Released: July 23, 1965
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 1
Lead vocal: Paul
"You tell lies, thinkin' I can't see
But you can't lie 'cause you're laughin' at me!"
"I'm Down" is Paul's final Little Richard rip-off and it's great fun. The song is most famous as the closing number to the famed Shea Stadium concert in 1965. (Here's probably the best version of it on YouTube.) I can never get tired of watching those four sweaty guys singing (and screaming) their heads off. Then there's John playing his organ with his elbow! I think at that point of the show, they were just so exhausted that John just threw out the play book and went with whatever looked wilder!
While listening to Paul doing his "Long Tall Sally" re-writes is fun, thankfully, this is the last time he did it. "I'm Down" is fun, but we should be thankful that the Beatles made the track a B-Side. It's one of those songs that's actually better live.
"I'm Down" is one of those rarities in the Beatle world in that it actually became a true rarity. It never appeared on either a UK or US album. In both countries, the song failed to make an LP appearance until 1976's Rock 'N' Roll Music. Capitol skipped all opportunities they had to issue it on manufactured albums like "Yesterday"...And Today or Hey Jude. Parlophone in the UK could have issued it on A Collection of Beatles Oldies...But Goldies but failed to do so then.
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