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Overview
"Don't Bother Me" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1963 UK album With the Beatles. It was the first song written by George Harrison, the group's lead guitarist, to appear on one of their albums. A midtempo rock and roll song, it was originally released in the United States on the 1964 album Meet the Beatles! [Wikipedia]
Background
Don't Bother Me is a song by The Beatles, written by Harrison and led on vocal by George Harrison. George's first solo composition on a Beatles record, written sick in bed. Within the catalogue, its george-original thread connects it to I Need You, You Like Me Too Much, Think for Yourself; its first thread connects it to I Saw Her Standing There; its minor thread connects it to Things We Said Today, Baby's in Black, Girl. George Harrison's first recorded composition, 'Don't Bother Me' was recorded for With the Beatles on 11 September 1963. The song's minor-key sophistication and complex emotional content marked Harrison's debut as composer with unusual maturity. His lead vocal delivery conveys the song's rejection narrative with restrained intensity, establishing Harrison as capable songwriter and vocalist beyond his rhythmic guitar role (Lewisohn 1988, p.31).
What's distinctive
One of 28 songs led primarily by George. One of 22 solely Harrison-credited compositions in the canon. Recorded approximately 28 of 67 into the Beatlemania (1962–1964) sessions. Carries the rare tag 'first' — shared with only 1 other song(s). Take count: 29 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)).Opening line — "Since she's been gone I want no one to talk to me…" (brief identification excerpt; full lyrics © Sony Music Publishing — see Genius link in References.)
Pattern analysis
Recording
The session work falls within the band's Beatlemania (1962–1964) period, recorded 11 Sep 1963 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road. George Martin produced; Norman Smith engineered. For session-by-session detail, see Mark Lewisohn's account on p.12 of The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions (excerpt below). The track was captured from take 11, suggesting multiple attempts to achieve the desired vocal character within the minor-key framework. George Martin's arrangement uses strings and subtle orchestration to support Harrison's lead vocal, anticipating the orchestral approaches that would characterize later Beatlemania recordings. The four-track recording allowed layered string overdubs alongside vocal and rhythm tracks (Lewisohn 1988, p.31).
| Studio | EMI Studios, Abbey Road — predominantly Studio Two |
|---|---|
| Tape machine | Twin-track BTR-2 (1962); Studer J37 four-track from late-1963 |
| Console | REDD.37 / REDD.51 valve consoles |
| Microphones | Neumann U47, U48; AKG D19 (drums); STC 4038 (overheads) |
| Outboard / effects | EMI RS124 compressor (Altec 436B mod), EMT 140 plate reverb, STEED tape echo |
| Guitars | Rickenbacker 325 (Lennon), Gretsch Country Gent / Tennessean (Harrison), Höfner 500/1 violin bass (McCartney), Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl kit (Starr) |
| Amplifiers | Vox AC30 (TB & non-Top-Boost variants) |
| Producer | George Martin |
| Engineer / 2nd | Norman Smith • Richard Langham, Geoff Emerick (2nd) |
| Estimated takes | 29 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)) |
Legacy & release history
In the canonical discography it appears on the LP With the Beatles. Mono and stereo histories vary by era — see the dedicated section below. George Harrison lead vocals appear in 19 canon songs (4 in Beatlemania), making this one of his primary vocal vehicles. As Harrison's compositional debut, the track established him as more than instrumentalist or occasional vocalist and foreshadowed his emergence as major songwriting force in later periods (Lewisohn 1988, p.31).
Mono & stereo
- Mixed primarily in mono at Abbey Road; the Beatles attended only the mono mixes through Sgt Pepper.
- Stereo mixes from this period were prepared (often without the band present) and are now considered secondary by purists.
Documented alternate versions
No documented alternate versions.
Released on
- With the Beatles — LP, 22 November 1963
Cross-references
Other songs sharing themes (george-original, first, minor)
Other songs led by the same vocalist
Other songs from this era
george-originalfirstminor
References & external databases
Frequently asked
Who wrote Don't Bother Me?
“Don't Bother Me” was written by George Harrison.
Who sings lead on Don't Bother Me?
The lead vocal on “Don't Bother Me” is by George Harrison.
When was Don't Bother Me recorded?
“Don't Bother Me” was recorded 11 Sep 1963 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road.
How many takes did Don't Bother Me require?
Mark Lewisohn's session log documents up to 29 numbered takes for “Don't Bother Me”.