It's for You
Encyclopedia
"It's for You" is a song written by John Lennon
and Paul McCartney
of the Beatles
for Cilla Black
for whom it was a UK Top Ten hit in 1964.
Paul McCartney, who had been present at Abbey Road Studios
when Cilla Black had recorded her breakthrough hit "Anyone Who Had a Heart", had written "It's for You" with John Lennon using "Anyone Who Had a Heart" as the model although Black herself has opined: "For my money, ['It's for You'] is nothing like the 'Anyone...' composition." On 3 June 1964 McCartney cut a demo of "It's For You" to give to Black and producer George Martin
. Black recorded the song at Abbey Road Studios that 2 July with Martin producing the session and she would recall: "That was some session...John [Lennon] and Paul [McCartney] joined me and George Martin. We made one track and then everyone had a go at suggesting how they thought it should be recorded. George said it should be one way, John and Paul another and I just added my suggestions while they were thinking of what else they could do with the composition."
Having Black, well publicized as an associate of the Beatles, record a Lennon-McCartney tune did not result in the anticipated smash hit: "It's for You" followed Black's back-to-back #1 hits: "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "You're My World
", into the Top Ten but remained there for only two weeks - 29 August & 5 September 1964 - at #8 and #7.
In the US "It's for You" became Black's second single release in September 1964: although the precedent "You're My World" had reached the US Top 30, "It's for You" rose no higher on the Billboard Hot 100
than #79.
"It's For You" reached #17 in Australia.
Although Black recorded several Beatles' songs to be album cuts she only had one later single release of a Lennon-McCartney song: "Step Inside Love
" #8 in 1968.
Three Dog Night
recorded an a cappella
version of "It's for You" for their eponymous debut album
in 1969: a performance of the song is also featured on the group's 1969 live album Captured Live at the Forum
.
Recordings of "It's for You" as The Beatles may have performed it are available on the 1989 album by Bas Muys entitled Secret Songs: Lennon & McCartney and on the 1998 release It's Four You by the Australia
n tribute band The Beatnix
.
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
of the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
for Cilla Black
Cilla Black
Cilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
for whom it was a UK Top Ten hit in 1964.
Paul McCartney, who had been present at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
when Cilla Black had recorded her breakthrough hit "Anyone Who Had a Heart", had written "It's for You" with John Lennon using "Anyone Who Had a Heart" as the model although Black herself has opined: "For my money, ['It's for You'] is nothing like the 'Anyone...' composition." On 3 June 1964 McCartney cut a demo of "It's For You" to give to Black and producer George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
. Black recorded the song at Abbey Road Studios that 2 July with Martin producing the session and she would recall: "That was some session...John [Lennon] and Paul [McCartney] joined me and George Martin. We made one track and then everyone had a go at suggesting how they thought it should be recorded. George said it should be one way, John and Paul another and I just added my suggestions while they were thinking of what else they could do with the composition."
Having Black, well publicized as an associate of the Beatles, record a Lennon-McCartney tune did not result in the anticipated smash hit: "It's for You" followed Black's back-to-back #1 hits: "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "You're My World
You're My World
"You're My World" is a ballad originally recorded in 1963 as "Il Mio Mondo" by Umberto Bindi, who co-wrote the Italian-language version with Gino Paoli. Rendered with English lyrics by Carl Sigman as "You're My World",the song has reached No...
", into the Top Ten but remained there for only two weeks - 29 August & 5 September 1964 - at #8 and #7.
In the US "It's for You" became Black's second single release in September 1964: although the precedent "You're My World" had reached the US Top 30, "It's for You" rose no higher on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
than #79.
"It's For You" reached #17 in Australia.
Although Black recorded several Beatles' songs to be album cuts she only had one later single release of a Lennon-McCartney song: "Step Inside Love
Step Inside Love
"Step Inside Love" is a song written by Paul McCartney for Cilla Black in 1967 as a theme for her TV series Cilla, which first aired in the beginning of 1968. Her version was released as a single on 8 March 1968. It reached number eight in the British charts...
" #8 in 1968.
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
recorded an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
version of "It's for You" for their eponymous debut album
Three Dog Night (album)
Three Dog Night is the self-titled debut album by American rock band Three Dog Night. The album was originally released by Dunhill Records on October 16, 1968...
in 1969: a performance of the song is also featured on the group's 1969 live album Captured Live at the Forum
Captured Live at the Forum
Captured Live at the Forum is the third album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1969 .The album was recorded at The Forum in Los Angeles, CA...
.
Recordings of "It's for You" as The Beatles may have performed it are available on the 1989 album by Bas Muys entitled Secret Songs: Lennon & McCartney and on the 1998 release It's Four You by the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n tribute band The Beatnix
The Beatnix
The Beatnix is an Australian Beatles tribute band. It is amongst the longest running Beatles tribute shows in the world. - History :The concept for the band was conceived and assembled in March 1980 by founding member Tony Dean as a live performance entity...
.
Cover versions
- MinaMina (singer)Anna Maria Quaini, Grand Officer , known as Mina, is an Italian pop singer. She was a staple of Italian television variety shows and a dominant figure in Italian pop music from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s known for her three-octave vocal range, the agility of her soprano voice, and her image as an...
recorded an Italian rendering of "It's For You": "Se che mi vuoi", on her 1965 album Studio Uno. - In 2009, Mr. BigMr. Big (band)Mr. Big is an American rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin , Paul Gilbert , Billy Sheehan , and Pat Torpey ; Mr. Big also included Richie Kotzen, a reputable blues-based guitarist who replaced Gilbert in 1999...
covered "It's For You" during their 'Reunion tour'; it was released on his album 'Back to BudokanBack to BudokanBack to Budokan is a live album CD and DVD by the hard rock band Mr. Big. The performance was recorded at Budokan in Tokyo, Japan Jun 20, 2009.-Disc 1:# "Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy " - 4:48# "Take Cover" - 4:46...
'. In this song the lead singer leave the stage, and the rest of the members sang the vocal parts.