Ticket to Ride Lyrics



Lennon/McCartney


I think I'm gonna be sad,
I think it's today, yeah.
The girl that's driving me mad
Is going away.
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.
She said that living with me
Is bringing her down yeah.
For she would never be free
When I was around.
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.
I don't know why she's ridin' so high,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
Before she gets to saying goodbye,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
I think I'm gonna be sad,
I think it's today yeah.
The girl that's driving me mad
Is going away, yeah.
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.
I don't know why she's ridin' so high,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
Before she gets to saying goodbye,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
She said that living with me,
Is bringing her down, yeah.
For she would never be free
When I was around.
Ah, she's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.
My baby don't care, my baby don't care.
My baby don't care, my baby don't care.
My baby don't care, my baby don't care.

 
Lead Singer: John

Recording: 2/15/65, 5/26/65 (BBC)
Mixing: 2/18/65, 2/23/65
Length: 3:03
Take: 2

Anomalies

0:38-0:41
Drop in Rickenbacker (Jangley) guitar. Fades back in.
1:08
Tambourine goes into double time half a bar early - compare with 1:58, which is correct.
2:47 * NEW *
First bass note in double time ending is quite sharp.
 
According to A Hard Day's Write by Steve Turner, many Americans concluded the 'ticket' was from British Railways, and 'ride' was the town of 'Ryde' on the Isle of Wight. McCartney confessed to his biographer (Barry Miles) that they were partly right. Paul had a cousin who ran a bar in Ryde and he and John had visited them there. Paul later mentioned that although the song was primarily about a girl riding out of the life of the narrator, they were conscious of the potential for a double meaning.
Don Short, who traveled with the Beatles in the '60s, recalled that John coined the phrase "Ticket to Ride" for another meaning - The girls who worked the streets in Hamburg had to have a clean bill of health and the authorities would give them a card saying they were clean. Don later said that although he specifically recalls John telling him that, John could of been joking - you had to be careful with him like that. (thanks, Ant - Belleville, Canada, for above 2)
John Lennon: "That was one of the earliest heavy-metal records made."
The brief, but recognizable guitar solo was played by Paul McCartney, who was The Beatles bass player.
This was used in the Beatles movie Help! in the scene where The Beatles ski... poorly.
This was the first Beatles song that was over 3 minutes long.
The Beatles played this on an episode of Ed Sullivan Show that aired September 12, 1965. It was the last Ed Sullivan show broadcast in black and white. The Beatles were in America for their big Shea stadium concert.
The Carpenters covered this in 1969. It was their first single and also the name of their debut album.


Help! Lyrics   

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