Beatlesongs.wiki
SongsA Hard Day's NightIf I Fell
A Hard Day's Night album cover

“'Cause I've been in love before”

Lennon's tender confessional ballad of conditional devotion, sung as a two-part harmony with McCartney sharing a single microphone. A standout from A Hard Day's Night and one of the first Beatles songs built around close two-voice lead harmony.
VinylCD

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Year1964
AlbumA Hard Day's Night
Track3 · Side 1
Duration2:19
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn, Paul
RecordedFebruary 27, 1964
ReleasedJuly 10, 1964
Song familyFragile LennonAdmits prior heartbreak and fearLove song

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Text247 tags

Motif

CommunicationLovePleaRelationshipNostalgiaNumbersAnatomySadness

Title

Pronoun in title

Vocabulary

Casual languagePositive tone

Narrative

First personConversationalConfessional

Lyrical device

AnaphoraBeatles reference

Rhyme type

Identical rhymeExtrametrical rhymePerfect rhymeHalf rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA form

Sections

Has outroHas introStandard choruses (1-3)Standard verses (2-4)

Section links

Outro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verse

Repetition

Recurring verseRecurring lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

fellhandsholdingnewpainpridestarttrustunderstandand thatbe sadcause i'vehelp mehope youi foundi giveif iin lovein youlove wasme moreme understandmy prideoh pleasesee thatshe willthat lovethat shethe paintrust inwe arewould bewould lovewould youyou ohyou promiseyou tooand i foundcause i couldn'ti hope youin love withlove you toosee that ito be truetrust in youbeen in love beforein love with youi fell in love with

Cover-shared words

causecryfoundgivehearthelpherhidehopehurtlikelovememoremyohourpleaserunsadseeshestandsuretruetwoweyouand ibe truecause ifrom thei hopei lovei musti've beenlove melove tolove youmore thanmust bemy heartso ithat ithat youto beto loveto youwhen shewith youyou seei love yourun and hideto love youdon't run and hide

Lyric shape

[VERB] before[VERB] was[VERB] wecouldn't [VERB]in [VERB]our [ADJ]very [VERB]was [WORD][NOUN] [VERB] her[NOUN] i couldn't[NOUN] i've been[NOUN] to you[VERB] in [VERB][VERB] in you[VERB] was [WORD][VERB] with you[VERB] you tooi [VERB] inif i [VERB]in [VERB] withmust be [ADJ]she will [VERB]so i [VERB]to be [ADJ]we are [WORD]would [VERB] mewould [VERB] towould be [ADJ]would you [VERB]you [WORD] [VERB][VERB] in [VERB] with[VERB] my [NOUN] [VERB][VERB] my [NOUN] to[VERB] that [NOUN] was[VERB] to be [ADJ][VERB] you [VERB] thatbeen in [VERB] beforei [VERB] that [NOUN]if i [VERB] youin [VERB] with youyou [VERB] to be[VERB] my [NOUN] to youi [VERB] in [VERB] withi [VERB] my [NOUN] toyou [VERB] to be [ADJ]

Cover-shared shape

[NOUN] i[NOUN] i've[NOUN] to[VERB] and[VERB] her[VERB] in[VERB] me[VERB] my[VERB] that[VERB] the[VERB] to[VERB] with[VERB] you[WORD] thanand [VERB]are [WORD]be [ADJ]don't [VERB]i [VERB]in [ADJ]just [VERB]me [VERB]me [WORD]my [NOUN]she [VERB]that [NOUN]the [NOUN]to [VERB]too [WORD]will [VERB]would [VERB]you [VERB]you [WORD][VERB] and [VERB][VERB] me [VERB][VERB] me [WORD][VERB] my [NOUN][VERB] that [NOUN][VERB] that i[VERB] that you[VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] to [VERB][VERB] to be[VERB] you [VERB]and [VERB] meand i [VERB]don't [VERB] myi [VERB] myi [VERB] thati [VERB] youmy [NOUN] [VERB]to [VERB] youwhen she [VERB]you [VERB] thatyou [VERB] to[VERB] to [VERB] youand [VERB] me [VERB]don't [VERB] and [VERB]don't [VERB] my [NOUN]i [VERB] my [NOUN]i [VERB] you [VERB]you [VERB] that i

Rhyme scheme

ABABABCAABACAABCCB

Line length

Unique line length

Distinctive word

learnsvain
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Music152 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarBass guitarDrums12-string guitar

Instrument group

Guitars

Bass work

Chromatic bass lineStepwise bass line

Drum work

Brushes

Music genre

BalladPop

Influence

Everly Brothers influence

Vocal work

Vocal harmoniesTwo-part harmonyTwin lead vocals

Tempo

Moderate

Key

D♭ majorD majorKey change

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusAABABAAABA form

Sections

Has outroHas introStandard choruses (1-3)Standard verses (2-4)

Section traits

Unique intro

Section links

Outro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verse

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

Unique section transition

Harmony

Modal mixtureBorrowed chordHalf cadenceCircle of fifthsPerfect cadenceSecondary dominantPlagal cadenceMinor plagalJazz cadence

Composition

Rich harmonyNo dominantNon-tonic openingNon-tonic endingVerse in ♭IINon-tonic verseChorus in ♭IINon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminordom7min7dim9

Scale degree

II9♭IIiiii7♭iiidimiiiIVivVV7vi

Chord degree

ii–V–II–IVIV–iviv–II–VV–IIV–iv–Iii–VI–vivi–iiI–IV–ivV–I–iiI–IV–iv–Iiv–I–Vii–iiiI–iiI–vi–iiI–ivI–ii–iiiiv–V♭II–Iiii–♭iii°–iiI–IV–iv–I–VV–I–ii–iiiii–♭II–IV–I–ivI–iv–V

Chord shape

Am → BAm → D → GC → CmAm → EC → GC → FmC → FC → Cm → GC → G7C → F → FmAm → A♭C → BC → AmAm → DmC → DmAm → DAm → A♭ → GC → F → Gm → AmC → F → GmAm → BmC → F → Fm → CC → Dm → GC → Am → DmC → Dm → EmAm7 → DC → F → B♭mC9 → FAm7 → D → GAm → E → BC → F → Fm → C → GAm → A♭dim → Gm7C → Fm → G

Chord literal

D → GGm → DA → DD → AEm → AD → EmEm → A → DEm7 → AG → Gm → DD → G → GmD → GmD → Em → AD → G → Gm → DGm → D → AEm → F♯mGm → AD → A7D → G → Gm → D → AA → D → EmD9 → G
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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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