Run for Your Life (2:17)

The song lyrics establish a threatening tone towards the singer’s unnamed girlfriend (referred to throughout the song as “little girl”), claiming “I’d rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man”. This line, however, was not originally written by Lennon. It is actually a direct lift from the Elvis Presley song “Baby, Let’s Play House”. Lennon admitted this in a number of interviews. Lennon designated this song his “least favourite Beatles song” in a 1973 interview, and later said it was the song he most regretted writing. He also stated that this song was one of George Harrison’s favourite songs on Rubber Soul at that time despite Lennon’s dislike of it.

Lennon would revisit this theme in a more apologetic fashion with his post-Beatles song “Jealous Guy”.

The song, while credited to “Lennon/McCartney”, was primarily a John Lennon composition.