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SongsBeatles For SaleWhat You're Doing
Beatles For Sale album cover

What You're Doing

1964 · Beatles For Sale

“I've been waiting here for you”

McCartney's plea to an inattentive partner, written on a day off from the 1964 US tour and likely about Jane Asher. The chiming Rickenbacker 12-string ostinato predates the Byrds' folk-rock sound by months.
VinylCD

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Year1964
AlbumBeatles For Sale
Track13 · Side 2
Duration2:30
Songwriter(s)McCartneyCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalPaul
RecordedSeptember 29-30 & October 26, 1964
ReleasedDecember 4, 1964

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Text150 tags

Motif

QuestionColorChildhoodSelf reflectionWomenSadnessCommunicationTruthLoveRelationshipLonelinessPlea

Vocabulary

Casual languageNegative tone

Narrative

First personConversationalSecond personImperative

Lyrical device

Epistrophe

Rhyme type

Half rhymePerfect rhymeExtrametrical rhymeTriple rhymeFeminine rhymeMulti-syllabic rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA form

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)Has outroHas introHas interlude

Section links

Outro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verseVerse variation

Repetition

Recurring verseRecurring lineConsecutive lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

cryingfeelinglyingrunningwonderinga lovebe soblue andi'm feelingit beit's melook whatlove that'smuch toso muchthere's notoo muchwaiting herewhat you'rewhy shouldyou needyou're doingyou're gonnaa love that'sand there's noi'm feeling blueyou need athere's no fun in

Cover-shared words

askbluefungirlgothereitlonelylooklovememuchneedpleasestoptruewaitingyouyourand lonelyfor yougot mei've beenneed aof youto meyou goti've been waitingyou got me

Lyric shape

[VERB] what you'rebe so [WORD]i'm [VERB] [ADJ]to [VERB] of[VERB] a [NOUN] that'sthere's no [WORD] inyou [VERB] me [VERB]

Cover-shared shape

[ADJ] and[ADV] for[VERB] a[VERB] me[VERB] of[VERB] that's[VERB] what[VERB] your[WORD] in[WORD] toa [NOUN]and [ADJ]been [VERB]i'm [VERB]me [VERB]no [WORD]so [WORD]that's [ADJ]to [VERB]too [WORD]you [VERB]your [VERB][ADJ] and [ADJ][VERB] [ADJ] and[VERB] [ADV] for[VERB] a [NOUN][VERB] me [VERB][VERB] of you[VERB] your [VERB][WORD] to [VERB]a [NOUN] that'si've been [VERB]me [VERB] [NOUN]you [VERB] ayou [VERB] me[VERB] [ADJ] and [ADJ][VERB] me [VERB] [NOUN]a [NOUN] that's [ADJ]you [VERB] a [NOUN]

Rhyme scheme

AAAABBAAABABCCABCB

Line length

5-5Unique line length
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Music162 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarBass guitarPianoDrumsPercussionHandclaps12-string guitar

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboardsPercussion

Drum work

Drum intro

Music genre

RockPopJangle pop

Solo / Riff

Defining riff

Melody

AppoggiaturaDefining riff

Tempo

UpbeatTempo change

Key

D major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusAABABAAABA form

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)Has outroHas introHas interlude

Section traits

Drum intro

Section links

Outro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verseVerse variation

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

IV to IVV to I

Harmony

Three-chord trickPlagal cadencePerfect cadenceBorrowed chordCircle of fifthsHalf cadence

Composition

Tonic openingTonic endingVerse in ITonic verseChorus in IVNon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminordom7

Scale degree

IIIIVIV7Vvi

Chord degree

V–I–IV–IV–I–IVI–IVIV–IIV–vivi–IVvi–IV–Ivi–IIII–VIV–VV–II–IV–VIV–V–IIV–I–IV–Vvi–II–VI–IV–I–IV–VIV–V–I–IV–IIV–I–IV–I–IV–VI–IV–I–IV–I–IV–VIV–I–IV–V–IV–I–IV–I–IVI–IV–viIV–I–IV–I–IV–I–IV–VV–I–IV–I–IV–Ivi–IV–I–IVIV–I–IV–I–IV–V–II–IV–I–IV–vivi–IV–I–IV–IIV–V–I–IVIV–vi–IIIV–V–I–IV–I–IV–IIV–I–IV–I–IV–vivi–IV–vi–II–VI–IV–vi–IV

Chord shape

C → F → B♭C → D → G → CC → F → B♭ → FC → F → G → C → FC → D → GC → FC → GC → EmAm → FAm → F → CAm → DAm → D → GC → DC → F → GC → F → C → F → GC → F7C → G → C → G → C → DC → F → B♭ → F → B♭C → D → G → C → GC7 → GC → G → C → DC → F → AmC → G → C → D → GC → F → C → F → C → F → GC → Em → AC → F → B♭ → F → B♭ → FC → G → C → EmC7 → EmC → G → C → G → C → G → C → DC → G → C → G → C → D → GC → Em → A → DAm → F → C → FAm → F → Am → D → GC → F → C → F → AmAm → F → C → F → CC → Em → C → GC → Em → CC → D → G → C → G → C → GC → Em → C → Em → A → DC → G → C → G → C → EmC → F → C → F → Am → FC → Em → C → G → C → GC → F → B♭7

Chord literal

A → D → GD → GG → DG → BmBm → GBm → EE → AG → AA → DD → G → AD → G → D → G → D → G → AG → A → DD → G → BmBm → E → AA → D → G → DA → D → G → D → G → DG → Bm → E → AG → D → G → D → G → A → DG → Bm → G → Bm → E → AG → D → G → BmG7 → BmG7 → D
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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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