Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby by The Beatles

Album: Beatles For Sale (1964)

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Songfacts®:

Carl Perkins was the first to record this. The Beatles also covered Perkins' "Matchbox" and "Honey Don't."

So, to track down the pedigree of this song: It was written by Carl Perkins, a Memphis, Tennessee rockabilly artist, but it's also very similar to another song by the same title by Alabama country singer Rex Griffon - while using music more keeping with "Blue Suede Shoes." Meanwhile the melody was also borrowed back to country by Hank Williams in the songs "Move It On Over" and "Mind Your Own Business." The melody was also re-borrowed for "Rock Around The Clock." Confused now?
George Harrison sang lead - he was a huge fan of Perkins. It was his showcase song on early tours. The technique used for George Harrison's vocals, in which they are both double-tracked and echoed to create a fuller sound, goes by the acronym STEED, for "Single Tape Echo + Echo Delay." For that 1950s "rocker from outer space" effect.
This was the last Beatles album to which George Harrison did not offer any lyrical contribution. After Beatles For Sale, he became more prominent as a songwriter in the group - he wrote two songs for Help and two for Rubber Soul. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Adrian - Wilmington, DE
Ironically considering the album title, Beatles For Sale was not for sale in the United States until the 1980s. The album Beatles '65 contained mostly the same tracks, and was the US version of the UK Beatles For Sale.

Comments: 12

Jennifur Sun from RamonaKevin you are right, the line is Went out last night. Loved hearing George cover Carl's tunes. they were fun.
Julia from Milton, Pago george, go george. did he really call himself carl harrison? not as good george-ous harrison
K from Nowhere, OnI prefer the Live at the BBC version to the one on Beatles For Sale. It sounds better.
Pepper from Liverpool, United KingdomFuuu- it didn't record my whole comment. Grr. But anyway, this is another great performance by the ever lovely George Harrison.
Pepper from Liverpool, United KingdomI love his rock and roll voice that he's using in this song. It makes me wanna go fangirl.
Ken from Louisville, KyGeorge was first a huge fan, then a good friend of Carl Perkins. He suggested to Paul that he ask Carl to do a duet on Paul's 1982 "Tug Of War" LP. George also perfomed on an HBO Carl Perkins concert (George joked that it was "Carl Aid"), and spoke and sang at Carl's funeral in 1997.
Rick from Tuscola, United Statesone of my favorite carl perkins songs. harrison does a great cover.
Kevin from Quebec, Canadai dont think the line is "well half past nine" it sounds more like "went out last night" i cant really tell though but i think it sounds more like that
Miles from Vancouver, CanadaDale at Noize Records told me that George used to call himself "Carl Harrison," in honor of his idol. Who's the diehard now?
Colleen from Port Colborne, CanadaWell I never knew George had such a nice voice:) I LOVE THE BEATLES!!
Ken from Louisville, KyPerkins WAS in the studio when the Beatles record this and as the story goes, enjoyed it immensely. He probably enjoyed it so much because he could envision the songwriting royalty checks that would be coming his way!
Neville from Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaApparently Carl Perkins was in the studio when the Beatles recorded this song.

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