The Beatles » Tracks » What You're Doing

The Beatles – What You're Doing (2:30)

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About This Track

“What You’re Doing” is a song written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney), one of eight originals of fourteen songs on the 1964 album Beatles for Sale by the group; it also appeared on the 1965 American release Beatles VI.

The song begins, uncommonly for the band, with a drum intro. It is followed by a guitar sequence used throughout the song as an ostinato figure after each verse (providing the song with a sense of unity). The atmosphere of the song is heavily syncopated, lending it a loose, jazzy feel. The influence of Buddy Holly can be felt in the song as well.

According to Richie Unterberger, the performance includes a “chiming 12-string guitar that sounds uncannily like the kind of sounds that became identified with the Byrds’ Roger McGuinn, although ‘What You’re Doing’ was recorded in late 1964, about six months before the Byrds became famous with ‘Mr. Tambourine Man.’”

The song lacks a chorus, so the verses become the melodic focus of the song. In the first half of the verse, the ostinato figure continues to play and the first word of each line is punctuated by exclamatory background vocals. The second half of each verse is harmonized with “oohs,” and the ostinato figure begins before the last line finishes. The overlapping of the ostinato figure contributes to the slightly disordered feel of the song. Each verse ends with a repetition of the title phrase:

Look, what you’re doing
I’m feeling blue and lonely
Would it be too much to ask of you
What you’re doing to me

The overall effect is tense—a tightly arranged song performed very loosely—suiting the lyrical matter of confronting a lover over a crumbling relationship.
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Albums featuring this track

  • A Hard Day's Night
    The Beatles Play
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  • Beatles for Sale
    The Beatles Play
    Buy
  • Beatles VI
    The Beatles Play
    Buy
  • Beatles for Sale - Rubber Soul
    The Beatles Play
    Buy
See all 5 albums

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  • hellcatshalala

    I love this song, but I think Beatles for Sale is their weakest album. But I'm talking about The Beatles, so is an amazing album anyway.

    January 2012

  • Lackie_Chan

    This is from Beatles for Sale not A Hard Day's Night

    January 2012

  • JJJ567

    Sounds like a preview of Help/Rubber Soul. Beatles For Sale is such an underrated album.

    September 2011

  • lesliedahlink

    Aaahhh! I love George's 12-string Rickenbacker. Beautiful!

    August 2011

  • mugshot_tim

    I wish last.fm would do something about the gross errors regarding the wrong track listing for Beatles albums.. totally fecks up my scrobbles.

    August 2011

  • atomicpanda325

    That riff!

    April 2011

  • tigs5959

    one of my favorite songs of all time also my txt tone

    December 2010

  • DrBlur

    Another great and underrated tune from the end of Beatles for Sale

    December 2010

  • Gregreen

    so good

    December 2010

  • shinohiro929

    kinda underrated isn't it

    November 2010

  • tigs6969

    most underrated beatles song imo and my fave

    October 2010

  • RadioheadOasis

    This song is before the Byrds. Yeah.... the story goes that when The Byrds went on a group homage to see "A Hard Day's Night", McGuinn saw George playing his Rick 12-string, .... and afterwards, he immediately traded in his acoustic 12-string for an electric. Jangle Pop really got jumpstarted because of the Beatles influence on the Byrds.

    April 2010

  • BillyShears87

    I LOVE PAUL'S VOICE IN THIS SONG [2]

    April 2010

  • seriouslyso

    I LOVE PAUL'S VOICE IN THIS SONG.

    March 2010

  • Dead-Since-1973

    <3 the intro so much.

    December 2009

  • spacefaceinfurs

    nice!

    November 2009

  • Manolito91

    one of their best, even better than many of their classics

    October 2009

  • pablo_cerve

    One of their best

    October 2009

  • Bolshevized

    Only 20 shouts, huh? This is definitely one of their best early songs.

    September 2009

  • lihei

    One of my favs and best song on Beatles for Sale. Love the remastered version.

    September 2009
See all 41 shouts

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