Hofner 500/1

McCartney's iconic violin-shaped Höfner 500/1 bass – the visual symbol of the early Merseybeat Beatles

songs

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The Hofner 500/1 bass runs from 'Love Me Do' (1962) to 'One After 909' (1970), 93 songs across 9 years.

Love Me Do One After 909 1962 1970

Analysis

By Year

Song count per year

By Songwriter

% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)

By Era

Early48 · 70%

Mid-period16 · 23%

Late5 · 7%

By Album

Help!10

Songs(69 of 93)

Year

Album

Writer

Lead vocal(s)

#	Title	Year	Album	Lead Vocal(s)	Notes
1	P.S. I Love You	1962	Please Please Me	Paul	–
2	Love Me Do	1962	Please Please Me	Paul, John	–
3	Ask Me Why	1963	Please Please Me	John	McCartney's bass
4	Please Please Me	1963	Please Please Me	John, Paul	–
5	I Saw Her Standing There	1963	Please Please Me	Paul	Paul's bass
6	Do You Want to Know a Secret	1963	Please Please Me	George	–
7	There's a Place	1963	Please Please Me	John, Paul	–
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8	Misery	1963	Please Please Me	John, Paul	–
9	From Me to You	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	McCartney's standard bass
10	Thank You Girl	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	–
11	I'll Get You	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	–
12	She Loves You	1963	Past Masters	Paul, John	–
13	It Won't Be Long	1963	With The Beatles	John	–
14	All I've Got to Do	1963	With The Beatles	John	McCartney's bass
15	Hold Me Tight	1963	With The Beatles	Paul	–
16	Little Child	1963	With The Beatles	John, Paul	–
17	I Wanna Be Your Man	1963	With The Beatles	Ringo	–
18	All My Loving	1963	With The Beatles	Paul	McCartney's violin bass
19	Don't Bother Me	1963	With The Beatles	George	–
20	Not a Second Time	1963	With The Beatles	John	McCartney's bass
21	This Boy	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul, George	McCartney's 1963 bass
22	I Want to Hold Your Hand	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	–
23	Sie Liebt Dich	1964	Past Masters	John, Paul	Paul McCartney's bass throughout this era (continuously used 1961 through late 1965); no equipment change is documented around the 29 January 1964…
24	Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand	1964	Past Masters	John, Paul	–
25	I Call Your Name	1964	Past Masters	John	McCartney's bass
26	Can't Buy Me Love	1964	A Hard Day's Night	Paul	Paul McCartney's only bass throughout 1962-1964 was his 1963 Höfner 500/1 'violin bass'; he did not acquire the Rickenbacker 4001S until 1965. No e…
27	You Can't Do That	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	–
28	A Hard Day's Night	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John, Paul	–
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29	And I Love Her	1964	A Hard Day's Night	Paul	–
30	I Should Have Known Better	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	–
31	Tell Me Why	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	–
32	If I Fell	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John, Paul	–
33	Things We Said Today	1964	A Hard Day's Night	Paul	–
34	I'm Happy Just to Dance with You	1964	A Hard Day's Night	George	–
35	I'll Cry Instead	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	–
36	I'll Be Back	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	–
37	Any Time at All	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	–
38	When I Get Home	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	–
39	I Feel Fine	1964	Past Masters	John	–
40	She's a Woman	1964	Past Masters	Paul	–
41	No Reply	1964	Beatles For Sale	John	–
42	What You're Doing	1964	Beatles For Sale	Paul	McCartney's bass
43	Every Little Thing	1964	Beatles For Sale	John	–
44	I Don't Want to Spoil the Party	1964	Beatles For Sale	John	McCartney bass
45	I'm a Loser	1964	Beatles For Sale	John	McCartney bass
46	Baby's in Black	1964	Beatles For Sale	John, Paul	McCartney bass
47	Eight Days a Week	1964	Beatles For Sale	John	–
48	I'll Follow the Sun	1964	Beatles For Sale	Paul	–
49	Yes It Is	1965	Past Masters	John, Paul, George	–
50	Ticket to Ride	1965	Help!	John	–
51	I'm Down	1965	Past Masters	Paul	–
52	Help!	1965	Help!	John	–
53	You Like Me Too Much	1965	Help!	George	–
54	I Need You	1965	Help!	George	–
55	You're Going to Lose That Girl	1965	Help!	John	–
56	Tell Me What You See	1965	Help!	John, Paul	Paul McCartney's standard bass throughout the Help!
57	Another Girl	1965	Help!	Paul	–
58	It's Only Love	1965	Help!	John	–
59	You've Got to Hide Your Love Away	1965	Help!	John	–
60	The Night Before	1965	Help!	Paul	–
61	Wait	1965	Rubber Soul	John, Paul	–
62	Girl	1965	Rubber Soul	John	–
63	Run for Your Life	1965	Rubber Soul	John	–
64	Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)	1965	Rubber Soul	John	–
65	Get Back	1969	Let It Be	Paul	–
66	Don't Let Me Down	1969	Past Masters	John, Paul	–
67	Dig a Pony	1970	Let It Be	John	–
68	One After 909	1970	Let It Be	John, Paul	–
69	I've Got a Feeling	1970	Let It Be	Paul, John	–