Michelle

The lyric takes in the motifs of communication, love and softness. The writing reaches for epistrophe (bridges end on 'understand' / 'mean'), and it is on more of the Beatles' 1964 records than any other year's. A curiosity, the title is one word and names somebody in particular, as it does in 'Matchbox', a year earlier, and it reaches once for triple rhyme ("belle/well/Michelle"). By accident or design, the line "I want you I want you" turns up in one other Beatles song, 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)'. Part of it is in French.

'Michelle' is a ballad and baroque pop song, written in F major and taken at about 70 BPM, with classical music influences. The tune carries an appoggiatura leaning against the chord, and 1965 is the year the Beatles reached for it most. The record has fingerpicking rather than strumming (McCartney's chet-atkins style acoustic figure) and a bass going its own way against the chords. Also, the key moves from F major to F minor in the chorus, and it features a guitar solo. Oddly enough, the chords run C7 → F → B♭m7 → E♭, which is 'Only a Northern Song''s C♯7 → F♯7 → Bm7 → E in another key. This song plays Fm → Fm(maj7) → Fm7 → Fm6/D and 'Cry Baby Cry' plays Em → Em(maj7)/D♯ → Em7/D → Em6/C♯: the same progression in different keys.

Cut as the album wound to a close at EMI Studio 2, basic acoustic/bass/drums track plus overdubbed lead guitar, backing harmonies and double-tracked vocal in a single day. Lennon played the Jose Ramirez classical on it, his nylon-string on the descending intro and transition figures. The record closes with a fade-out, and it is on more of their 1967 records than any other year's. It was the 28th of the 33 songs they recorded in 1965, and the 97th of their career.

McCartney wrote and sang it. There is a role swap on it, McCartney on Classical guitar, and 12-string guitar is in there too. It has nobody but the four of them playing or singing, as on most of what they recorded in 1965. McCartney plays classical-style fingerpicked part on the acoustic guitar. Harrison is credited with a solo melody composed by George Martin, and 1965 is the year they reached for it most.

The public first heard it when Rubber Soul appeared on December 3, 1965, and it is also a Grammy winner. The record is widely covered as well (David & Jonathan, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Bud Shank). In America it arrived three days later, on Rubber Soul (US), a Capitol record, with a different tracklist from the UK. This is the Beatles' 93rd record, and the 24th of the 33 they released in that year.