We Can Work It Out
“Life is very short, and there's no time”
A true Lennon-McCartney collaboration: Paul's optimistic verses about working through a quarrel framed by John's fatalistic bridge on the brevity of life. Double A-side with 'Day Tripper', it became the band's eleventh UK No. 1 and topped the US chart for three weeks.
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This song is the earliest Beatles song to use antithesis as a lyrical device.
RecordedOctober 20 – October 29, 1965
ReleasedDecember 3, 1965 (Single)March 7, 1988 (Past Masters)
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Text255 tags
Word cloud
Recurring words
fallfriendknowingonceshortsoontalkingthoughtwhilea chanceand stillask youdo igo onhave alwaysif iit's alrightknowing thatlife ismy friendno timeof whator iout andsee itstill youthat it'sthat wethere's nothink ofthink thatthought thattill itime willto keepto seetoo longwe canwhat you'rewhile youyou onceyou thinka chance thatand there's nobefore too longcan't go onit out andout and getsay good nightthat it's atry to seeyou can getyou once againyou think thatand there's no timedo i have toi can't go on
Lyric shape
[ADJ] or[ADV] be[NOUN] is[VERB] maycan't [WORD]it [ADJ]only [NOUN]or [VERB]too [VERB]very [ADJ][ADV] be [VERB][NOUN] that we[NOUN] will [VERB][VERB] if i[VERB] it [ADJ][VERB] of [VERB]before too [VERB]can't [WORD] onhave [WORD] [VERB]have to [VERB]i can't [WORD]i have [WORD]it's a [NOUN]out and [VERB]the [NOUN] ofthere's no [NOUN]to [VERB] onwe can [VERB][VERB] the [NOUN] of[VERB] you [WORD] again[WORD] you [VERB] itand [VERB] it [ADJ]and [VERB] my [NOUN]and there's no [NOUN]for [VERB] and [VERB]i can't [WORD] oni have to [VERB]the [NOUN] of [VERB]you [VERB] that it'syou can [VERB] it[VERB] that it's a [NOUN]do i have to [VERB]you can [VERB] it [NOUN][VERB] it out and [VERB] it
Cover-shared shape
[ADJ] and[NOUN] and[NOUN] i[NOUN] or[NOUN] that[NOUN] will[VERB] and[VERB] if[VERB] it[VERB] my[VERB] of[VERB] on[VERB] that[VERB] the[VERB] to[VERB] you[WORD] on[WORD] youa [NOUN]and [VERB]be [VERB]can [VERB]for [VERB]have [WORD]i'm [VERB]it [NOUN]it's [WORD]might [VERB]my [NOUN]no [NOUN]of [VERB]on [VERB]our [NOUN]the [NOUN]to [VERB]will [VERB]you [VERB]you [WORD]you're [VERB]your [NOUN][VERB] [NOUN] i[VERB] and [VERB][VERB] it [NOUN][VERB] my [NOUN][VERB] on [VERB][VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] to [VERB][VERB] you [WORD][WORD] [VERB] that[WORD] you [VERB]a [NOUN] thatand [VERB] iti will [VERB]there's a [NOUN]to [VERB] ityou [VERB] ityou [VERB] thatyou can [VERB][VERB] to [VERB] iti will [VERB] youso i will [VERB]so i will [VERB] you
Distinctive word
crimefightingfussingriskstraight
Music173 tags
Chord shape
C → G → DC → B♭ → C → FC → D → G → AC7 → Fm → D♭C → Fm → D♭Am → EC7 → FmC → FmC → BAm → FC → F → C → GC → D → GC → F → GC → B♭C → DC → FC → GC → CC → F → G → C → B♭Am → E7C → D → G → DC → G → D → GC → G → GC → F → E♭Am → F → EC → B♭ → C → B♭ → C → FC7sus4 → C7C → F → E♭ → FC → G → D → DC → D → G → FC → B → BC → B♭/CC → B♭ → C → F → GC → G → C → B♭C → G7sus4C → F → E♭ → F → E♭ → FC → D → G → A → DC → F → C → G → GC → G7sus4 → G7C → Fm → D♭ → CAm → F → E → EC/D → D → G
People14 tags
Info21 tags
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
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