I've Just Seen a Face

My previous post described how Lennon's song It's Only Love had a working title of That's a Nice Hat (Cap), which is how it appeared on the George Martin album pictured there.  You might also notice that there is a song listed on that album cover known as Auntie Gin's Theme.  For years, that was how McCartney referred to an instrumental piece he would play on piano to the delight of his aunt.  When he finally put some words to it and made it a tour-de-force for acoustic guitar, it became I've Just Seen a Face.

The basic track was recorded in six takes on June 14th, 1965.  Both John and Paul play acoustic guitars while George uses a 12-string acoustic guitar to provide the lower end usually associated with an electric bass.  George also plays the solo in the instrumental break and the closing phrase of the song on this guitar.  Meanwhile, Ringo uses brushes on his snare drum to keep the snappy beat.  Paul sets the tempo at such a fast pace that he occasionally has to catch a quick breath in the middle of some of the long, run-on lines.  Onto take six, Paul double-tracked his impressive opening flourish on acoustic guitar, and also double-tracked his vocal in places, as Ringo added maracas to the mix.

I've Just Seen a Face appeared on the non-soundtrack side of the Help! LP in the UK.  Like It's Only Love, Capitol held on to this track for a few months and put it on the US version of Rubber Soul.  In fact, Capitol held this breathless song in such high regard that it was used to open that album.  And yet, this wonderful number, with its catchy "falling, yes, I am falling" chorus has never been chosen for any of the group's post-career compilations.

By the way, Paul actually mentions his Auntie Gin (pictured dancing with him above) in the list of names in the 1976 hit song Let 'Em In from the album Wings at the Speed of Sound.