#56: I'm A Loser

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: December 4, 1964
Appears on: Beatles For Sale
Lead vocal: John

It's kind of difficult to think that one of the most successful (and rich) men in the world at the time would call himself a loser, but that's exactly what John does with "I'm A Loser".

The song is the first instance of John's "Dylania", as Tony Barrow called it on the sleeve note for the Beatles For Sale EP. As we all know, Dylan was a huge influence on the Beatles, particularly John and George. However, at this point if you were told that one of the Beatles would be in a group with Dylan, you probably would guess John would be the one.

The two wrote remarkably similar love songs, even before the two finally met during the Beatles' first US tour. Both wrote songs about rejection and it's easy to see the parallels between "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)" and "You Can't Do That", where both singers deal with wild girls who can't seem to control themselves within set boundaries.

With "I'm A Loser", though, John touches on the psyche, looking inwards to find reasons why a girl would be so mean to him. It's kind of like "It Ain't Me Babe", except in John's song, he admits to trying to be able to impress, but fails. In Dylan's song, the singer doesn't even make an attempt. He just brushes the girl away..."...But it ain't me babe. No, no, no, it ain't me you're lookin' for babe!" John's "I'm A Loser" features a guy who wants the girl, even though he knows that she'll just put him down. He knows that it ain't me, but he still goes after her, almost getting a high out of being turned down (OK, maybe that's going a little far, but you can see where I get that...I hope).

I always find part twos of any good trilogy to be the best parts and "I'm A Loser" is certainly the best of the opening trilogy.