Deciphering The Beatles ........Fourteen...........Getting Better

[gryphon]

Deciphering The Beatles ...............Fourteen.................It’s Getting Better


Lyrics


It's getting better all the time
I used to get mad at my school (No, I can't complain)
The teachers who taught me weren't cool( No, I can't complain)
You're holding me down (Oh Oh)
Turning me round(Oh Oh)
Filling me up with your rules(Oooh)

I've got to admit it's getting better (Better)
It's a little better all the time (It can't get no worse)
I have to admit it's getting better (better)
It's getting better
Since you've been mine

Me used to be a angry young man
Me hiding me head in the sand
You gave me the word, I finally heard
I'm doing the best that I can

I've got to admit it's getting better(Better)
A little better all the time (It can't get no worse)
I have to admit it's getting better (Better)
It's getting better
Since you've been mine

Getting so much better all the time!

It's getting better all the time
Better, better, better.
It's getting better all the time
Better, better, better.

I used to be cruel to my woman
I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved
Man, I was mean but I'm changing my scene
And I'm doing the best that I can (ooh)

I admit it's getting better
A little better all the time (It can't get no worse)
Yes, I admit it's getting better, it's getting better
Since you've been mine

Getting so much better all the time

It's getting better all the time
Better Better Better
It's getting better all the time
Better Better Better

Getting so much better all the time



This is a song from Sgt Pepper which stretches back well into Beatle history. It seems to be that this is said to be Paul’s song but it looks as if, John added quite a lot..........................


The literature suggests that this song is old in it’s genesis and may have laid hidden for several years.


When Paul wrote Yesterday, mature critical reflection on the lyrics suggested a great skill..............Paul could write songs in a way that made him seems like an older man looking back on his life...........even though he was only in his twenties. Here he uses that skill.


John is using Paul indirectly to write a song too as we shall see, as many of the reference points are his.....................


So, let’s make a start.................Two working class lads from Liverpool sharing some common ideas and background..................looking at where they came from and where they were now!


There is Beatle philosophy in this too......................In the Beatles career they always set themselves a target to achieve ...........to do this...........to be the best that and in some way, that comes out here.


The beginning of this song goes back to the fifties and looks at the two Liverpool lads growing up and their school days.


I used to get mad at my school (No, I can't complain)
The teachers who taught me weren't cool( No, I can't complain)
You're holding me down (Oh Oh)
Turning me round(Oh Oh)
Filling me up with your rules(Oooh)


It has to be remembered that Macca was the only real academic person here and his careers advice as such was that he might become an English teacher................There seems to be some reflection on this .............


I've got to admit it's getting better (Better)
It's a little better all the time (It can't get no worse)
I have to admit it's getting better (better)
It's getting better
Since you've been mine


This is back to the earlier philosophical note ................re written into a song and with a John and Paul feel to it................There is even Paul’s political optimism here........( Not party political but social positioning !)


I used to be cruel to my woman
I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved
Man, I was mean but I'm changing my scene
And I'm doing the best that I can (ooh)


Paul speaking for John or his contribution? John had a very Northern working class attitude to women in his early days...............He seems to have summed that up here or though he has not atypical of his background and this may be a general observation of the view of the average Northern working class male of that time .........
This is a reworked early song but, already the element of playing at song writing is showing............


The style is a touch tongue in cheek and even the structure of call and answer vocals is a bit twee.........We are two very successful song writers .........we are at the top of our profession and as John said this was towards the end of his bloated Elvis period ! Somehow they know they don’t need to try that hard here!


Since you've been mine.............. Interesting this..........as far as I can tell neither had any serious love interest here.....at this time !


A little better all the time (It can't get no worse)............At the time of writing Paul and John were very possessive of their craft..........they wrote the songsbut, if you look to George’s songs, you see that this might be borrowed ( or even contributed by George ) as it is typical of his opposite views in a line or phrase style.................Later, Paul has said that, George and Ringo are owed more than they are credited for !

[SteveO]

Thanks again Gryph ! You've made my day ! Another venture into to the inner workings of master songwriting craftsmanship !!!!