Paul McCartney was trying to be Little Richard. That’s the simplest way to look at it. If you listen to the opening straining throat-shredding scream of She’s a Woman Beatles fans usually point to as a turning point, you can hear him reaching for something raw. It wasn't just a pop song. It was a rhythmic experiment that almost sounded like reggae before anyone in London knew what reggae was.
Released in late 1964 as the B-side to "I Feel Fine," this track often gets overshadowed. But it shouldn't be. Honestly, it’s one of the most aggressive things they ever put to tape during their touring years.
The recording session happened on October 8, 1964. They hammered it out in seven takes. By the sixth take, they realized they had something weirdly funky. The beat is inside out. Ringo is hitting the snare on the backbeat so hard it feels like a physical punch, while George Harrison and John Lennon are playing these sharp, staccato chords on the offbeats. It’s lean. It’s mean. It’s basically the moment the Beatles stopped being "moptops" and started becoming a powerhouse rock band.
Why the Bass on She’s a Woman Beatles Fans Love is So High
If you’ve ever put on an original mono pressing of this track, you might have noticed something. The bass is loud. Like, really loud.
This wasn't an accident. McCartney wanted that Motown thump. He was obsessed with James Jamerson. During the mixing process, they pushed the low end so far that the needle on the mastering equipment was literally jumping. The engineers at EMI were terrified it would make people's record players skip. In the 1960s, that was a huge "no-no" for radio play.
They eventually reigned it in, but the final version still carries a weight that "Love Me Do" or "Please Please Me" never had. It’s the sound of a band discovering the power of the bottom end. McCartney’s bass line isn't just walking; it’s sprinting. He’s playing a Rickenbacker 4001S here, and you can hear that distinct, clanky growl that would eventually define the Sgt. Pepper era.
The Little Richard Influence
Paul has never been shy about his idols. He wanted to scream. He wanted that "Long Tall Sally" energy but in an original composition.
"I did a bit of a Little Richard on that one," Paul once admitted in a retrospective interview.
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You can hear it in the way he pushes his voice into a higher register until it cracks. It’s a controlled distortion. It’s incredibly difficult to sing. Try it in the car sometime—you’ll probably lose your voice by the second chorus.
The Controversial Lyric Nobody Noticed in 1964
There is a line in She’s a Woman Beatles historians love to dissect: "She’s a woman who understands / She’s a woman who loves her man / My love don't give me presents / I know that she's no peasant / Only ever has to give me / Love forever and forever / My love don't give me presents / She's a big teaser / She's a woman who understands."
Wait, that's not it.
The line is: "Turn me on when I get lonely."
In 1964, "turn me on" was a very specific slang term. The Beatles had recently been introduced to certain herbal substances by Bob Dylan at the Delmonico Hotel in New York. While the public thought Paul was talking about a girl making him feel good, the "hip" crowd knew exactly what he meant. It was a subtle nod to their expanding horizons. It was a "drug reference" hiding in plain sight on a Top 40 record. John Lennon was particularly proud of that one. He loved the idea of slipping something past the censors.
How the Song Changed Their Live Show
The Beatles played this song live a lot. It stayed in their setlist through 1965 and even into their final tour in 1966.
If you watch the footage from the 1966 Tokyo concert at the Budokan, you can see how much they struggled to play it. It’s a fast song. By 1966, they were tired. They couldn't hear themselves over the screaming. But She’s a Woman Beatles performances were always a highlight because it allowed them to just jam. George’s solo is brief, bluesy, and slightly messy in the best way possible.
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It’s worth noting that the live versions are often much faster than the studio recording. They were rushing. They wanted to get off stage. Yet, even with the sloppy playing and the out-of-tune guitars, the raw power of the composition shines through. It was their "heavy" song before they wrote "Helter Skelter."
A Masterclass in Minimalism
John Lennon’s rhythm guitar on this track is basically a percussion instrument. He isn't strumming full chords. He’s hitting these "chops."
- The guitar enters on the "2" and the "4."
- It creates a massive amount of space.
- The silence between the notes is what makes it swing.
Most pop songs of that era were cluttered. Producers wanted "The Wall of Sound." The Beatles went the other way. They stripped it down to the bones. Just drums, bass, and two guitars. No piano. No handclaps. No fluff.
The U.S. vs. UK Confusion
As was common in the 60s, the way you heard She’s a Woman Beatles depended on where you lived.
In the UK, it was the B-side to "I Feel Fine." Simple.
In the US, Capitol Records did what they always did: they chopped up the British albums and made their own. The song ended up on Beatles '65. They also drenched the track in a massive amount of reverb. If you grew up in America listening to this song, you heard a version that sounded like it was recorded in a giant tiled bathroom. The "Dave Dexter Jr." echo, as it’s known, changed the vibe entirely.
Many purists hate the US version. They think the reverb kills the "dry" funk of the original. Others love it because it makes the song feel more psychedelic and cavernous. It’s a weird piece of history.
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The Legacy of a B-Side
It didn't hit Number 1 on its own, but it reached Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a B-side. That’s insane. Most bands would kill for a lead single that performed half as well as a Beatles "throwaway."
But it wasn't a throwaway. It was a signal.
It told the world that the Beatles weren't just a vocal group. They were a band that cared about rhythm, soul, and the physical feeling of a groove. You can trace a direct line from this song to the funk-rock of the 70s. You can hear its influence in bands like The Police or even early punk groups who valued that "dry" and "aggressive" sound.
Actionable Insights for Beatles Fans and Musicians
If you want to truly appreciate this track today, don't just stream it on crappy laptop speakers. Do these three things to get the full experience:
- Listen to the 2009 Mono Remaster: This is the closest you will get to what the band actually heard in the control room. The bass is punchy, and the "chops" from John’s guitar are razor-sharp. The stereo mix is okay, but it pales in comparison to the mono punch.
- Focus on the Snare: Listen to how Ringo waits. He doesn't overplay. He stays right on the backbeat, allowing Paul’s bass to dance around him. It’s a lesson in restraint for any drummer.
- Check out the live Shea Stadium version: Even with the screaming fans, the sheer volume of the song is evident. It shows a band that was ready to transition into the more experimental sounds of Rubber Soul and Revolver.
She’s a Woman Beatles isn't just a 1964 pop hit. It is the bridge between the "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" era and the "Tomorrow Never Knows" era. It’s the sound of a band growing up, getting louder, and getting a little bit dangerous.
Next time you’re digging through the catalog, skip the "hits" for a second. Put this on. Crank the volume. Feel that bass line jump out of the speakers. You'll realize that even in 1964, they were miles ahead of everyone else.
Next Steps for Deep Listeners:
To understand the technical evolution of the band’s sound, compare this track directly to "Can't Buy Me Love." Pay attention to the vocal strain and the lack of vocal harmonies in the verses. It marks the shift toward Paul's solo-style songwriting within the group dynamic. From here, explore the Beatles '65 (US version) to hear the difference that 1960s American mastering made on British recordings.