The Beatles

Released: March 18, 1996

Songwriter: John Lennon Lennon-McCartney

Producer: George Martin

[Spoken Intro: John Lennon]
"I'm Only Sleeping," take one

[Verse 1: John Lennon & (Paul McCartney)]
When I wake up early in the morning
Lift my head, I'm still yawning
When I'm in the middle of a dream
Stay in bed, float up stream (Float up stream)

[Chorus: John Lennon & Paul McCartney]
Please, don't wake me, no, don't shake me
Leave me where I am, I'm only sleeping

[Verse 2: John Lennon & (Paul McCartney)]
Everybody seems to think I'm lazy
I don't mind, I think they're crazy
Running everywhere at such a speed
Till they find there's no need (There's no need)

[Chorus: John Lennon & Paul McCartney]
Please, don't spoil my day, I'm miles away
And after all, I'm only sleeping

[Bridge: John Lennon & Paul McCartney]
Keeping an eye on the world going by my window
Taking my time

[Verse 3]
Lying there and staring at the ceiling
Waiting for a sleepy feeling

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus: John Lennon & Paul McCartney]
Please, don't spoil my day, I'm miles away
And after all, I'm only sleeping

[Bridge: John Lennon & Paul McCartney]
Keeping an eye on the world going by my window
Taking my time

[Verse 4: John Lennon & Paul McCartney]
When I wake up early in the morning
Lift my head, I'm still yawning
When I'm in the middle of a dream
Stay in bed, float up stream

[Chorus: John Lennon & Paul McCartney]
Please, don't wake me, no, don't shake me
Leave me where I am, I'm only sleeping

The Beatles are arguably the most famous, critically-acclaimed, and successful rock band of all time—certainly the preeminent group of the 20th century. They started out as four teenagers playing grimy basement clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, but they progressed to become world-beating rock stars who are still influential to this day.

John Lennon first formed a skiffle group called The Quarrymen in March 1957. A fifteen-year-old Paul McCartney joined shortly thereafter, eventually inviting his friend George Harrison to audition for the band. After finally impressing John with his guitar skills, George was asked to join—but this juncture would be short-lived as John’s departure to college signaled the other quarrymen to go their separate ways.

By 1960, Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison had re-branded from ‘Johnny & the Moondogs’ to ‘The Silver Beetles’ at the behest of their new bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe. The name would eventually evolve into ‘The Silver Beatles’ by July of that year, before settling on ‘The Beatles’ come August—just in time for their trip to Hamburg with new drummer, Pete Best. Though club residencies in Germany would prove fundamental to the group’s progress as a whole, the tour turned out to be a blessing and a curse, following the deportation of a then-seventeen-year-old George Harrison, and the eventual tragic death of Stuart Sutcliffe.

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