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SongsPast MastersI'm Down
Past Masters album cover

I'm Down

1965 · Past Masters

“How can you laugh when you know I'm down?”

McCartney's answer to Little Richard - a screaming rock-and-roll B-side cut the same day as 'Yesterday' and 'I've Just Seen a Face'. Notable for Lennon's debut Vox Continental organ on a Beatles record, played with elbow glissandos in Jerry Lee Lewis style.
VinylCD

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Year1965
AlbumPast Masters
Track18
Duration2:32
Songwriter(s)McCartneyCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalPaul
RecordedJune 14, 1965
ReleasedJuly 19, 1965 (Single)March 7, 1988 (Past Masters)

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Text171 tags

Motif

AngerTruthPleaQuestionAnatomyLoveLonelinessHappinessCommunicationDialogueHardnessRelationshipSadnessJewelry

Influence

R&B influence

Title

Pronoun in title

Vocabulary

Negative toneCasual language

Narrative

First personConversationalSecond person

Rhyme type

Identical rhymeExtrametrical rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus12-bar blues

Sections

Many choruses (4+)Standard verses (2-4)

Section links

Chorus variationSolo based on chorus

Repetition

Recurring fade lineConsecutive wordConsecutive lineRecurring lineConsecutive choruses
Word cloud

Recurring words

buyselsefeelinggroundhandshappenlaughlaughingliesmoansamealone andat mebaby youcan youcan't seecause you'redown yeahevery dayhow cani'm feelingkeep yoursame oldthe groundwe're allyes i'myou stillon the groundyeah yeah yeah yeah

Cover-shared words

ahallaloneawaybabycausecrydayeveryitkeepknowmanmenobodyoholdoohowringseetelltherethingthinkingwellwomanwowyeahyouyouryourselfall alonebaby babybaby i'mi can'tknow i'moh babyoh yeswhen youyeah yeahyou can'tyou knowyou tellyeah yeah yeah

Lyric shape

[NOUN] you're[VERB] at[WORD] down[WORD] i'm[NOUN] you're [VERB][VERB] [VERB] i[VERB] at me[VERB] it [ADV][VERB] when you[WORD] [ADJ] andcan you [VERB]can't [VERB] [NOUN]you [VERB] when[VERB] when you [VERB][WORD] [NOUN] i'm [WORD][WORD] [VERB] your [NOUN]you [VERB] [VERB] [VERB]you [VERB] when youyou [VERB] when you [VERB]

Cover-shared shape

[ADJ] and[NOUN] i'm[NOUN] you[VERB] i[VERB] i'm[VERB] it[VERB] to[VERB] when[VERB] your[WORD] yesand [ADV]can't [VERB]down [WORD]i'm [VERB]i'm [WORD]still [WORD]the [NOUN]you [VERB]you're [VERB]your [NOUN][NOUN] [VERB] it[NOUN] you [VERB][VERB] i can't[VERB] your [NOUN][WORD] [NOUN] i'mi can't [VERB]i'm [VERB] [WORD]on the [NOUN]the [NOUN] i'mwhen you [VERB]you [VERB] [VERB]you can't [VERB]your [NOUN] to[VERB] i can't [VERB]

Rhyme scheme

AAABAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAA

Line length

8-99-910-9Unique line length

Distinctive word

a-yeahthrowsupside
You might also like:All the SongsThe Beatles Illustrated Lyrics

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Music184 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarBass guitarOrganDrumsPercussionBongosHandclaps

Instrument group

KeyboardsGuitarsPercussion

Guitar work

Guitar solo

Keyboard work

Organ soloKeyboard solo

Music genre

Rock and rollRockHard rock

Influence

Little Richard influence

Vocal work

Vocals on soloVocal ad-libScreamBelted vocals

Solo / Riff

Guitar soloOrgan soloKeyboard soloSolo based on chorusSolo on chorus

Melody

Call and response

Tempo

Fast

Key

G major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusABABABB12-bar blues

Sections

Many choruses (4+)Standard verses (2-4)Multiple solos (2+)Has solo

Section traits

Long chorus

Section links

Chorus variationSolo based on chorusSolo on chorus

Repetition

Consecutive choruses

Section transition

I to IVI to I

Harmony

Perfect cadenceSecondary dominantPlagal cadenceThree-chord trickRock/Mixolydian cadence

Composition

All major chordsTonic openingTonic endingMinimal harmonyChorus in IVerse in IChorus in IVTonic verseTonic chorusNon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majordom7

Scale degree

II7IVV7

Chord degree

I–I–IVI–IV–IIV–I–VI–IIV–II–IVIV–VV–II–VI–IV–VIV–V–II–IV–I–VV–IVI–V–IVV–IV–IV–I–IVV–I–IV–II–IV–I–V–IV–II–IV–V–I–VIV–I–IV–VI–I–IV–I–V–IVIV–V–I–V–IIV–I–V–II–IV–I–V–IVIV–V–I–IV–II–I–IV–I–VIV–I–IV–V–II–IV–I–V–IIV–V–I–V

Chord shape

C → D → GC → F → CC → C → FC → G → DC → G → D7C → CC → C7C → GC → FC → DC → D7C7 → FC → G7C → F → GC → F → G7C → F → C → GC → B♭C7 → B♭C → G → FC → B♭ → FC → F → B♭C7 → F → B♭C → F → B♭ → FC → G → D7 → GC → D → G → C → GC → D → G → DC → F → G → C → GC → D7 → G → D7 → GC → D7 → G → D7C7 → F → C → G7 → CC → C → F → C → G → FC → G → D → GC → C7 → FC → F → C → G → FC → D7 → GC → G → C → DC → G → C → D → GC → C → F → C → GC7 → F → B♭ → FC → F → C → G → CC7 → B♭ → FC7 → F → CC → G7 → FC → F → C → G → F → CC → C7 → F → C → G7C → D → G → D → G

Chord literal

C → D → GG → C → GC → GG → CC → DC → D7D → GG → DG → C → DC → G → DD → G → CD → G → C → GG → C → G → D → CC → G → D7 → GC → G → C → DD → C → GG → D7G → D7 → CG → C → G → D → GC → D → G → D → GG → G7 → C → G → D7C → D → G → C → GC → D7 → GG → G → C → G → D → CD7 → C → GG7 → C → GC → D → G → DG → G → C → G → DD7 → CC → G → C → D → GG7 → CD → CD7 → GG → GG → C → G → DG → G → CG → G7C → G → D → GG → D → CG → G7 → CD7 → G → CC → G → D7G → C → D7
You might also like:The Musician's Guide to TheoryMusicnotes – Beatles Piano/Vocal/Guitar

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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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