649 – The Beatles – Getting better (1967)

Escrita por Paul McCartney com algumas partes da letra escrita por John, foi gravada em 9 de março de 1967 e lançada no disco Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, em 26 de maio de 1967.

O título e a música sugerem otimismo, mas parte da canção tem um tom negativo. O otimismo parte de Paul e o pessimismo parte de John. Paul fala It's getting better all the time. Ai John fala Can't get any worse.

John disse que a parte que ele escreveu I used to be cruel to my woman, I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved era ele mesmo. Ele disse que era cruel e batia nas mulheres. Ele disse que virou um pacifista pois é era homem violento.

Durante a gravação de Getting better, John Lennon não estava passando bem e o produtor George Martin levou-o pro teto. Só que ele havia tomado LSD e Martin não sabia. Quando chegou e encontrou com George Harrison e Paul no estúdio, voltaram correndo pra evitar que ele caísse de cima do teto.

Paul cantou, tocou baixo, piano elétrico e bateu palmas. John fez backing vocals, tocu guitarra rítmica e bateu palmas. George Harrison fez backing vocals, tocou guitarra solo, tambura e bateu palmas. Ringo tocou bateria, congas e bateu palmas. George Martin tocou piano, pianet e um virginal.

A letra:

t's getting better all the time

I used to get mad at my school (No I can't complain)
The teachers who taught me weren't cool (No I can't complain)
You're holding me down (Oh), turning me round (Oh)
Filling me up with your rules (Foolish rules)

I've got to admit it's getting better (Better)
A little better all the time (It can't get more worse)
I have to admit it's getting better (Better)
It's getting better since you've been mine

Me used to be angry young man
Me hiding me head in the sand
You gave me the word, I finally heard
I'm doing the best that I can

I've got to admit it's getting better (Better)
A little better all the time (It can't get more worse)
I have to admit it's getting better (Better)
It's getting better since you've been mine
Getting so much better all the time
It's getting better all the time
Better, better, better
It's getting better all the time
Better, better, better

I used to be cruel to my woman
I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved
Man I was mean but I'm changing my scene
And I'm doing the best that I can (Ooh)

I admit it's getting better (Better)
A little better all the time (It can't get more worse)
Yes I admit it's getting better (Better)
It's getting better since you've been mine
Getting so much better all the time
It's getting better all the time
Better, better, better
It's getting better all the time
Better, better, better
Getting so much better all the time

A versão de Paul McCartney:

A versão de Peter Frampton com Bee Gees:

A versão de Cheap Trick: