The Night Before

"The Night Before" is a song by The Beatles from the album and film Help!. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon/McCartney.

Composition and recording
John Lennon plays a Hohner Pianet electric piano throughout the song accompanied by McCartney's ascending and descending bass lines. The song's verse has a call and response structure, McCartney's lead vocal alternating with Lennon and George Harrison' harmony, singing the chorus "Aaah the night before...", the whole being alternated with a second melody. McCartney plays a guitar solo on the third verse that is recapitulated in part as the coda of the song.

Film performance
The song is performed on Salisbury Plain in the second Beatles film, Help! and, just as it finishes, a mine explodes, leading the audience to believe briefly that the Beatles have been blown up.

Personnel

 * Paul McCartney – double-tracked vocal, bass, lead guitar
 * John Lennon – harmony vocal, electric piano
 * George Harrison – harmony vocal, guitar
 * Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine (?)
 * Personnel per Ian MacDonald; he was uncertain if the percussion instrument was a tambourine or not.

Cover versions

 * Restless Heart released a cover version on their 2004 album Still Restless.