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SongsPast MastersDon't Let Me Down
Past Masters album cover

Don't Let Me Down

1969 · Past Masters

“Nobody ever loved me like she does”

A Lennon composition delivered as a vulnerable plea to Yoko Ono, with Billy Preston's electric piano shaping the sound. B-side to 'Get Back' on the 1969 single, credited to 'The Beatles with Billy Preston'.
VinylCD

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Year1969
AlbumPast Masters
Track28
Duration3:35
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn, Paul
RecordedJanuary 28, 1969
ReleasedApril 11, 1969 (Single)March 7, 1988 (Past Masters)
Song familyFragile LennonRaw vulnerability and fear of lossRooftop concert

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Text157 tags

Motif

AutobiographyRelationshipLonelinessLovePleaTimeQuestionWomen

Title

Pronoun in titleImperative in titleTitle in chorusNegation in title

Vocabulary

Positive toneLimited vocabularyCasual language

Narrative

ImperativeConfessionalFirst person

Rhyme type

Extrametrical rhymeIdentical rhymeInternal rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Has bridgeHas outroStandard verses (2-4)Many choruses (4+)Has intro

Section links

Outro based on chorusIntro based on chorus

Repetition

Consecutive lineRecurring line
Word cloud

Recurring words

foreverguesssomebodya loveand ifcan youi guessi'm inif somebodyin loveit's gonnaknow it'slove forlove thatme downnobody evershe doshe doesthat sheyes shea love thatdon't let medon't you knowi'm in lovethe first timeyou know it'scan you dig itdon't let me downdon't you know it's gonna

Cover-shared words

digeverfirstgoodheyitknowlastletlikelovelovedmenobodyoohowpastpleaseshetimeyeahyoudo medon't youfrom theit's alet meme likeplease don'tyeah sheyou knowand from the

Lyric shape

[WORD] reallyin [VERB]it [WORD][ADJ] [NOUN] that[VERB] for the[VERB] it [WORD][VERB] me down[WORD] she doescan you [VERB]don't you [VERB]i'm in [VERB]if [NOUN] [VERB]it's a [NOUN]you [VERB] it's[VERB] don't [VERB] me[VERB] me down [WORD]a [NOUN] that [NOUN]can you [VERB] it[VERB] for the [ADJ] [NOUN][WORD] don't [VERB] me downdon't you [VERB] it's gonna

Cover-shared shape

[NOUN] that[VERB] don't[VERB] for[VERB] it[VERB] it's[VERB] me[VERB] she[VERB] that[WORD] shea [NOUN]don't [VERB]down [WORD]gonna [VERB]i [VERB]me [ADJ]me [VERB]no [NOUN]that [NOUN]the [ADJ]you [VERB][NOUN] [VERB] me[VERB] don't [VERB][VERB] me [VERB][VERB] that [NOUN][WORD] [VERB] me[WORD] don't [VERB]a [NOUN] thatdon't [VERB] mei [VERB] [NOUN]that [NOUN] [WORD]the [ADJ] [NOUN]you [VERB] it[VERB] that [NOUN] [WORD][WORD] [VERB] me [VERB]i [VERB] [NOUN] [WORD]

Rhyme scheme

ABBCABCBAAABBAAAUnique rhyme scheme

Line length

8-87-7-8-7Unique line length

Distinctive word

lasts
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Music120 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarBass guitarElectric pianoDrums

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboards

Keyboard work

Electric piano soloKeyboard solo

Music genre

RockBlues rockSoulR&B

Influence

Gospel influenceFleetwood Mac influence

Vocal work

Two-part harmonyVocal ad-libBelted vocalsVocal harmoniesSpoken melody

Solo / Riff

Electric piano soloKeyboard solo

Melody

Countermelody

Tempo

Slow

Key

E major

Time signature

4/45/4Unusual time signatureTime signature change

Song form

Verse-chorusUnique structure

Sections

Has bridgeHas outroStandard verses (2-4)Many choruses (4+)Has introHas solo

Section traits

Short chorusChorus before verse

Section links

Outro based on chorusSolo on outroIntro based on chorus

Section transition

V to II to I

Harmony

Plagal cadencePerfect cadenceHalf cadence

Composition

Tonic openingTonic endingBridge in IVerse in IChorus in ITonic verseTonic chorusTonic bridge

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminordom7min7maj7sus4slash chord

Scale degree

Iii7iiIVmaj7V7

Chord degree

IV–II–IV–Iii–II–VIV–I–Iii–IV–Iii–IVI–iiIV–I–iiI–ii–IVii–ii

Chord shape

C7 → FC → FC → DmAm → CC → GAm → AmC → CC → G → AmC → G7Am → GAm7 → GAm → Am7C → Csus4C → G → GC → Dm → FC → Dm → DmC → Dm7Csus4 → CAm → C → GAm → G → GAm7 → G → Gsus4 → G

Chord literal

B → EA → EF♯m → F♯mF♯m → EA → E → F♯mE → F♯m7E → BE → F♯mEsus4 → EE → F♯m → AE → EF♯m → AE → B7A → E → EF♯m → E → EB7 → 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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