Question
The lyric poses a direct question, often to a 'you' addressee.
The Question motif is on 16 of the 34 songs the Beatles released in 1968, and 1 of 12 by 1970.
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(58 of 64)
| # | Title | Year | Album | Lead Vocal(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Please Please Me | 1963 | Please Please Me | John, Paul | 'Why do you make me blue?' |
| 2 | Ask Me Why | 1963 | Please Please Me | John | 'Ask me why' as titular refrain question |
| 3 | There's a Place | 1963 | Please Please Me | John, Paul | 'Don't you know that it's so?' repeated |
| 4 | Do You Want to Know a Secret | 1963 | Please Please Me | George | Two questions open verses |
| 5 | Little Child | 1963 | With The Beatles | John, Paul | 4 questions: Little child, won't yo...; Little child, won't yo...; Little child, won't yo... |
| 6 | I Call Your Name | 1964 | Past Masters | John | 'Was I to blame...?', 'Don't you know...?' |
| 7 | A Hard Day's Night | 1964 | A Hard Day's Night | John, Paul | 2 questions: So why on Earth should...; So why on Earth should... |
| 8 | I Should Have Known Better | 1964 | A Hard Day's Night | John | 4 questions: Can't you see? Can't y...; Can't you see? Can't y... |
| 9 | Tell Me Why | 1964 | A Hard Day's Night | John | 'Tell me why...', 'Is there anything I can do?' |
| 10 | What You're Doing | 1964 | Beatles For Sale | Paul | Repeated 'what you're doing to me?' |
| 11 | I'm a Loser | 1964 | Beatles For Sale | John | 2 questions: Is it for her or mysel...; What have I done to de... |
| 12 | Baby's in Black | 1964 | Beatles For Sale | John, Paul | 'What can I do?', 'How long will it take?' |
| 13 | I'm Down | 1965 | Past Masters | Paul | How can you laugh when...; When you know I'm down?; How can you laugh when... |
| 14 | Help! | 1965 | Help! | John | 3 questions: Won't you please, plea...; Won't you please, plea...; Won't you please, plea... |
| 15 | The Night Before | 1965 | Help! | Paul | 'Were you telling lies?', 'Was I so unwise?' |
| 16 | It's Only Love | 1965 | Help! | John | 'Why am I so shy', 'Why should I feel...' |
| 17 | You've Got to Hide Your Love Away | 1965 | Help! | John | 2 questions: How can I even try?; "Love will find a way"? |
| 18 | You're Going to Lose That Girl | 1965 | Help! | John | 2 questions: What else can I do?; What else can I do? |
| 19 | Tell Me What You See | 1965 | Help! | John, Paul | 4 questions: How can I get through?; Trying to get to you?; How can I get through? |
| 20 | Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) | 1965 | Rubber Soul | John | 3 questions: she once had me?; Norwegian wood?"; Norwegian wood? |
| 21 | I'm Looking Through You | 1965 | Rubber Soul | Paul | 'Where did you go?', 'What did I know?' |
| 22 | Nowhere Man | 1965 | Rubber Soul | John | 3 questions: Isn't he a bit like yo...; Nowhere man, can you s...; Isn't he a bit like yo... |
| 23 | The Word | 1965 | Rubber Soul | John, Paul | 3 questions: Have you heard the wor...; Have you heard the wor...; Have you heard the wor... |
| 24 | Girl | 1965 | Rubber Soul | John | Four questions in verses |
| 25 | What Goes On | 1965 | Rubber Soul | Ringo | Repeated 'What goes on in your heart/mind?' |
| 26 | Rain | 1966 | Past Masters | John | 2 questions: Can you hear me?; Can you hear me? (Hear... |
| 27 | Paperback Writer | 1966 | Past Masters | Paul | 2 questions: Dear Sir or Madam, wil...; It took me years to wr... |
| 28 | Eleanor Rigby | 1966 | Revolver | Paul | 'Who is it for?' 'What does he care?' 'Where do they all come from?' |
| 29 | Got to Get You into My Life | 1966 | Revolver | Paul | 5 questions: Every single day of my...; What can I do, what ca...; Every single day of my... |
| 30 | She's Leaving Home | 1967 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | Paul, John | 3 questions: Why would she treat us...; How could she do this ...; She (What did we do th... |
| 31 | Lovely Rita | 1967 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | Paul | 'May I inquire discreetly...'; 'Where would I be without you?' |
| 32 | When I'm Sixty-Four | 1967 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | Paul | 'Will you still need me, will you still feed me' |
| 33 | With a Little Help from My Friends | 1967 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | Ringo | Verses built on rhetorical questions |
| 34 | Baby, You're a Rich Man | 1967 | Magical Mystery Tour | John | 8 questions: How does it feel to be...; What do you want to be?; And have you traveled ... |
| 35 | Hello, Goodbye | 1967 | Magical Mystery Tour | Paul | 'Why do you say goodbye?' |
| 36 | I Am the Walrus | 1967 | Magical Mystery Tour | John | 3 questions: I am the egg man (Now ...; Don't you think the jo...; “What, is he dead?” |
| 37 | Lady Madonna | 1968 | Past Masters | Paul | 2 questions: Who finds the money wh...; Did you think that mon... |
| 38 | Revolution | 1968 | Past Masters | John | 'Don't you know it's gonna be alright?' |
| 39 | Long, Long, Long | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | George | 2 questions: When I loved you?; How can I ever misplac... |
| 40 | Revolution 9 | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | - | 8 questions: Will you forgive me?; And who was to know? (...; Who was to know? |
| 41 | Piggies | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | George | 2 questions: Have you seen the litt...; Have you seen the bigg... |
| 42 | Honey Pie | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | 3 questions: So, won't you please c...; Kindly send her sailin...; So, won't you please c... |
| 43 | Why Don't We Do It in the Road? | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | 15 questions: Why don't we d-do it i...; Why don't we do it in ...; Why don't we do it in ... |
| 44 | Don't Pass Me By | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Ringo | 2 questions: I don't hear it--does ...; I don't see you, does ... |
| 45 | I Will | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | Opens with two rhetorical questions |
| 46 | Dear Prudence | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 6 questions: Won't you come out to ...; Won't you come out to ...; Won't you open up your... |
| 47 | Revolution 1 | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 'Don't you know...' repeated; verses pose dilemmas |
| 48 | The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 'What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?' |
| 49 | I'm So Tired | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 'Should I get up?', 'Should I call you?' |
| 50 | Cry Baby Cry | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 7 questions: Can you take me back w...; Can you take me back?; Can you take me back w... |
| 51 | Helter Skelter | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | "do you, don't you want me to love you?" - opens every verse |
| 52 | Sexy Sadie | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 'What have you done?'; 'How did you know?' |
| 53 | Hey Bulldog | 1969 | Yellow Submarine | John | 6 questions: What makes you think y...; Big man (Yeah?); Hey, man? What's that,... |
| 54 | All Together Now | 1969 | Yellow Submarine | Paul, John | 'Can I have a little more?'; 'Can I bring my friend to tea?' |
| 55 | Don't Let Me Down | 1969 | Past Masters | John, Paul | 2 questions: Don't you know it's go...; Can you dig it? Yeah |
| 56 | She Came in Through the Bathroom Window | 1969 | Abbey Road | Paul | 4 questions: Didn't anybody tell her?; Didn't anybody see?; Didn't anybody tell her? |
| 57 | The Long and Winding Road | 1970 | Let It Be | Paul | 'Why leave me standing here?' |
| 58 | Free as a Bird | 1995 | Reunion singles | John, Paul, George | Three questions in bridges |
Please Please Me
'Why do you make me blue?'
Ask Me Why
'Ask me why' as titular refrain question
There's a Place
'Don't you know that it's so?' repeated
Do You Want to Know a Secret
Two questions open verses
Little Child
4 questions: Little child, won't yo...; Little child, won't yo...; Little child, won't yo...
I Call Your Name
'Was I to blame...?', 'Don't you know...?'
A Hard Day's Night
2 questions: So why on Earth should...; So why on Earth should...
I Should Have Known Better
4 questions: Can't you see? Can't y...; Can't you see? Can't y...
Tell Me Why
'Tell me why...', 'Is there anything I can do?'
What You're Doing
Repeated 'what you're doing to me?'
I'm a Loser
2 questions: Is it for her or mysel...; What have I done to de...
Baby's in Black
'What can I do?', 'How long will it take?'
I'm Down
How can you laugh when...; When you know I'm down?; How can you laugh when...
Help!
3 questions: Won't you please, plea...; Won't you please, plea...; Won't you please, plea...
The Night Before
'Were you telling lies?', 'Was I so unwise?'
It's Only Love
'Why am I so shy', 'Why should I feel...'
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
2 questions: How can I even try?; "Love will find a way"?
You're Going to Lose That Girl
2 questions: What else can I do?; What else can I do?
Tell Me What You See
4 questions: How can I get through?; Trying to get to you?; How can I get through?
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3 questions: she once had me?; Norwegian wood?"; Norwegian wood?
I'm Looking Through You
'Where did you go?', 'What did I know?'
Nowhere Man
3 questions: Isn't he a bit like yo...; Nowhere man, can you s...; Isn't he a bit like yo...
The Word
3 questions: Have you heard the wor...; Have you heard the wor...; Have you heard the wor...
Girl
Four questions in verses
What Goes On
Repeated 'What goes on in your heart/mind?'
Rain
2 questions: Can you hear me?; Can you hear me? (Hear...
Paperback Writer
2 questions: Dear Sir or Madam, wil...; It took me years to wr...
Eleanor Rigby
'Who is it for?' 'What does he care?' 'Where do they all come from?'
Got to Get You into My Life
5 questions: Every single day of my...; What can I do, what ca...; Every single day of my...
She's Leaving Home
3 questions: Why would she treat us...; How could she do this ...; She (What did we do th...
Lovely Rita
'May I inquire discreetly...'; 'Where would I be without you?'
When I'm Sixty-Four
'Will you still need me, will you still feed me'
With a Little Help from My Friends
Verses built on rhetorical questions
Baby, You're a Rich Man
8 questions: How does it feel to be...; What do you want to be?; And have you traveled ...
Hello, Goodbye
'Why do you say goodbye?'
I Am the Walrus
3 questions: I am the egg man (Now ...; Don't you think the jo...; “What, is he dead?”
Lady Madonna
2 questions: Who finds the money wh...; Did you think that mon...
Revolution
'Don't you know it's gonna be alright?'
Long, Long, Long
2 questions: When I loved you?; How can I ever misplac...
Revolution 9
8 questions: Will you forgive me?; And who was to know? (...; Who was to know?
Piggies
2 questions: Have you seen the litt...; Have you seen the bigg...
Honey Pie
3 questions: So, won't you please c...; Kindly send her sailin...; So, won't you please c...
Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
15 questions: Why don't we d-do it i...; Why don't we do it in ...; Why don't we do it in ...
Don't Pass Me By
2 questions: I don't hear it--does ...; I don't see you, does ...
I Will
Opens with two rhetorical questions
Dear Prudence
6 questions: Won't you come out to ...; Won't you come out to ...; Won't you open up your...
Revolution 1
'Don't you know...' repeated; verses pose dilemmas
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
'What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?'
I'm So Tired
'Should I get up?', 'Should I call you?'
Cry Baby Cry
7 questions: Can you take me back w...; Can you take me back?; Can you take me back w...
Helter Skelter
"do you, don't you want me to love you?" - opens every verse
Sexy Sadie
'What have you done?'; 'How did you know?'
Hey Bulldog
6 questions: What makes you think y...; Big man (Yeah?); Hey, man? What's that,...
All Together Now
'Can I have a little more?'; 'Can I bring my friend to tea?'
Don't Let Me Down
2 questions: Don't you know it's go...; Can you dig it? Yeah
She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
4 questions: Didn't anybody tell her?; Didn't anybody see?; Didn't anybody tell her?
The Long and Winding Road
'Why leave me standing here?'
Free as a Bird
Three questions in bridges
Updated