All I've Got to Do

** A TOP TEN FAVORITE **

Album: With the Beatles

Year: 1963

Written by: Lennon & McCartney

This gorgeous little ballad was recorded in just one day and was finished mere hours after John first played it for his bandmates. Such was the genius of The Beatles—they were so tuned in that they could create enduringly beautiful music in a very short amount of time.

Something else that made them special was how they incorporated many different musical styles into their songs. Like their idol Elvis Presley before them, The Beatles were heavily influenced by the rich tradition of African-American music, and they repeatedly acknowledged its influence on their songwriting. "We loved the music and wanted to spread it in any way we could," John wrote after The Beatles broke up. "In the '50s there were few people listening to blues, R&B, rock and roll.... [We] drank, ate, and slept the music, and also recorded it. Many kids were turned on to black music by us."

John was influenced by two of his favorite songwriters, Smokey Robinson and Arthur Alexander, when writing All I've Got to Do. Additionally, the syncopated rhythms of this song probably came from his love of ska music, which was popular in Jamaica at the time.

All I've Got to Do features a beautiful and soulful lead vocal performance by John, while Paul and George provide the backing vocals. Like most of John's ballads, there is a lovely but overall sad feel to this song that makes it emotionally lush. For this reason and more, All I've Got to Do is one of my Top Ten Favorite Beatles Songs.