Monday, January 21, 2008

When I'm Sixty-Four - The Lyrics

The song is sung by a young man to his lover, and is about his plans of growing old together with her. Although the theme is ageing, it was one of the first songs McCartney wrote, when he was 16.

The Beatles used it in the early days as a song they could play when the amplifiers broke down or the electricity went off. Both George Martin and Mark Lewisohn speculated that McCartney may have thought of the song when recording began for Sgt. Pepper in December 1966 because his father turned 64 earlier that year.
Lennon said of the song, "Paul wrote it in the Cavern days. We just stuck a few more words on it like 'grandchildren on your knee' and 'Vera, Chuck and Dave' ... this was just one that was quite a hit with us."  In his 1980 interview for Playboy he said, "I would never even dream of writing a song like that."





When I get older losing my hair
many years from now

will you still be sending me a valentine
birthday greeting, bottle of wine

If I'd been out till quarter to three
would you lock the door


Will you still need me
Will you still feed me

When I'm sixty-four



You'll be older too

And if you say the word
I could stay with you


I could be handy mending a fuse
when your light have gone

You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings, go for a ride

Doing the garden, digging the weeds
Who could ask for more


Will you still need me
Will you still feed me
When I'm sixty-four


Every summer we can rent a cottage on the Isle of Wight,
if it's not too dear

We shall scrimp and save

Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck, and Dave


Send me a postcard, drop me a line
stating point of view

indicate precisely what you mean to say
yours sincerely wasting away


Give me your answer fill in a form
mine forever more


Will you still need me
Will you still feed me
When I'm sixty-four

"When I'm Sixty-Four" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney) and released in 1967 on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.


  • Paul McCartney - lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, piano
  • John Lennon - backing vocals, lead guitar
  • George Harrison - backing vocals, guitar doubling the bass
  • Ringo Starr - drums, chimes
  • Robert Burns, Henry MacKenzie, Frank Reidy - two clarinets, bass clarinet
Personnel per MacDonald except where noted

No comments: