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 Hofner 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 – bass guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1), lead vocals, electric piano, lead guitar (1964 Epiphone 230TD Casino)
 * John Lennon – rhythm guitar (1964 Rickenbacker 325), backing vocals
 * George Harrison – lead guitar (1963 Grestch Tennessean), backing vocals
 * 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.