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SongsBeatles For SaleI'll Follow the Sun
Beatles For Sale album cover

I'll Follow the Sun

1964 · Beatles For Sale

“Tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the sun”

McCartney's teenage composition from the Forthlin Road days, revived for Beatles for Sale when the band needed material fast. A wistful acoustic ballad pointing toward the introspective songwriting that would define their next phase.
VinylCD

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Year1964
AlbumBeatles For Sale
Track5 · Side 1
Duration1:50
Songwriter(s)McCartneyCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalPaul
RecordedOctober 18, 1964
ReleasedDecember 4, 1964
Song familyEarly songWritten c.1959

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Text142 tags

Motif

LoveSunshineWeatherRainFreedomRelationshipNostalgiaTime referenceSoftnessNumbersNatureTimeFriendship

Influence

Buddy Holly influence

Title

Pronoun in title

Vocabulary

Negative tone

Narrative

First personConversational

Lyrical device

Extended metaphor

Rhyme type

Perfect rhymeTriple rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA form

Sections

Has bridgeHas refrainStandard verses (2-4)No chorusMultiple bridges (2+)Has intro

Section links

Solo based on verseVerse variationIntro based on verse

Repetition

Recurring verseRecurring lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

findfollowfriendrainsuntomorrowa friendand soand thoughhave gonei waslove imust gonow theone daythe endthe onethe sunthe timethough ito seewill knowand now thein the endthat i haveyou will know

Cover-shared words

comedaygogoneknowlookloselovemynowoneseesomethoughtimeyeahyouand nowi havei mustmy lovethat iyou will

Lyric shape

[ADV] the[NOUN] has[NOUN] you'll[VERB] i'vefor [ADV]may [VERB]must [WORD][ADV] the [NOUN][NOUN] has [VERB][NOUN] you'll [VERB][VERB] i've [VERB]i have [VERB]my [NOUN] ithe [WORD] youyou will [VERB][WORD] you will [VERB]and [ADV] the [NOUN]i [VERB] a [NOUN]i'll [VERB] the [NOUN]that i have [VERB]the [NOUN] has [VERB][WORD] i [VERB] a [NOUN]

Cover-shared shape

[VERB] a[VERB] i[VERB] so[VERB] the[WORD] i[WORD] youa [NOUN]and [ADV]and [WORD]but [ADV]has [VERB]have [VERB]i [VERB]i'll [VERB]i've [VERB]my [NOUN]one [NOUN]the [NOUN]the [WORD]to [VERB]will [VERB]you'll [VERB][VERB] a [NOUN][VERB] the [NOUN][WORD] i [VERB]and [WORD] ii [VERB] ai'll [VERB] thein the [WORD]and [WORD] i [VERB]

Rhyme scheme

ABCDABCBBABABAB

Line length

Consistent line lengthsUnique line length

Distinctive word

oh-oh-oh
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Music190 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarLead guitarBass guitarPercussionOther percussion

Instrument group

GuitarsPercussion

Guitar work

Guitar solo

Bass work

Stepwise bass line

Drum work

No drums

Music genre

FolkBalladPop

Vocal work

Ooh vocalsTwo-part harmonyVocal harmonies

Solo / Riff

Guitar soloSolo based on verseSolo on verse

Tempo

Moderate

Key

C major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusAABAABAAABA form

Sections

Has bridgeHas refrainMultiple bridges (2+)Standard choruses (1-3)Has introHas soloMany verses (5+)

Section links

Solo based on verseVerse variationSolo on verseIntro based on verse

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

I to Iii to V

Harmony

Modal mixturePlagal cadenceBorrowed chordCircle of fifthsSecondary dominantPerfect cadenceRock/Mixolydian cadenceMinor plagal

Composition

Tonic openingRich harmonyTonic endingVerse in VNon-tonic verseChorus in ITonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminordom7min7add9slash chordmin6

Scale degree

II7II7ii7iiiIVIV7iv6VV7Iadd9

Chord degree

I–IV–II–II–IVIV–II–I–IVV–IVI–IIII–II–iiiII–VV–IV–IV–III–V–IV–I–IVV–I–IV–IIV–iviv–IIV–iv–III–I–iiiIV–iv–I–II–IV–iv–II–IV–iviii–IIV–IV–I–III–iiIV–I–III–I–IV–ivII–V–I–IVII–V–I–IV–I

Chord shape

C → CC → FC → GC → C → FC → F → CC → B♭C → DC → D7C7 → B♭C → EmC → Em/BAm → GC7 → F7C7 → FC → B♭ → FC → G → AAm → G → CC → F → B♭C7 → F → B♭C → F → B♭ → E♭C → F → B♭ → FC → CmAm → EC → C7C → DmC → F → FmC → Cm → GC → F → Fm → CC → Dm7C7 → G → A7C → G → A → GC → Em → D → GC → C7 → F → Fm6C7 → F → Fm6 → CC → B♭7Am6 → EC7 → F7 → B♭C → Cadd9C → C7 → FC7 → GC → C → F → FmC7 → F → B♭ → FC7 → F7 → B♭ → E♭C → B♭ → DmAm → E → EC → F → B♭ → E♭ → B♭C → B♭ → F → GC → Cm → G → GAm → E → E → AC7 → F → Fm6

Chord literal

C → CC → FF → CC → C → FG → FC → DC → D7C → EmD → GG → CD → G → CC7 → FF → Fm → CC → Dm7Fm6 → CD7 → CD7 → G7Em → D → GD → G → C → FF → C → D → CC → F → Fm → CD7 → G7 → C → FF → C → DC → C7 → FG7 → CD → CG → C → FC → DmG → F → CFm → CEm → DC → C7D7 → G7 → CF7 → CF → FmG → C → F → CG7 → C → F
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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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