| "This Boy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canadian picture sleeve | ||||
| Single bythe Beatles | ||||
| A-side |
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| Released |
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| Recorded | 17 October 1963 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:13 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney | |||
| Producer(s) | George Martin | |||
| The Beatles UK singles chronology | ||||
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"This Boy" is a song by the English rock bandthe Beatles, written byJohn Lennon[3][4] (credited toLennon–McCartney). It was released in November 1963 as theB-side of the band'sParlophone single "I Want to Hold Your Hand". In the United States, it was issued in January 1964 onMeet the Beatles! which wasCapitol Records' reconfigured version of theWith the Beatles album. The Beatles performed the song live on 16 February 1964 for their second appearance onThe Ed Sullivan Show. An instrumentaleasy listening arrangement byGeorge Martin, re-titled "Ringo's Theme (This Boy)", was featured in the filmA Hard Day's Night and theUnited Artists soundtrack album. This version was also issued as a single, reaching number 53 in the US and number one in Canada.
"This Boy" was remastered for compact disc byGeorge Martin and released in 1988 on thePast Masters, Volume One compilation. On 9 September 2009, it was re-released on the two CD setPast Masters, as part of the remastering of the original Beatles' catalogue, and was included inThe Beatles Stereo Box Set and inThe Beatles in Mono box set.
The track's composition was Lennon's attempt[3][4] to write a tune in the style ofMotown starSmokey Robinson,[5] and specifically his song "I've Been Good to You", which has similar circulardoo-wop chord changes, melody and arrangement. The tune and arrangement also draw from "You Don't Understand Me", a B-side to aBobby Freeman single.[6]Paul McCartney citesthe Teddy Bears' 1958 hit "To Know Him Is to Love Him" also as being influential.[4]
Lennon, McCartney, andGeorge Harrison joined in singing an intricate three-partclose harmony in the verses and refrain, and a similar technique is employed in later Beatles songs, notably "Yes It Is" and "Because". Originally themiddle eight was conceived as a guitar solo but altered during the recording process.[7] Written inD major, the song revolves around a 1950s-style I-vi-ii-V doo-wop sequence in12/8 time before moving to the harmonically complexmiddle eight (G-F#7-Bm-D7-G-E7-A-A7) and back again for the final verse andfade-out.[4]William Mann describes the song as "harmonically ... one of their most intriguing, with its chains ofpandiatonicclusters".[8]
The Beatles recorded "This Boy" on 17 October 1963, the same day they recorded "I Want To Hold Your Hand", the group's first fan club Christmas single, and a version of "You Really Got a Hold on Me".
They recorded fifteen takes of "This Boy" followed by two overdubs. The song was recorded with a rounded ending, although it was faded out during a mixing session on 21 October. Two takes were joined to make the final master, with the edit between the middle eight and the final verse (1:28).[4]
Alternative recordings have also been officially released. A live version performed onTwo of a Kind in 1963 was released onAnthology 1 and two incomplete takes from the original recording were released as a track on the single "Free as a Bird".
| "Ringo's Theme (This Boy)" | |
|---|---|
 US picture sleeve | |
| Single byGeorge Martin and His Orchestra | |
| from the albumA Hard Day's Night | |
| B-side | "And I Love Her" (instrumental) |
| Released | July 1964 (1964-07) (US) |
| Recorded | 1964 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:08 |
| Label | United Artists |
| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer(s) | George Martin |
An instrumental version of "This Boy", orchestrated byGeorge Martin, is used as the incidental music duringRingo Starr'stowpath scene in the filmA Hard Day's Night. The piece, under the title, "Ringo's Theme (This Boy)", was released as a single—but failed to chart in the UK—on 7 August 1964 with "And I Love Her" on the B-Side,[11] although it did reach number 53 in the American Top 100 later that year. It was also included on Martin's Parlophone albumOff the Beatle Track and the EPMusic From A Hard Day’s Night by the George Martin Orchestra, released 19 February 1965. It was also included on the AmericanA Hard Day's Night soundtrack album.Vic Flick's lead guitar work can be heard on "Ringo’s Theme", which plays as the Beatles drummer wanders around London on his own.
| Chart (1965) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada | 1 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[12] | 53 |
