Stats
Single by the Beatles
A-side:"Ticket to Ride"
Released: 9 April 1965
Recorded: 16 February 1965
Studio: EMI, London
Genre: Pop
Length: 2:41
Label: Parlophone
Songwriter(s): Lennon–McCartney
Producer: George Martin
First Additional Releases
The song was also included in the "Beatles VI " album, released on 14 June 1965 as the seventh Capitol Records studio album by The Beatles in the United States and Canada. Beatles VI reached number one on the Billboard for six weeks, beginning on 10 July 1965. This LP was also released in New Zealand in stereo in time for Christmas 1966.
Composition
In his 1980 interview with Playboy, John Lennon described "Yes It Is" as an attempt to rewrite "This Boy" (the style of the song) that "didn't quite work". Paul McCartney on the other hand described it as "a very fine song of John's" that he and Lennon had finished writing together.
Musical Structure
The song is in the 12/8 time signature, in the key of E and begins (on "If you wear red tonight ...") with a I–IV–ii7–V7 chord progression (E–A–F#m7–B7) in which the word "tonight" (B melody note) appears as a "delicately haunting" 4th above the F#m7, creating a suspension. The melodic pitches of this first two bar phrase are repeated (with initial repetition of the G# melody note) on "remember what I said tonight," except that the B melody note on the second "tonight" is now backed by a ♭VII (D) chord that shapes the B melody note into a more "luscious" 6th. The chorus ("Yes it is, it's true. Yes it is, it's true") involves a I (E chord) – III (G# chord) – IV (A chord) – I (E chord) progression in which the major III (G#) chord appears for the first time in the song to propel the Plagal drop from IV (A) to the tonic I (E) chord.
Recording
Over the course of a five-hour recording session, the Beatles attempted 14 takes of the basic track before perfecting it. “Yes It Is" was recorded on 16 February 1965, the same day that they completed Harrison's "I Need You". After completing the rhythm track, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison recorded their vocal harmonies in three hours, singing live together using the suggestion of George Martin that they sing their three part harmony in the style of a barber shop quartet.
Release and reception
"Yes It Is" was released as the B-side of the "Ticket to Ride" single in both the US and the UK. American pressings of the single erroneously show "Yes It Is" as being from the film Eight Arms to Hold You (the original title for the film, Help!), in which it did not appear. It reached number 46 in the Billboard Hot 100.
The song was included on Beatles VI in the US (utilizing the "duophonic" stereo remix from the original mono track, with additional echo and reverb added), and on subsequent compilation albums including Love Songs, the British version of the Rarities album; Only the Beatles, an unauthorized British promotional cassette for Heineken Beer in 1986 (on which it made its first true stereo appearance); Past Masters, Volume One, and also on Anthology 2 in an alternate version that combines the second and fourteenth takes. The original mono single mix appears on the Mono Masters CD as part of The Beatles in Mono box set.
Author Ian MacDonald praised "Yes It Is" along with its accompanying a-side "Ticket to Ride". He described both songs as "psychologically deeper than The Beatles had ever recorded before" and declared that they marked a huge step forward in the Beatles development as songwriters.
Personnel
According to Ian MacDonald:
John Lennon – double-tracked lead vocal, classical guitar
Paul McCartney – harmony vocal, bass guitar
George Harrison – harmony vocal, lead guitar
Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_It_Is
Yes It Is
Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember what I said tonight
For red is the color that my baby wore
And what is more, it's true
Yes it is
Scarlet were the clothes she wore
Everybody knows I'm sure
Understand, it's true
Yes it is, it's true
Yes it is
I could be happy with you by my side
If I could forget her, but it's my pride
Yes it is, yes it is
Oh, yes it is, yeah
Please don't wear red tonight
This is what I said tonight
For red is the color that will make me blue
In spite of you, it's true
Yes it is, it's true
Yes it is
I could be happy with you by my side
If I could forget her, but it's my pride
Yes it is, yes it is
Oh, yes it is, yeah
Please don't wear red tonight
This is what I said tonight
For red is the color that will make me blue
In spite of you, it's true
Yes it is, it's true
Yes it is, it's true
"Yes it is" is a song by the Beatles that was released in 1965. The song is known for being a prime example of the band's use of three-part harmonies, which are particularly poignant in the chorus.
The lyrics feature the singer urging their partner not to wear red tonight, as it reminds them of an ex-lover who used to wear that color. The singer then reminisces about the relationship with the ex, mentioning that "scarlet were the clothes she wore." Despite wanting to move on with their current partner ("I could be happy with you by my side"), the singer's pride prevents him from letting go of the past.
The use of the color red throughout the song is a clever way of conveying the emotions the singer is feeling. In Western cultures, red is often associated with passion, love, and desire, but it can also connote anger or betrayal. This ambiguity allows the color to represent both the joyful moments the singer shared with their ex-lover and the pain they now feel when reminded of them.
Overall, "Yes it is" is a masterful example of the Beatles' ability to blend complex lyrics with intricate harmonies to create a poignant and emotionally resonant piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
If you wear red tonight
If you choose to wear red clothing tonight
Remember what I said tonight
Please keep in mind the statement I'm about to make
For red is the color that my baby wore
The color red is significant because it's what my former partner used to wear
And what is more, it's true
This statement is honest and accurate
Yes it is
This is definitely true
Scarlet were the clothes she wore
My ex used to wear clothing that was the color scarlet
Everybody knows I'm sure
It's common knowledge among those who knew us
I would remember all the things we planned
I still remember all the plans we made when we were together
Understand, it's true
This is a fact that should be acknowledged
I could be happy with you by my side
It's possible for me to be content with you as my partner
If I could forget her, but it's my pride
The reason I can't move on is due to my own stubbornness and unwillingness to let go of the past
Oh, yes it is, yeah
This is an accurate statement
Please don't wear red tonight
I'm asking you not to wear red clothing tonight
This is what I said tonight
I'm repeating my previous request
For red is the color that will make me blue
Seeing the color red will remind me of my ex partner and make me feel sad
In spite of you, it's true
This is the case regardless of your intentions
Yes it is, it's true
This statement is accurate
Yes it is, it's true
This remains a true statement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind