"I'm In Love" demo, date?

cowboy_joe · Post by **cowboy_joe** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:19 am

Do any of you guys have any insight into the Lennon piano demo of "I'm in Love?" I've heard some people list as '63, others as late '70's. Just according to my ears, I'd call it '63, it sounds like the younger John, and his piano playing is not too good, whereas he's playing alright on the Real Love and other demos from the time. The recording I have, from a bootleg website that no longer exists, is also very clean, which would suggest to me this was done in a studio, because I don't think Lennon ever really put much effort into making home demos sound polished. Thoughts?

rick36 · Post by **rick36** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:18 pm

The Formost released the single "I'm In Love", learned from John's demo, in November 1963.

bosifis · Post by **bosifis** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:28 pm

Ah, J.W....You beat me to it. The version I have isn't very "clean", but it sounds OK. However short it is, I LOVE that demo...Very sweet song.

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:31 pm

Yeah, I love the way John's voice nearly cracks when he sings 'every little thing that you do-oo-oo'... It's a remarkably sensitive reading for a song they considered a throwaway.

bosifis · Post by **bosifis** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:03 pm

I especially love the middle(I'm feelin' on top of the world...).

"It's a remarkably sensitive reading for a song they considered a throwaway." Very true, Ethan. But, honestly could you have imagined that song on "With The Beatles" or "AHDN"? I couldn't, only because that their catalog is SO etched in my mind that it doesn't fit. Just like "One and One Is Two" and "That Means A Lot". I couldn't see those on other albums.

I think what we should do is #1 Agree that it was in 1963, thanks to J.W.'s information. #2 Not turn it into ANOTHER thread with 50+ posts. And #3, just enjoy this little "ditty" for what it was. A minute and a half demo that was beautiful.

Joseph, I thank you for writing this thread. I haven't listen to this song for a long time...And after I read it, I CAN'T stop listening to it!

AS for not posting 50+ more.....Sorry I said that, go nuts guys!!! Maybe we might get info we didn't know...Like there was MORE recorded at that "session", hmmm???

Brian

cowboy_joe · Post by **cowboy_joe** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:12 pm

Hopefully, I won't trip the 50+ point with this....

In regards to the song "fitting," I can see how we easily might dismiss it, but if you listen, it's not that far away from If I Fell, at least to my thoughts. And very Lennon esque to preface the "I'm in love line," with "I'm telling all my friends."

bosifis · Post by **bosifis** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:55 pm

Very good point, Joseph! I never listen to the song with the assumtion that it would take on a different entity if it was finally recorded properly(Like so many other songs they wrote). "If I Fell" is one of my fav's. As is, "Baby's In Black"...Not their best lyrics, but MAN...Those harmonies just make me wanna cry. So good together, they were...

I take that back, "If I Fell" is beautiful musically AND lyrically(I just listened to it).

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:10 am

There is the story of John and Paul writing 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' at the piano in the basement of the Ashers' house in late 1963. I wonder if the demo could have been recorded at a similar writing session at the Ashers' house around that time period? I have no evidence, of course, other than that they were known to have written at the Ashers' piano, and the conjecture that there may well have been a tape recorder in their music room as well. The Fourmost released 'I'm in Love' the same month the Beatles released 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' but proximity of release dates doesn't necessarily correlate to the date of composition, of course.

lennonon · Post by **lennonon** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:25 pm

That is a very sweet intimate listen in on Lennon. Always one of my favorites too.

cowboy_joe · Post by **cowboy_joe** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:29 pm

I'm going to suggest the version I have, at least, is a studio cut. The seperation is pretty good, and there is a hint of natural echo on the vocal--my best guess would be this John by himself at the piano at Abby Road, doing it live in one take, and sending along a lyric and chord sheet to go with tape. Of course, what I'm listening may be a tape recording demo someone dropped in to Pro Tools and cleaned up, so I'd trust the view of anyone with good information over mine. Here's a new link I found: http://www.geocities.com/arce_ernesto/bootlegs/Im_In_Love.mp3

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:09 am

Thank you for the link. I'd never heard it before, very cool!

johnashfield · Post by **johnashfield** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:20 am

That is pretty cool!

If that was done at abbey road wouldn't it sound better though? It kinda has a "cassette" quality to it, although if it's been copied a few times I could see where it could have aquired that.

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:44 am

Every version of 'I'm in Love' I've heard fades in like this one... anyone heard the complete take?

I've always thought this recording has a boxy quality to the atmosphere, especially the vocal, like you're hearing the sound reflecting off the walls around him.

Also, wasn't it was fairly uncommon for them to record song demos expressly intended for other artists at Abbey Road? 'No Reply' from Anthology 1 is the only one that springs to mind.

someotherguy · Post by **someotherguy** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:00 pm

Billy J Kramer pretty much sticks to the exact arrangement that John gave to him...

rick36 · Post by **rick36** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:18 pm

Arthur: Please don't use my ellipsis without consulting me first. Just kidding...