You're Going to Lose That Girl

In the week of Monday, February 15th through Saturday, February 20th, 1965, the Beatles recorded eleven songs for director Richard Lester's consideration for the soundtrack of their second feature film, though only seven were required.  John Lennon's final offering of the week was the only song attempted on February 19th.  Not only was this composition good enough to eventually make the cut, it surely would have been good enough to be a hit record if released as a single by either the Beatles or any other act.

While You're Going to Lose That Girl was primarily written by Lennon, Paul McCartney probably had a hand in crafting the number, which features prominent backing vocals from Paul and George.  Many have pointed out over the years how this song is a mirror image of She Loves You - in place of the earlier singer generously encouraging a friend to pursue a relationship, this singer threatens to step in and selfishly steal the other's girlfriend away.

Due to an error in the booth, the first take was called take two, and it was a false start.  With everyone playing their usual instruments, John singing his lead vocal, and Paul and George singing their backing vocals, the very next take - the one and only complete take - proved to be the keeper.  John then double-tracked his vocal and Paul added a piano part to the track.  It took a few attempts for George to successfully nail his overdubbed lead guitar solo.  The most interesting overdub, however, featured Ringo flailing away on a set of bongos.

For some reason, the boys returned to the song and recorded some additional overdubs on March 30th.  A new stereo mix was even created a few days later incorporating these unknown overdubs, but it was never used.

The song appears on both the UK and US versions of the album Help!  Capitol Records originally misprinted the title on both the cover and on the label of the American album as You're Gonna Lose That Girl (which is how the boys actually sing it).  This was corrected on the label on later pressings, but not on the album's cover.

The song is featured early on in the film Help! in a sequence set in a recording studio.  Cigarette smoke swirls around as the boys perform the number in the darkened studio.  Some shots even show Paul playing the piano and Ringo with the bongos.  Unbeknownst to the Beatles, the evil Clang and his thugs are cutting a hole in the floor with a chainsaw, and poor Ringo and his entire drumkit fall straight down through it after the song is complete.

The only post-career release of You're Going to Lose That Girl was on the 1977 double album Love Songs.  Unlike most of the other songs on this collection, it is not a ballad, and the spiteful nature of the lyrics really make it an odd choice for this compilation.