[@thedude4594]

Exactly why music sucks these days.

[@MCAndyT]

Yeah, like Jimi Hendrix is amazing and ground-breaking as a guitarist, but he's also so loose and messy in way that just makes it all feel so "live"!!!

[@benjaminvillarreal1499]

"It's inclusion seems a bit odd" the absolute basis on which the greatest Beatles songs are built.

[@MalloryGrahamSlams]

@@williamshelton4318 lmao

[@ddebenedictis]

So true. They did not imitate, they innovated.

[@bobcannon9295]

Remember they only had three weeks to do "Rubber Soul," so I wouldn't be surprised if there was a general "okay, that'll do" attitude in the studio as the deadline approached.

[@rogerwilliams7791]

Dude .... have you ever thought this was done the way Paul intended it to be . Listen to the song. I think it's great. Just the Beatles being the Beatles!

[@kcuhc84]

My theory is, the stereo version was thrown together with no input from anyone who cared. The mono version was approved and none of these anomalies are audible.

[@smileysmile11]

100%

[@Ryan23H]

@@smileysmile11 its the beatles if they didnt care about releasing an unfinished product they would have got someone who did

[@MrSteward7]

100%

[@smileysmile11]

@@Ryan23H THe Beatles didn't really care about stereo until White Album. And, I believe the Rubber Soul album never had a "proper" stereo mix until the CDs came around. So this would probably be George Martin's team doing this with minimal input from the surviving Beatles in the late 80s.

[@imannonymous7707]

Ah good point not the first time ive heard similar remarks on the stereo catalog.... well said

[@dougmurphy1777]

I remember an interview with Paul where he said the Beatles would do a take of a song and then someone would say "Oops, I had a mistake on that", to which Paul replies "Good, it's probably a very good take then".

[@visaman]

Then why did Paul do a 100 takes of Maxwell's Silver Hammer?

[@Bella-nt7ec]

@@visaman due to the enormous tension and nervous ambience. His way to stand up to yoko's bad vibe. My two kopeck.

[@ewest14]

@@visaman I don’t know if the above story is true but if it is then probably because Paul became more of a perfectionist as time went on. All the pressure was probably getting to him and he wanted to make the best record he could for all the fans they had

[@BobWadeGuitar]

Yeah, it sounds like real people playing real instruments on 4 track tape and no digital fixes.

[@patricktracy1966]

The Beatles "fixed" plenty of stuff in the studio. They even over dubbed the Shea stadium concert to make it better.

[@Mrmeeseekz2865]

Taps have a nasty habit of dissapearing

[@Finneagan]

Man I thought I knew this song, now it's no longer the same.

[@sebainfanta]

It doesn't sound different, but it has changed.

[@bismamitch8272]

Wtf.... that’s the answer right there.... wtaf hahahah

[@wesleyalan9179]

Yep

[@joshuamejia2496]

How so???

[@tonystfa]

baby it's changed...

[@draysonroberts3666]

Making it a little messy, like a missing snare drum sound, makes it sound more alive and less mechanical.

[@nickpavloff8977]

Drayson Roberts Thank u

[@squishgod9094]

Sounds like an excuse for sloppy music ngl

[@legoghostyoda]

before i watched the video i somewhat agreed but damn this song is incredibly messy, it does not sound better due to that

[@larryrapshaw8405]

Could have been off the beat and the engineer turned the track down at that point, then turned it back up. I have had the folks in the room do me a favor like that too once in a while to fix a fix.

[@SteveGellerMusic]

True, but not a staple of the Beatles (usually) to intentionally put in imperfections to sound more "alive." They had recorded 100 songs by this time and hadn't chosen to do this.

[@thefunnycapcutman]

there's also what sounds like feedback at around 1 minute and 18 seconds in "you were above me, *feedback* but not today"

[@Whowhatwherewhy]

My parents forbade me from spending $3.99 for a Beatles album. Got it anyway. Edit: got all of them.

[@elirosen1391]

How much would that be today?

[@philip6502]

Exactly what I paid for it when in was released. I think I was 10 years old.

[@laguerreestfinie]

My favorite from Rubber Soul just got better.

[@manladan5929]

PotassiumMCR really I’m looking through you is your favourite

[@manladan5929]

Random Citizen I’ve got 3 . Girl , In my Life , Drive my car

[@potatovegeta9385]

Walter Clements what about Norwegian wood?

[@manladan5929]

Potato Vegeta well that’s like next in the list of my favourites

[@manladan5929]

Random Citizen they’re all better than I’m looking through you

[@markenbysk4422]

Have you ever looked at a great oil painting up close?

[@jasonruka1665]

Hahaha!! Such a good point?!

[@markenbysk4422]

Jason Ruka Thanks👍

[@melissastone2578]

Maybe he just sniffs them up close?

[@Dropsy517]

Brilliantly stated.

[@m.q.macabre1825]

For enough views, you'd hold the fucking magnifying glass.

[@johnnovack6168]

this song was in our setlist. we never played it the same way twice. cool song. kinda hard to sing!

[@maximobenatti6110]

this is exactly what I like .. there is soul behind the song, with its genius and its imperfections ... today we have precision but a lot of banality and plastic music

[@JohnHolton]

All the "screw ups" don't detract from the fact that this is a great song.

[@brianwalendy3735]

That's honestly what I like about the song. It makes me feel like I'm there. It all adds to the feel of the song.

[@devinjerryfreedomisfree4599]

Brian Walendy exactly kinda like John’s missed notes on She’s a Woman

[@brainsareus]

The ''screwups''; might be intentional, in order to fuck with us.

[@4pri792]

He never said that

[@dickon728]

@@devinjerryfreedomisfree4599 Wha wash yo' mouth out!

[@EpicGammingCrew]

George in the early 90s gave an interview to some uk outlet and I remember him saying that on certain tracks from rubber soul, revolver, mmt, peppers, and white album they intentionally left tougher, unorganized cuts on that they though either gave a psychedelic or rough presence to different songs depending on what they wanted. Tried to link the interview but couldn’t find it

[@osamabinladen824]

Wow

[@carlospc866]

Amazing

[@betpow]

reminds me of Mick Jagger purposefully singing in a manner where it's really hard to make sense of the lyrics

[@SonGoku-iw4zk]

I mean, it works.

[@reneen.3519]

I've always adored this song and the lyrics.

[@avathepresident]

I’m awfully late, but in the song “If I fell”, around 1:44 you hear John and Paul singing “Sad if I knew love was in vain” with the vain part Paul seems to loose his breath or fall short of completing the full note, whilst John keeps singing. Minor thing but I find it interesting that they kept it there, especially since it’s a studio recording. Or maybe it was meant to be like that? Is there any info on that? Just interesting :)

[@Linusrox123]

Yes, Paul's voice breaking on that note is exactly the first thing that came to mind when imperfections were mentioned.

[@laurencefisher365]

I’ve always assumed he broke off laughing

[@progmeup]

There's a whole list of these little weirdnesses, search for "The Beatles Anomalies".

[@kevinobrien9626]

There is, though, a version out there that fixes this? Sometimes I listen for it and I don't hear it.

[@copbabycombo1311]

KZbin isn't a "IT'S BEEN YEARS I CAN'T COMMENT ON THIS VIDEO, I'D BE LATE" platform, boomer

[@lexxx9246]

Every beatles song is art.

[@dylanalexander4393]

Even Revolution 9?

[@Ryan10865]

Even Maggie mae

[@lexxx9246]

@@dylanalexander4393 everything is art. whether is good or not.

[@lexxx9246]

@@Ryan10865 everything is art. whether it’s good or not.

[@Ryan10865]

@@lexxx9246 actually I like Maggie mae

[@BobV97]

The Japanese call this “Wabi-Sabi” - the beauty of imperfection.

[@fakeandgay1151]

BobV97 dangit Bobby

[@John42ification]

I'm sure that somewhere, Yoko is reading this and nodding in agreement ...

[@pcno2832]

"phasing" and "fuzz bass" were two 1960s techniques both popularized by accidentally flawed recordings ("The Big Hurt" by Miss Toni Fisher and "Don't Worry" by Marty Robbins) that the artists decided to leave as is. Another records that I've always suspected of being accidentally brilliant was "The Eyes of a New York Woman" by B.J. Thomas, a totally unremarkable song that was recorded with a strange, haunting dissonance in the background that could easily have been little more than pitch flaws introduced during double tracking. Deliberate or not, a "perfect" version of that record would have been a lot less interesting.

[@vivianstanshall8121]

But dont put too much of it on your food It'll blow your tits off

[@GreyFox001]

Abu dabi in indian.

[@adamtaylor2142]

I've always looked at these things as features of the song instead of errors. I particularly love the stray out-of-tune electric guitar noodles.

[@jean-jacquesmasse9388]

Very interesting bits I never noticed in a favourite of mine ! Great job !

[@ROBYNMARKOW]

The taps disappear right around the lyric "Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight" so it works.👍

[@niamhoconnor8986]

Hahahahaha

[@reginalynnbush]

I've always thought so.

[@alexbenowitz8097]

That’s what I was thinking. The song is fine for the first minute but then starts to get messy towards the middle, just like Paul’s relationship.

[@herr_fuchsnews5630]

To be honest I had noticed most of these before, and I actually think they kind of add to the feeling of the song

[@herr_fuchsnews5630]

Still, great video. Very interesting!

[@YouCantUnhearThis]

I totally agree. The song wouldn't be as endearing or memorable without them.

[@jopisano67]

@@YouCantUnhearThis No recording is perfect. But nice to see the imperfections that are there able to leak out. It wasnt enough to effect the record and thats why it was left in.

[@dannydine5263]

Like Eddie Kramer always says, leave the damn mistakes in unless there unbearable. He believes today's recordings are fixed in the mix to the point where there sterile. He also hates all the looping, programmed drums, programmed this and that, autotune etc.

[@dannydine5263]

I particularly like where that one snare hit is left out. I'm a sucker for that type of stuff.

[@whovian1055]

Honestly, this is probably in my top 3 favorites of the album

[@SimonYoungOFFICIAL]

It's an incredible song by Paul, deceptively simple, and perfect as it is.

[@mikescott8567]

The coolest thing about the vinyl version is the "false start" which was sadly removed in digital.

[@ahcapella]

As I recall, the “false start” never existed on the European vinyl album, but somehow made its way onto the (slightly “butchered”) American album. Yeah, after growing up on the American version, it was kinda like having a rug somewhat pulled out from under you to hear it without the false start later on the British album.

[@nazfrde]

@@ahcapella Correct, and it is on the "Capitol Albums" box from several years ago.

[@gainsbourg66]

The vinyl (original) mix is way better than this digital version. You don't notice any errors. The lead guitar bits sound better, everything sounds better

[@jinxwren4628]

While I was listening to mine to see if these things were on the original release, I thought my record was skipping! I didn’t know there was a false start on the original vinyl😂 Wow- cool.

[@OhSoSnake]

"Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight" --JUST LIKE THE TAPS THAT DISAPPEAR THE BEATLES WERE NEXT LEVEL GUYZ

[@iancarnel8609]

Totally agree that it was an allegory & an allusion.. The song mistakes were paul's love relationship falling apart.

[@stolensentience]

Was thinking the same thing and it seems obvious

[@garrisondinsmore5808]

Ahhh, yes. I was thinking “well they’re only human” which is true but then he said they spent more time on this than any other track. 20 hrs? They recorded the entirety of Please Please Me (album) in less time. The Beatles wouldn’t spend 20 hrs on a track and “miss” a snare hit. Remember these guys began to get more and more avant-garde from here on out. I think it’s intentional.

[@dianamiller3307]

Bingo

[@roy_for_real2674]

What I thought

[@xbrandi12345x]

I have listened to this song millions of time and I always noticed the tapping but not the other things. I subscribed because I am fascinated that you can notice any of this.

[@patrickcolon8809]

This is like eating a delicious ice cream sundae, and then noticing that they only used 66 pecans to cover it instead of 72 pecans, like you had asked for.

[@pay9011]

You can hardly call this a mess. Even though these items are now pointed out I doubt I'll hear the song any differently than before

[@teeth227]

Same. I’ve heard worse Beatles songs

[@imkluu]

I have always heard most of them and din't care. thought it was part of the character of the song. One of the things I have always loved about the Beatles is that even their throw away tracks, or those possibly rushed are still better than 90% of what other groups were and still are putting out. You were lucky to get two or three good songs off most albums of that time and the Beatles would give you 12, or more, out of 14 on an album.

[@drkatel]

Always thought these things were intentional. Regardless, I love their imperfect analogue perfection.

[@evannewell3335]

They are intentional, this guy just over analyzes

[@davidmcdermott7861]

@@evannewell3335 I don't know... I think the guitar licks are probably intentional, but the missed snare and two random taps definitely aren't...

[@DanielOakfield]

Was going to type exactly the same comment :)

[@twogruden9943]

It speaks to the strength of the composition that all this randomness somehow all works together. I noticed some of these things like the off-beat hand claps before, I had thought they had done it on purpose. It just works... somehow. Beatles magic.

[@DanielOakfield]

@@twogruden9943 It's also about the feel, it's human, and listeners can feel it!

[@harryfromaustralia657]

The fact it was their longest worked on song along with random instruments says its the beginning of them experimenting in wierd ways and that new style wasn't perfected yet

[@WobblesandBean]

I literally never noticed that tapping, or the other issues you highlighted. Aaaaand you're right, now I will never unhear them. 😂

[@ThatsMrPencilneck2U]

So, if Paul was playing the drums, the missed snare doesn't negate the legend that nobody has ever recorded Ringo making a mistake.

[@deathbydeviceable]

That's funny lol

[@billareaband1]

it's ringo

[@ThatsMrPencilneck2U]

@@billareaband1 Take it back! Say, "It ain't so!"

[@John42ification]

"Peace and love, man, peace and love!" -- what Ringo would prob. say to you, because doesn't he say that to everybody?

[@nolank19]

The thing I love about the Beatles is that every time you listen to one of their songs you find something new. For example I was listening to “Fool on the hill” and I discovered a new piano lick for the first time. Too cool

[@dangerics]

Yer Blues has a faint background guitar line behind the solo. Really cool.

[@geraldosborn6365]

This is a great example of "nit-picking" a great song. I have always loved playing the intro on a 12 string.

[@IsaacWale2004]

I can't wait for a new mix of it!

[@riceball2879]

I thought some of these mistakes actually made the song a bit better

[@jhonnycagexrage7458]

Of course

[@chuckydombroski]

That’s because they’re not mistakes. They’re intentional

[@RuudVanDrijver]

Picking holes in perfection. Not even considering that it may have been intentional!

[@RuudVanDrijver]

They may have just kept it in because it was integral. If I Fell on A Hard Day’s Night has them laugh halfway through, but they kept that in too!

[@greglarry11]

Paul was still alive during this time period. He was becoming a multi-instrumentalist and was experimenting. I think he ran out of time and they rushed the album out to fulfill the contract.

[@leviisglam]

This man does not understand the effects of LSD.

[@67tedward]

Rubber Soul was before their psychedelic phase tho.

[@leviisglam]

@@67tedward released 6 months after they started dabbling with lsd.

[@louisgibbonitski7454]

Didn’t record high apparently

[@michaeljorfi3552]

Probably not because of lsd

[@plasticage2085]

rubber soul was a pot album

[@lylelylers]

I look fwd to commenting....much! Just subscribed! Long time collector/fan!

[@LeonardoNimoy]

paul's voice is so good that i've never heard the other stuff

[@bobtausworthe]

I haven't watched your channel before. I'm caught between respect for your deep investigative journey and thinking you just have too much friggin time on your hands.

[@speckofwater]

Exactly the same thought, though I am more partial to the idea that he has too much time, and / or he just wanted to gripe about something.

[@chasleask8533]

@@speckofwater Some things just don't matter

[@skysmindgarden]

Wouldn't it be funny if this guy was just a Beatles hater and was pulling out little things to shame them?

[@YouCantUnhearThis]

@@speckofwater Considering I've published a whopping 5 videos in ~3 years, I wish I could say that I had too much time on my hands to devote to this.

[@Neil-Aspinall]

I find his analysis in this vid pointless and pathetic.

[@DaveRucci]

I actually think there’s a lot of sloppy recording moments on Rubber Soul in general, but to me it doesn’t take away from any of the albums magic, it only enhances it... and by the way I’ve noticed most of these “blemishes” on this recording, especially the tambourine drop and guitar random notes. The doubled vocals were done very often in Beatle recordings, especially earlier.

[@j7.54prd]

This is the early version of the song.

[@j7.54prd]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/joPLi6xnqth3aZY

[@gregorymacdonnell7914]

Dave I could not agree with you more. This dude is nit-picking like a jerk. I still love the song ,and the "mistakes" I never noticed, as I was mostly always taken by the melody, which is one of the most classic melody lines vocally ,that it stays with you forever.

[@fattburger6801]

gregory macdonnell He never trashed on the song. The song does have errors, however small they may be. But I think that makes the song even better because the beatles are humans after all and who even cares if they make mistakes.

[@gregorymacdonnell7914]

@@fattburger6801 Well put sir!! :)

[@barrygaynor1025]

Wow, even their mistakes and rough patches are brilliant!

[@inranglhood60]

Once I saw this video's title, I thought it was going to be about George's playing on "what goes on"...

[@_antrider8584]

Everyone needs to stop being so defensive. He’s not putting down the Beatles. He’s just pointing out that this song has some weird moments that sound like mistakes. He even said they might be intentional.

[@YouCantUnhearThis]

Thanks! At least someone watched the video and understood the point. These organic anomalies are a big part of what makes the Beatles' catalog so endlessly enjoyable.

[@_antrider8584]

You Can't Unhear This. I agree. Music shouldn’t sound too perfect

[@faiselbutt2944]

Exactly, it's more about listening to what's actually being played

[@cjnovack]

Fuck him and his opinion

[@roypryer5567]

EXACTLY!

[@joesycamore2899]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this song whatsoever

[@CombatMedic1O]

Yeh I agree. people can't get over how good they sound(envy). they want too point out that they are not Gods. So they try too autism the music. Like a bunch of robots. if it flows, feels and sounds good then that's what matters. the Beatles vibration is literately like a painting when i listen, it all hits and melds perfectly like 5th dimension type magic going right through my physical self. they had a divine spark and people are jealous, they could literally play chord progressions that don't work or not allowed when taught and it would still sound magnificent. People need too realize the power of the God, the human soul and your 3rd eye. You can manipulate vibration with your 3rd eye. Not everything is so limited people

[@meandmybobbygee1812]

@@CombatMedic1O autism as a verb

[@gabrielvivar6291]

Es cierto! Incluso los errores les salían maravillosos e increibles!!!!

[@leomoodley7652]

Yeah

[@TheLambLive]

You're right, but most are missing the reason. We're listening to the stereo mix... this was mixed and mastered years after the original mono album was released, and none of the beatles were present at the mixing. The mono mix is just fine.

[@IsaacWale2004]

I can't wait for it to be remixed!

[@Santnik369]

Great page filled w very interesting facts

[@jmorales09]

That first electric guitar "error" you mentioned sounds like it was intentional. It sounds much better that way than if it was the same notes each time.

[@robbielouie]

I also think the tapping, too.

[@pvank1799]

Sounds intentional to me.

[@jmorales09]

@@robbielouie That's possible. You can hear random tapping in other songs if you listen closely, like in Yellow Submarine.

[@thedevilsadvocate5210]

Lennon said he always put in some miss on purpose

[@CosmoLupertazzi]

Yeah, that's what I thought all along! George? Noodling? Not "perfect" but this is what I've heard more or less for 50 years, and I love the song. And the tambourine bit he points out is intentional, I'm sure. The tambourine wasn't dropped, I don't think. I wouldn't be surprised if Paul played it all.

[@memriloc]

Yeah. Heard all this before, but man. It's the human factor and that's what I love about older music. It's not perfect. And neither it should be.

[@larrycreature7292]

Exactly! Real raw music is always abit wonky and best that way too. Peace!

[@imannonymous7707]

Here here bravo! Good point!

[@Rompler_Rocco]

Plus, I'm guessing anyone who has recorded a band on 4 tracks of tape wouldn't be confused by most of this.. In fact, wasn't this recorded to be mixed in mono?

[@memriloc]

@@Rompler_Rocco exactly. Hey I started on and eight track and shit would happen all the time. The human aspect of music, expecially rock has Benn leterally edited out of music now. I find it a shame. I love little fluffs. Even the likes of your white stripes or Kravits (the latter who I quote like) who surpisedly go back to recording roots with brilliant analog gear and all, are still edited to buggery. Amy Winehouse 'rehab" same thing. I adore that recording but it's edited to shit.

[@Rompler_Rocco]

@@memriloc wow, you're right.. almost no one comes to mind who keeps it human. Is it time for a renaissance? #WhatWouldSteveAlbiniDo

[@wesinman2312]

The Beatles often left mistakes in their recordings, and I'm glad they did. Made them real.

[@RealPVMovies]

Not me expecting him to make a breakdown of the song Wild Honey Pie, because in theory, that may be the strangest...

[@deanaustin1806]

I used to have this girlfriend, and sometimes her hair wasn't quite right. God she was so beautiful

[@laural.enright4780]

Beautiful metaphor, Dean!

[@KenGullette]

I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me. :)

[@TjaMusik]

[@mjt11860]

then 1 day, dean realized that he had been looking at the wrong end.

[@davidcampos2615]

@Corey Cooper I think you've missed the point my friend haha. Whether or not this is a real telling of his past its not the gf part that matters, it's what he said about the messy hair gf.

[@cree8vision]

Imperfections add character, it's not made by a machine.

[@arturhours]

Except when it is. Adam Neely has an interesting bit about this in his drunk drumming video. You should watch it

[@2013jjjTHUNDER]

Believe me its very easyto add characterful imperfections by machine... even with midi and digital multitracking

[@martinstubs6203]

Thanks for this video. This Beatles sond is actually one of my favourites.

[@franksmith9692]

You have to be pretty good for someone to analyze your music to this level of detail.

[@wolfram333]

I'm Looking Through You is one of (if not) my favorite tracks off of Rubber Soul. I love looking for the little things that make this track in particular unique. Sure it's rough around the edges, but that messy feel kind of gives it its own character. Great Video on one of my favorite Beatles Tracks! I hope you will be able to do more soon.

[@YouCantUnhearThis]

Agreed - it's a really charming song that deserves to be more well-known. Thanks for your comment!

[@roxannemoser]

It reminds me of the song (not by the Beatles) Louie Louie. That so g was a big old mess from beginning to end, but that was the beauty of it. It was a fun catchy tune. I love I'm Looking Through You because I never liked Jane Asher. This song just confirmed many Beatles fans were right about her.

[@neilafacci5833]

The beat version is the American USA release on rubber soul which included the false start .

[@neilafacci5833]

Best not beat

[@eddiewillers1442]

@@neilafacci5833 KZbin has an edit function. Look to the three dots when you hover your mouse on the right side. Of course, you may be using a phone or tablet. In that case I don't know how you edit a post.

[@larus10]

Like zeppelin, when you're this good it almost makes the song better to leave the "mistakes" in

[@fredskolnick1183]

My recordings are nothing but mistakes....

[@apolloptx]

Plane goes by in the beginning of the song. Robert goes: "Nah, leave it". Then goes into the song. There's a telephone ringing in The Ocean. Bonzo's mocking cough at the end of In My Time Of Dying. And a dozen others.

[@furlong337]

Great comparison!

[@TatersUnited]

The squeak of John Bonham’s bass drum pedal comes to mind.

[@furlong337]

TatersUnited and btw, they were just as often squeaks from his drum stool

[@juliangiulio3147]

Through the years, I'd also noticed just about all these - I agree, strange musical anomalies, incl. the tambourine random sound, but I didn't care to know why, for some reason. It was not one of my favourites on the superb Rubber Soul album, but is still an OK song. Love your fidelity to detail...

[@terrymann1341]

Reminds me of the random sound at the end of A Day In The Life on Sgt Pepper as the chord fades when you hear a chair creak and someone goes sshh..