Call and response
Lyrical pattern where a line is answered by a contrasting line - often between lead and backing vocals
Analysis
By Year
Song count per year
By Songwriter
% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)
By Era
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Songs(40 of 50)
Please Please Me
Lead and backing vocals trade 'Come on'
Do You Want to Know a Secret
Backing 'Do-da-do' answers lead from verse 2
Thank You Girl
'Way that you do' echo in bridge
I Wanna Be Your Man
Lead vs backing 'I wanna be your man'
It Won't Be Long
Lead 'yeah' answered by backing 'yeah'
Hold Me Tight
Backing echoes 'Hold', 'Me tight', 'Tonight'
All I've Got to Do
Verse promises mirrored by bridge 'same goes for me'
You Can't Do That
Backing vocals echo 'let you down' lines
I'm Down
Lead vs. backing 'I'm really down'
Help!
Backing vocals echo lead in verses
The Night Before
Backing 'Ah, the night before' answers each line
You're Going to Lose That Girl
Backing vocals echo lead lines
You Won't See Me
Lead lines answered by 'Ooh, la, la-la'
Nowhere Man
Lead phrase answered by 'Ahh, la, la, la'
What Goes On
Ringo lead answered by John/Paul 'Ooh'
Rain
Lead lines answered by backing 'When the sun shines down'
Paperback Writer
Lead vs. 'Paperback writer' chant
She Said She Said
She said / I said alternation
Taxman
Bridge backing-vocal echoes
Yellow Submarine
Echoed phrases in verse 4
I'm Only Sleeping
Backing-vocal echoes of final verse lines
She's Leaving Home
Paul narrates; John & Paul voice parents in chorus
With a Little Help from My Friends
Backing voices ask, lead answers
Within You Without You
Jawab-sawal between dilruba/sitar and violins in instrumental break
Getting Better
Backing vocals answer lead throughout
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
Group shouts (Bye!, What?, Ah, Shake it) in intro
All You Need Is Love
'(Love)' answered by lead vocal line in verses
Your Mother Should Know
The backing vocals answer the lead line phrase by phrase
Magical Mystery Tour
Lead 'Roll up' answered by parenthetical asides
Blue Jay Way
Backing 'Don't be long' / 'Know… Go… Day… Way…' answers
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
Lead asks; group answers
Birthday
Backing 'Birthday' answers each line
Revolution 1
Lennon answers hypothetical interlocutor
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Doo-wop backing 'Bang, bang, shoot, shoot'
Good Night
Lead vs choir parenthetical echoes
Hey Bulldog
Lennon/McCartney exchange in outro
All Together Now
Backing 'All together now' answers lead
Octopus's Garden
Backing vocals echo lead lines
You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)
Lead vs. backing 'You know my name'
I've Got a Feeling
Paul and John alternate, then overlap
Updated