This was on the American album Meet The Beatles (the UK version would be With The Beatles) that I first heard when I was a kid. Lennon’s voice in this is fantastic. It’s a bit more sophisticated than many of their other songs at the time. The lyrics and the chord structure are really good.
I’ve always liked this song and the song drew a serious review from William Mann. Willaim Mann was the music critic of The Times in London. The article, titled “What Songs The Beatles Sang…,” was printed on December 23rd, 1963, just over a month after the release of the album “With The Beatles” in the UK. This critical analysis was unlike any media exposure The Beatles were getting up to this time, most of which consisted of reports on the mass hysteria that accompanied their appearances or their hair.
“Harmonic interest is typical of their quicker songs, and one gets the impression that they think simultaneously of harmony and melody, so firmly are the major tonic sevenths and ninths built into their tunes, and the flat submediant key switches, so natural is the Aeolian cadence at the end of ‘Not A Second Time’ (the chord progression which ends Mahler’s Song of the Earth).”
Mann would go on to say that Lennon and McCartney were “the greatest songwriters since Schubert.”
Pop music wasn’t considered important enough for serious music critics to review. Lennon and McCartney had no formal musical training. They wrote by feel, which Lennon said in 1973: “Intellectuals have the problem of having to understand it. They can’t feel anything. The only way to get an intellectual is to talk to him and then play him the record. You couldn’t put a record on and just let him hear it.”
The effect of William Mann’s review had such a lasting impact that the subject was still raised in a 1980 interview shortly before John’s death. His last words on the subject of Aeolian cadences were, “To this day I don’t have any idea what they are. They sound like exotic birds!”
This is one Lennon and McCartney song that was written solely by John Lennon. He said he was influenced again by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
Not A Second Time
You know you made me cryI see no use in wondering whyI cry for you
And now you’ve changed your mindI see no reason to change mineI cry
It’s through, oh-ohYou’re giving me the same old lineI’m wondering whyYou hurt me then, you’re back againNo, no, no, not a second time
You know you made me cryI see no use in wondering whyI cry for you, yeah
And now you’ve changed your mindI see no reason to change mineI cry
It’s through, oh-ohYou’re giving me the same old lineI’m wondering whyYou hurt me then, you’re back againNo, no, no, not a second time
Not a second timeNot a second timeNo, no, no, no, noNo, no, no (not a second time)
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Aeolian is one of seven basic musical modes. It is also known as the natural minor mode. Other modes: mixolydian, lydian, dorian, ionian etc. Some sound happy some sad, and some mysterious.
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I had no clue until I read about it doing this… this shows they were one of the few pop/rock music artists to be taken seriously by major critics.
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I think William Mann was just showing off to his readers, as I am sure that very few of them knew what this meant.
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It did them and rock music a big favor though…it introduced them to people who would not have normally listen to them or rock music.
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There was a DJ on KFOG in San Francisco (Dave Morey) who said “yay” every time he played the Beatles. that’s all I can say today – “yay”.
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Thats a good word to use…I’ll join in…yah!
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As is the case with countless others, The Beatles are by far the most influential musicians ever in my life. I started loving them when I was very young and my somewhat unreliable memory tells me that “Meet The Beatles” was the second album of theirs that I acquired (“Beatles 65” being the first). This would’ve been 1966 for me—I was only 4 so my parents were just slightly behind in getting whatever Beatles music they could for me 😊. Even as a 4-year-old, this song stood out! Obviously, I had no idea what an “Aeolian cadence” was (nor do do I know now), but I just knew I loved the melody, especially the “you-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-yeah” John sings in the verse following the piano solo. When I got a little older, I would read anything about The Fab Four that I could get my hands on, and recalled a couple of authors mentioning that “Aeolian” quote, but until your post this morning, I didn’t recall what song it referred to, so thank you for the reminder 😊. The Beatles made me want to be a musician, which I have been (though mostly unsuccessful) since I was a kid. I did a live cover of the song nearly 50 years later in 2013 and I just wanted to share it with you. I really appreciate what you do here, Max. Thanks and enjoy the three-day weekend!
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Good version Scott!
I was a second generation Beatle fan…I was 8 in 1975 and that is when I heard Meet The Beatles for the first time…this song and It Won’t Be Long I loved off of that album. After that I kept buying albums from my allowance and read everything possible.
I started to play music in 1983 or so and learned many of the ones I always liked.
You did a good version here…I like the piano in the middle. ..
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Pretty good tune that is yet another I don’t think I’ve heard before. Definitely sounded better than much of the competition back then … and when the classical critics start looking at your records and comparing you to old composers, you’re obviously not a fly-by-night product of hype.
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That review really helped them…and rock music in general. I would imagine it got people looking at them more that would not normally look. Meet The Beatles is a fantastic album…the only song I don’t really like is Little Child…the others I love.
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While the technical aspects are beyond me, that fact this is another example of the genius of in this case John Lennon does not. I think this is a song that benefited greatly by being remastered, something I can’t say with confidence about all The Beatles songs. Great to revisit a tune I have not heard in ages.
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My favorite remastered album was The White Album…that was the first time I thought…wow…it’s not muddy anymore.
Those early songs benefit a great deal…because of separation…but I hated the CD’s in the 80s.
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Their catalogue, from beginning to end, is filled ear-pleasing delight. It stands the test of time. I can’t dissect it musically, but I don’t need to.
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I like getting these non hits in.
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I appreciate hearing the non hits with Mega Stars. The radio can get in only a fraction.
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I think this is the first time the Beatles and George Martin used double tracking – in this case on Lennon’s voice. The Beatles were swiftly becoming a band who made music that couldn’t be replicated in a live performance.
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I do think it was the first time they used double tracking.
Yea and by 66 it was nearly impossible to replicate it.
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Could it be possible there’s a Beatles song I don’t know? I suppose, though the likelihood is low. While I didn’t recognize “Not a Second Time” based on the title, I knew it right away as I started listening to the clip. I agree it’s a really good early Beatles song!
John’s comments about Aeolian cadences are funny. Even though I learned some music theory when I took guitar lessons as a teen back in Germany, I also have no idea what Aeolian cadences are. I could look it up but don’t feel it’s critical to know to enjoy the song! 🙂
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I took such a liking to this song as a kid…it was that melody and his voice…this one and “All I’ve Got To Do ”
That album is great…that is one American version that I really like.
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Not sure about the Aeolian Cadences, but my favourite bits are the drum fills before the choruses. I’ll always argue the case for their early stuff, when it gets overlooked for everything from Revolver onwards, and this is a great example of how sophisticated it could be!
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I do agree with you. I know some who love their early stuff and others who won’t give it a chance. I tell them…the Revolver on music has the same melodies underneath…just different packaging.
I’ll be there tomorrow!
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Cool pick and not an obvious Beatles tune to pick as well. Deep cuts man!
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I wasn’t sure what an Aeolian cadence was either! Although the Aeolian scale is just a fancy Greek name for a minor scale (I think).
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I was going to ask you about it. Ok…now that would make sense and I would understand it. Although I like the thought of exotic birds!
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There are 7 Greek “modes” – Dorian, Ionian, Lydian, Locrian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Phrygian. Composers use them fairly often – and Church Gregorian Chant uses them all the time! Each is an equivalent scale by starting on each note of the scale on the piano playing only white notes. So Aeolian would start on A and go ABCDEFGA – except in traditional Western Music the G is played G# – and that makes the minor scale! Sorry to sound a know-all!
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I looked up some of the Church Gregorian Chants…thats what I thought you meant.
No that is fine Bruce…you know this stuff…I play strictly by ear…you can do both and in the proper way.
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I bought “Meet The Beatles” when I was nine years old, so fondly remember this song. Interesting commentary John made about intellectuals of the day and how they regarded music. Sounds similar to some music snobs today who dismiss anything sounding the least bit pop or mainstream.
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Looking back…it was the perfect album for me to be introduced to them.
I agree…a lot of critics are like that.
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