Help! album artworkWritten by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 14 June 1965
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith


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Paul McCartney: vocals, acoustic guitar
John Lennon: acoustic guitar
George Harrison: acoustic lead guitar
Ringo Starr: brushed snare drum, maracas

‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’ was composed by Paul McCartney in the music room at Jane Asher’s parents’ house on Wimpole Street, London.

Because McCartney’s aunt expressed a liking for it, the song was briefly known as ‘Auntie Jin’s Theme’ until the lyrics were completed.

It was slightly country and western from my point of view. It was faster, though, it was a strange uptempo thing. I was quite pleased with it. The lyric works: it keeps dragging you forward, it keeps pulling you to the next line, there’s an insistent quality to it that I liked.
Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’ was well received by Capitol’s A&R department. The Beatles’ US label then removed it from the American edition of Help!, and it became the opening song on their version of Rubber Soul.

In the 1970s, meanwhile, the song became one of the few Beatles songs to be performed by McCartney’s group Wings.

In the studio

The Beatles recorded ‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’ in six takes on the morning of 14 June 1965. To the last of these they overdubbed a maraca part. The song is unusual in that it doesn’t contain a bass guitar part.

In a breathtaking display of versatility, Paul McCartney’s songs ‘I’m Down’ and ‘Yesterday’ were also recorded on the same day.

Previous song: ‘Tell Me What You See’
Next song: ‘Yesterday’