Released: July 10, 1964

Songwriter: Lennon-McCartney John Lennon

Producer: George Martin

[Verse 1]
I've got every reason on earth to be mad
Cause I've just lost the only girl I had
If I could get my way
I'd get myself locked up today
But I can't so I'll cry instead

[Verse 2]
I've got a chip on my shoulder that's bigger than my feet
I can't talk to people that I meet
If I could see you now
I'd try to make you sad somehow
But I can't so I'll cry instead

[Bridge]
Don't wanna cry when there's people there
I get shy when they start to stare
I'm gonna hide myself away-hey
But I'll come back again someday

[Verse 3]
And when I do you better hide all the girls
I'm gonna break their hearts all 'round the world
Yes, I'm gonna break 'em in two
And show you what your loving man can do
Until then I'll cry instead

[Bridge]
Don't wanna cry when there's people there
I get shy when they start to stare
I'm gonna hide myself away-hey
But I'll come back again someday

[Verse 3]
And when I do you better hide all the girls
'Cause I'm gonna break their hearts all 'round the world
Yes, I'm gonna break 'em in two
And show you what your loving man can do
Until then I'll cry instead

The Beatles

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.

more tracks from the album

The U.S. Albums