The Beatles: I've Just Seen A Face

One of my favorite Beatles tunes turns up today as my Wooden Wednesday selection. Written by Paul McCartney, but credited to both Paul and John Lennon, “I’ve Just Seen A Face” is a song with three acoustic guitars. Paul and John play acoustic 6-strings and George Harrison played the 12-string leads.

Adding to the “wooden music,” Ringo Starr plays maracas and uses brushes on his snare drum. Both the lead and harmony vocals are provided by Paul. No bass appears on this recording which is highly unusual. The song is in the key of “A” and I wonder if any of The Beatles capoed their guitars up two frets to play it easier in “G.” When McCartney does the tune live today, he plays it in “A” without a capo.

It was released in 1965 on the original version of the “Help” album which was different than the one issued in the US. The US album included the songs from movie as well as all of the instrumental tracks arranged by George Martin. It was a gatefold album and did not include “I’ve Just Seen a Face.” I happened to have the German issue of the album on the Hör Zu label. The configuration was the same as the British issue which had the songs from the movie on Side One and Side Two had seven additional songs.

The seven songs from the European version’s second side appeared on several American releases. “Yesterday” and “Act Naturally” were issued on the contrived LP “Yesterday and Today.” The North American/Japanese only release of Beatles VI had three of the songs: “You Like Me Too Much,” “Tell Me What You See,” and “Dizzy Miss Lizzy.” “It’s Only Love” and “I’ve Just Seen A Face” were on the American issue of “Rubber Soul,” which was a different version of the same named LP from the UK.

It’s a great tune and I hope you like this acoustic Beatles’ number.