When I'm Sixty-Four
From Free net encyclopedia
"When I'm Sixty-Four" is a popular love song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney (but co-credited to John Lennon) and released in 1967 on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It is sung by a young man to his love, about the perils of growing old together. It begins
- When I get older, losing my hair,
- many years from now,
- will you still be sending me a valentine,
- birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
and the chorus runs:
- ...will you still need me,
- will you still feed me,
- when I'm sixty-four?
The song is notable for prominently featuring a clarinet quartet, unusual in any genre of music but particularly in the context of rock and roll.
The song accompanies the "Sea of Time" sequence in the film Yellow Submarine.
In the 1978 film, the song is sung by Frankie Howard and Sandy Farina.
Paul McCartney turns 64 years of age on June 18, 2006.
It was featured in an Allstate Insurance commercial with Julian Lennon singing.
Ironically, although it involves themes of aging, it was one of the first songs McCartney wrote, dating back from his days with the Quarrymen.
The song was parodied by The Rutles as "Back in '64" on the album Archaeology. It was also used as the theme song for the movie version of John Irving's novel The World According to Garp and in the 1980s, an instrumental version opened each episode of the BBC feedback programme Points Of View..
When I'm 64 (using the numerals instead of spelling out the numbers) is also the name of a BBC television series starring Paul Freeman and Alun Armstrong as two older men who surprise themselves by falling in love with each other.
Members of the British public remember the song in particular because of Cherie Blair's embarrassing vocal rendition of it whilst being broadcasted on TV, as husband and Prime Minister Tony smiled and reluctantly sang along.
Media links
- You can download the opening chords (114k).
External links
| The Beatles |
|---|
| John Lennon | Paul McCartney | George Harrison | Ringo Starr Pete Best | Stuart Sutcliffe |
| Management |
| Brian Epstein | Allen Klein | Apple Records |
| Production |
| George Martin | Geoff Emerick | Norman Smith | Abbey Road Studios |
| Official Studio Albums |
| Please Please Me (1963) | With the Beatles (1963) | A Hard Day's Night (1964) | Beatles for Sale (1964) | Help! (1965) | Rubber Soul (1965) Revolver (1966) | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) | Magical Mystery Tour (1967) | The Beatles (1968) | Yellow Submarine (1969) | Abbey Road (1969) | Let It Be (1970) |
| Films |
| A Hard Day's Night (1964) | Help! (1965) | Magical Mystery Tour (1967) | Yellow Submarine (1968) | Let it Be (1970) |
| Related Articles |
| History | Discography | Bootlegs | Long-term influence | Beatlemania | Beatlesque | Fifth Beatle | Paul Is Dead | British Invasion | Yoko Ono | 1960s | Apple Corps |