“I’ve Got A Feeling” is a Beatles’ song on their 1970 album, “Let It Be”. However there are three versions available on various albums.
In Detail
Album
Recorded: 30th January, 1969 (rooftop concert)
Genre: Blues rock, hard rock
Track Duration: 3:37
Record Label: Apple, EMI
Songwriter: Lennon-McCartney
Producer: Phil Spector
Engineer: Glyn Johns
Performers
Paul McCartney: bass guitar, also the lead vocals
John Lennon: rhythm guitar, as well as the co-lead vocals
George Harrison: lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums
Other Performer
Billy Preston: electric piano
Track Sources
Let It Be
Anthology 3
Let It Be… Naked
I’ve Got A Feeling
The unusual thing about this track is that it is a combination of two unfinished Beatles’ songs. Firstly, there’s the Paul McCartney number, “I’ve Got a Feeling” and then there’s John Lennon’s “Everybody Had a Hard Year”.
The track obviously takes on the title from McCartney’s optimistic song rather than the downbeat one by Lennon.
Let It Be Album (1970)
Anthology 3 Album (1996)
Let It Be… Naked Album (2003)
Upbeat Downbeat
These unfinished songs capture a snapshot of their lives around the time when they were working on the “White Album“.
McCartney’s positivity led him to write a love song with Linda Eastman in mind, indeed their marriage was in March, 1969. However, John Lennon was going through a hard time when he wrote his song. Hence the title. But he changed it from “Everyone” to “Everybody” in December, 1968. The song is obviously a litany where every line starts with the word “Everybody”.
Lennon divorced his first wife, Cynthia Lennon, and because of this he was unable see his son Julian. His girlfriend, Yoko Ono, lost a baby and he was also a heroin addict as well. The police arrested him for possessing drugs too. This was also a period in time when The Beatles were drifting apart and band members were not happy working together.
Be that as it may, they did stay together until 1970 and these two songs blend in with each other nicely.
Recording Studio
This track comes from the rehearsals for the 1970 documentary film, “Let It Be” so there are no take numbers. The song which appears on the 1996 Anthology 3 album has a version from 23rd January, 1969, (the Savile Row sessions).
The version that appears in the film and on the album is from the Apple Building rooftop performance on the 30th January, 1969. In fact, they recorded two versions and it is the first of those which they chose for the master.
In 2003, The Beatles released the the remix album, “Let It Be… Naked”. This album features a composite edit of those two recordings.
