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'She's A Woman' was written in the studio on October 8, 1964, by Paul and performed in the high-pitched scream which he used to emulate Little Richard. Some lines and a middle eight were added by John. "We needed a real screaming rocker for the live act," said Paul. "It was always good if you were stuck for something to close with or if there was a dull moment." The song praised Paul's woman for being selflessly devoted to him. It was perhaps a little unfortunate that in order to find a rhyme for 'presents' he also had to commend her for being 'no peasant'! 'She's A Woman' was also the first Beatles' song to contain a veiled drug reference. John later confessed that they were quite proud to have inserted the line 'turns me on when I get lonely' and for it to have escaped the attention of the censors. When they used the phrase 'turn you on' three years later (in 'A Day In The Life'), it led to a radio ban: by then, the authorities had become aware of the growing drug culture and its terminology. Significantly, it was just five weeks before recording 'She's A Woman' that the Beatles had smoked marijuana for the first time. Until then, their only experience of drugs had been Drinamyl and Preludin tablets and the contents of Benzedrine inhalers. They were introduced to marijuana in the company of Bob Dylan, who met them for the first time in their suite at the Delmonico Hotel in New York City. The Beatles were happy to drink cheap wine into the small hours, but Dylan wanted to smoke a joined and assumed that they were all dope smokers because he mistakenly thought they had sung 'I get high', instead of 'I can't hide' in 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. The Beatles were apprehensive about joining in at first , but before long the lights were lowered, candles and incense were lit and towels were stuffed along the bottoms of the doors. For the next few hours, the musicians were "legless with laughing" as George Harrison put it later. Paul thought that he'd suddenly been blessed with amazing insights and asked road manager Mal Evans to take notes. 'She's A Woman' was released as the B side of 'I Feel Fine' in Britain and America. "At first, it wasn't so well received," said Paul in 1965. "A lot of people thought that I was just singing too high and that I'd picked the wrong key. It sounded as though I was screeching, but it was on purpose. It wasn't a mistake." |
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