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Overview
"What You're Doing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their album Beatles for Sale, released in December 1964. It was written by Paul McCartney, although credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song was one of eight original compositions on Beatles for Sale. [Wikipedia]
Background
What You're Doing is a song by The Beatles, written by McCartney and led on vocal by Paul McCartney. Studio experiment with backwards-feeling drum intro; remade twice. Within the catalogue, its jangle thread connects it to And Your Bird Can Sing. A studio-experimental composition recorded 29 September 1964, featuring unusual backwards-feeling drum intro disorientating temporal anchor. The song underwent two subsequent remakes before final satisfaction, suggesting George Martin and Beatles perceived initial inadequacy—rare scenario during Beatles for Sale's abbreviated schedule. The remakes reflect perfectionist tendencies (Lewisohn 1988, p. 52). McCartney's composition stands out as uncharacteristic and almost Lennonesque in tone, presenting his own interpretation of relationship dynamics similar to those Lennon addressed in Tell Me Why (Kozinn 1995, p.110).
What's distinctive
One of 65 songs led primarily by Paul. Recorded approximately 57 of 67 into the Beatlemania (1962–1964) sessions. Carries the unique tag 'studio-experiment' — no other song shares it. Take count: 19 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)).Opening line — "Look what you're doing…" (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 29 Sep 1964 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road. George Martin produced; Norman Smith engineered. For session-by-session detail, see Mark Lewisohn's account on p.49 of The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions (excerpt below). The experimental drum intro required multiple takes and remixing attempts achieving the disorienting rhythmic effect. The jangly guitar work and vocal delivery reflected McCartney's increasing interest in production innovation—elements refined on Rubber Soul. Martin's production direction guided unconventional aesthetic (Lewisohn 1988, p. 52).
| 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 | 19 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)) |
Legacy & release history
In the canonical discography it appears on the LP Beatles for Sale. Mono and stereo histories vary by era — see the dedicated section below. At 2:50 duration (60th percentile), this experimental McCartney composition (65 vocal instances) ranks 44th in Lewisohn coverage. The multiple remakes indicate artistic dissatisfaction unusual for 1964 Beatles—presaging Rubber Soul's perfectionism. The song exemplifies growing production sophistication (Lewisohn 1988, p. 52). Basic recording was completed on 26 October 1964 with no additional recording, and the mono mix was prepared on 21 October 1964 for inclusion on Beatles for Sale.
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
- Beatles for Sale — LP, 4 December 1964
Cross-references
Other songs sharing themes (studio-experiment, remade, jangle)
Other songs led by the same vocalist
Other songs from this era
studio-experimentremadejangle
References & external databases
Frequently asked
Who wrote What You're Doing?
“What You're Doing” is credited to Paul McCartney (Lennon–McCartney).
Who sings lead on What You're Doing?
The lead vocal on “What You're Doing” is by Paul McCartney.
When was What You're Doing recorded?
“What You're Doing” was recorded 29 Sep 1964 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road.
How many takes did What You're Doing require?
Mark Lewisohn's session log documents up to 19 numbered takes for “What You're Doing”.