"Michelle" is a song primarily written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lenno… Read Full Bio ↴"Michelle" is a song primarily written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney) and recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Rubber Soul. The song would go on to win the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1967 and has since become one of the most widely recorded of all Beatles songs.

Musical Structure

The words and style of "Michelle" have their origins in the popularity of Parisian Left Bank culture during McCartney's Liverpool days. In his description, "it was at the time of people like Juliette Greco, the French bohemian thing." McCartney had gone to a party of art students where a student with a goatee and a striped T-shirt was singing a French song. He soon wrote a farcical imitation to entertain his friends that involved French-sounding groaning instead of real words. The song remained a party piece until 1965, when John Lennon suggested he rework it into a proper song for inclusion on Rubber Soul.

McCartney asked Jan Vaughan, a French teacher and the wife of his old friend Ivan Vaughan, to come up with a French name and a phrase that rhymed with it. McCartney said: "It was because I'd always thought that the song sounded French that I stuck with it. I can't speak French properly so that's why I needed help in sorting out the actual words."

Vaughan came up with "Michelle, ma belle", and a few days later McCartney asked for a translation of "these are words that go together well", rendered, for scansion, as sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble ("are words that go very well together"). When McCartney played the song for Lennon, Lennon suggested the "I love you" bridge. Lennon was inspired by a song he heard the previous evening, Nina Simone's version of "I Put a Spell on You", which used the same phrase but with the emphasis on the last word, "I love you".

George Martin, the Beatles' producer, recalled that he composed the melody of the guitar solo, which is heard midway through the song and again during the fadeout. He showed George Harrison the notes during the recording session and then accompanied the guitarist (on piano, out of microphone range) when the solos were overdubbed.

Michelle
The Beatles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Michelle, ma belle
These are words that go together well
My Michelle
Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble
I love you, I love you, I love you
That's all I want to say

Until I find a way
I will say the only words I know that you'll understand

Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble
I need to, I need to, I need to
I need to make you see
Oh, what you mean to me
Until I do, I'm hoping you will know what I mean
I love you

I want you, I want you, I want you
I think you know by now
I'll get to you somehow
Until I do, I'm telling you so you'll understand
Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble

And I will say the only words I know that you'll understand
My Michelle

Overall Meaning

The Beatles' hit song "Michelle" was released in 1965 and instantly became a fan favorite. The song is credited to Paul McCartney who says that he came up with the tune as a teenager, but it wasn't until a trip to France in 1963 that he was inspired to develop it into a finished song. "Michelle" is a love song, written in English with a hint of French, which reflects the band's growing awareness of Europe, thanks to their travels.

The lyrics of the song are built around the French language and culture, in particular, the name Michelle. The song opens with the beautiful French words, "Michelle, ma belle," which translates to Michelle, my beautiful. McCartney uses this phrase to express his love for Michelle, telling her that these words go together perfectly. The repetition of the phrase, "Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble," means "These are words that go together well", which emphasizes that their love is perfect and they are meant to be together. The lyrics reflect McCartney's urgent need to let Michelle know how much she means to him, stating that "That's all I want to say until I find a way."

The song "Michelle" has become one of the most iconic songs of The Beatles, thanks to its unique sound, combination of languages, and emotional depth. The song has become popular all over the world and has been performed by numerous artists in different versions that reflect their own interpretation. The song has sold millions of copies and remains a classic love song that has stood the test of time.

Line by Line Meaning

Michelle, ma belle
The singer addresses Michelle in a loving manner

These are words that go together well
The singer believes his words and Michelle go well together

My Michelle
The singer emphasizes his ownership and affection for Michelle

Michelle, ma belle
The artist reiterates his affectionate address to Michelle

Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
The artist repeats that his words and Michelle complement each other well in French

Tres bien ensemble
The singer emphasizes again how well he and Michelle fit together

I love you, I love you, I love you
The singer professes his love for Michelle multiple times

That's all I want to say
The artist only wants to express his love for Michelle

Until I find a way
The artist does not yet know how to show his love properly

I will say the only words I know that you'll understand
The artist will keep repeating his love for Michelle until he finds a way to show it better

I need to, I need to, I need to
The singer feels an urgency to make Michelle understand his love

I need to make you see
The artist wants Michelle to see how much she means to him

Oh, what you mean to me
The singer expresses how much Michelle means to him

Until I do, I'm hoping you will know what I mean
The singer hopes that Michelle will understand his love despite his current inability to express it better

I love you
The singer reaffirms his love for Michelle

I want you, I want you, I want you
The artist desires to be with Michelle

I think you know by now
The artist believes Michelle understands his feelings

I'll get to you somehow
The singer is determined to find a way to be with Michelle

Until I do, I'm telling you so you'll understand
The singer continues to express his love to Michelle so she knows how he feels

My Michelle
The artist again emphasizes his affection for Michelle

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore, Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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