Beatlesongs.wiki
SongsPast MastersThis Boy
Past Masters album cover

This Boy

1963 · Past Masters

“That boy took my love away”

Lennon ballad written as a Smokey Robinson-style three-part harmony showcase, built on a 1950s doo-wop I-vi-ii-V cycle in 12/8. B-side of I Want to Hold Your Hand and a Beatles harmony-singing high-water mark.
VinylCD

affiliate link - supports this wiki

Year1963
AlbumPast Masters
Track7
Duration2:11
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn
RecordedOctober 17, 1963
ReleasedNovember 29, 1963 (Single)March 7, 1988 (Past Masters)
Song familyFragile LennonVulnerable, would-mind-the-pain selfTwin songsTwin of Yes It Is: 6/8 acoustic ballads with heavy three-part harmony.

● tap a tag for its page and notes

Text143 tags

Motif

LoveRelationshipPleaSadnessChildhoodHappiness

Influence

Buddy Holly influenceR&B influence

Title

Pronoun in title

Vocabulary

Negative tone

Narrative

Second personConversationalFirst person

Lyrical device

Anaphora

Rhyme type

Identical rhymeExtrametrical rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

AABA formNo verse-chorus

Sections

Has outroNo chorusStandard verses (2-4)Has bridgeHas intro

Section links

Outro based on verseIntro based on verseVerse variation

Repetition

Consecutive lineConsecutive wordRecurring fade lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

mindpainregretsameseenwantsback againbe happybut ohbut thisfeel theif thisjust tolove awayoh mythat boythe painthe samethough he'llwants youwon't bewould bewouldn't mindyou backyou tooalways feel the same

Cover-shared words

alwaysawaybackboycryfeelgetsgoodhappyhehe'llitlovemyohsomedaythoughtilltookwantyoufor youlove youmy loveto lovetook mywant youyou butto love you

Lyric shape

[ADJ] for[ADV] again[NOUN] he's[NOUN] would[WORD] hehe's [VERB]it [WORD]may [VERB]wouldn't [VERB][NOUN] [VERB] you[NOUN] he's [VERB][VERB] it [WORD][VERB] you toojust to [VERB]would be [ADJ][NOUN] [VERB] my [NOUN][WORD] [VERB] it [WORD][WORD] [WORD] [VERB] itjust to [VERB] you

Cover-shared shape

[NOUN] won't[VERB] it[VERB] my[VERB] the[VERB] you[WORD] and[WORD] mybe [ADJ]but [WORD]my [NOUN]that [NOUN]the [ADJ]the [NOUN]this [NOUN]to [VERB]would [WORD]you [ADV]you [VERB][VERB] my [NOUN][VERB] the [ADJ][VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] you [ADV][VERB] you [VERB][VERB] you but[WORD] [VERB] it[WORD] [VERB] themy [NOUN] [ADV]that [NOUN] [VERB]to [VERB] you[VERB] my [NOUN] [ADV][WORD] [VERB] the [ADJ]to [VERB] you but

Rhyme scheme

AABAAAABAABAB

Line length

1-1-1Unique line length
You might also like:All the SongsThe Beatles Illustrated Lyrics

affiliate link - supports this wiki

Music192 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarLead guitarBass guitarDrums

Instrument group

Guitars

Music genre

Doo-wopBalladPop

Influence

Motown influence

Vocal work

Vocal harmoniesThree-part harmony

Melody

Appoggiatura

Tempo

Slow

Key

D major

Time signature

12/8

Song form

AABA formNo verse-chorus

Sections

Has outroNo chorusStandard verses (2-4)Has bridgeHas intro

Section links

Outro based on verseIntro based on verseVerse variation

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

V to II to IV

Harmony

Modal mixtureCircle of fifthsHalf cadencePerfect cadenceBorrowed chordSecondary dominantRhythm changes (partial)Jazz cadenceIce cream changes

Composition

Tonic openingNon-tonic endingBridge in IVVerse in ITonic verseNon-tonic bridge

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminordom7min7

Scale degree

II7II7ii7III7IVV7Vvi

Chord degree

V–VI–I–IVI–IV–III–IV–II–VI–vivi–iiii–VI–vi–ii–VV–Iii–V–IV–I–viI–IV–I–III–Vvi–ii–V–Iii–V–I–viIII–viI–IVIV–IIIII–vi–IV–I–vi–iiII–V–Vvi–Ivi–ii–VI–vi–iiIV–II–Vii–V–I–IIV–IIIvi–I–I–IVI–I–IV–IIvi–I–I–IV–IIvi–ii–V–I–II–I–IV–II–V

Chord shape

C → B → EmC → B7 → EmC → C → FC → F → DC → F → D → GC → AmAm → DmAm → DAm7 → D7C → Am → Dm → GC → FC7 → FAm → D → GAm7 → D7 → GC → F → DmC → CC → C7C → F → FAm → Dm → G → CAm → D → G → EmAm7 → D7 → G → EmC → BC → FmC7 → FmAm → CC → AC → B7C → F → Dm → GmC7 → F → D7C → A7Am → Dm → GC → C7 → FC → A → DC → Am → DmC7 → F → DmAm → Dm7C → Fm → A♭C7 → F → F7Am → D → G → GAm → Dm7 → G7C → A7 → DC7 → Fm → A♭C → Am → Dm7 → G7Am → Dm → G → C → CAm → Dm7 → G7 → CC7 → F → Dm → Gm7Am7 → D7 → G → G7Am → C → C7 → FC → A → D → DC → C → F → DAm → Dm7 → G7 → C → C7Am → C → C7 → F → D7C → C → F → D → G

Chord literal

A → AA → A7Bm → EmEm → AEm7 → A7A → DA7 → DE7 → AE → AD → GD → DD → BmEm → A → DD → D → GD7 → GG → EBm → DA → D → BmBm → Em → AD → Bm → EmF♯ → BmD → D7D → Bm → Em → AG → E7G → F♯Em → A → D → BmA7 → D → BmG → E → AE → A → AD → G → EF♯7 → BmA → D → Bm → EmBm → Em → A → DA → D → DD → Bm → Em7 → A7G → E → A → AD → G → E → AG → F♯7 → BmEm7 → A7 → DF♯ → Bm → DD7 → G → E7G → F♯ → BmG → E7 → AD → D7 → G
You might also like:Musicnotes – Beatles Piano/Vocal/GuitarThe Beatles: Complete Scores

affiliate link - supports this wiki

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.

Updated

Feedback

Got a tag idea for This Boy? Or think we've got it all wrong - no, no, no? Don't let it be.