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SongsThe Beatles (The White Album)Birthday
The Beatles (The White Album) album cover

“Yes, we're goin' to a party, party”

A McCartney-led group composition built on a 12-bar blues riff in A, credited Lennon-McCartney and recorded as the opener of side three of the White Album. Yoko Ono and Pattie Boyd added the female backing vocals.
VinylCD

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Year1968
AlbumThe Beatles (The White Album)
Track18 · Side 3 · Side opener
Duration2:42
Songwriter(s)McCartney, Lennon
Lead VocalPaul, John
RecordedSeptember 18, 1968
ReleasedNovember 22, 1968

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Text131 tags

Motif

HappinessDanceCountingNumbersCultural snapshotChildhoodCommunicationTime

Title

Title in refrainOne-word title

Vocabulary

Positive toneCasual language

Narrative

ConversationalFirst personSecond personImperative

Lyrical device

AnaphoraWordplay

Rhyme type

Extrametrical rhymeIdentical rhymeInternal rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

12-bar bluesNo verse-chorus

Sections

Standard choruses (1-3)Has bridgeHas refrainHas introMultiple bridges (2+)Has outroHas interlude

Section links

Refrain variationIntro based on chorusOutro based on chorusInterlude based on chorusChorus variation

Repetition

Recurring verseRecurring lineConsecutive lineConsecutive word
Word cloud

Recurring words

birthdaygladpartya goodhave ai wouldit's mysay it'sa good timelike you to

Cover-shared words

danceeightfivefourgoingoodhappylikemyoneoohowsaysevensixtaketheythreetimetwowellwowyeahyouyourlike youtake athey sayto danceto youtwo threewell it'swould likeyou tofive six seventwo three fourfive six seven eight

Lyric shape

[ADJ] it'si'm [ADJ][ADJ] [NOUN] to[NOUN] to youa [NOUN] [NOUN]have a [ADJ]i would [VERB]it's my [NOUN]to [VERB] [NOUN]to a [NOUN][WORD] to a [NOUN]one [WORD] [WORD] [WORD] [WORD] [WORD]

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] it's[NOUN] to[NOUN] too[VERB] a[VERB] it's[VERB] you[WORD] toa [ADJ]a [NOUN]a [WORD]my [NOUN]one [WORD]they [VERB]to [VERB]too [WORD]would [VERB]your [NOUN][VERB] a [WORD][VERB] you toa [ADJ] [NOUN]a [WORD] [NOUN]one [WORD] [WORD][VERB] a [WORD] [NOUN][VERB] you to [VERB]one [WORD] [WORD] [WORD]

Rhyme scheme

AAAAAAAAAABAAAABACAB

Line length

Consistent line lengthsUnique line length

Distinctive word

cha-cha-cha-chance
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Music139 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarBass guitarPianoDrumsPercussionTambourineHandclaps

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboardsPercussion

Guitar work

Guitar and bass doublingGuitar solo

Bass work

Guitar and bass doublingBass riff

Drum work

Drum introDrum riff

Music genre

RockHard rockRock and roll

Influence

Blues influenceLittle Richard influence

Vocal work

Vocals on interludeOoh vocalsSingalongBelted vocalsShouted vocalsVocal harmonies

Solo / Riff

Bass riffDefining riffDrum riffGuitar soloSolo on chorus

Melody

Call and responseBlue noteDefining riff

Tempo

Fast

Key

A majorC majorKey change

Time signature

4/4

Song form

12-bar bluesNo verse-chorusUnique structure

Sections

Standard choruses (1-3)Has bridgeHas refrainHas introMultiple bridges (2+)Has soloHas outroMultiple interludes (2+)Has interlude

Section traits

Chorus before verseDrum intro

Section links

Refrain variationIntro based on chorusSolo on chorusOutro based on chorusInterlude based on chorusChorus variation

Section transition

V to I

Harmony

Plagal cadenceDouble plagalModal mixtureSecondary dominantPerfect cadenceHalf cadenceBorrowed chordChromatic mediant

Composition

All major chordsTonic openingTonic endingChorus in IBridge in ♭IIITonic chorusNon-tonic bridge

Mode

IonianMixolydian

Chord type

majordom7

Scale degree

I7III7IIIIII7IV7IVV7VI7♭VII

Chord degree

IV–I–VI–IV–I–VI–♭VII♭VII–IVI–♭VII–IV♭VII–IV–IIV–I–♭VIII–IVIV–II–VV–IVI–IIIII–VIIV–I–V–III–VI–IIIVI–IIIIV–IIIII–VI

Chord shape

C → G → DC → F → C → GC → B♭C → BC → B♭ → FC → G → FC → FC7 → F7C → GC → G → D → GC7 → G7C7 → G7 → D7C7 → F7 → C7 → G7C → G → F♯C7 → G7 → D7 → G7

Chord literal

C → B♭B♭ → FF → CC → B♭ → FB♭ → F → CA → DD → AA → EE → AA7 → E7D7 → A7D → A → EF → ED → A → E → AE7 → A7A7 → D7D7 → A7 → E7 → A7F → C → B♭A7 → D7 → A7 → E7A → D → A → E
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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

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