There's a Place

There's a Place is a song composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and was first released as a track on the Beatles' debut album, Please Please Me. Lennon and McCartney share lead vocals with George Harrison providing backing vocals.

Origins
The title was inspired by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere" from West Side Story, which contained the line: "There's a place for us". McCartney owned the album of the soundtrack at the time of writing "There's a Place" and acknowledges its influence. The "place" in question was the "the mind", making its subject matter slighty more cerebal than Britain's kissing and cuddling songs and America's surf music from that period. Lennon is quoted as saying "'There's A Place' was my attempt at a sort of Motown, black thing. It says: "In my mind there's no sorrow... 'It's all in your mind."

Composed at McCartney's Forthlin Road home, it was part of the the group's stage repertoire in 1963. With its major seventh harmonica intro (later reprised) and searing two-part vocal harmonies in fifths (Lennon low, McCartney high), it stands out as an early Beatles milestone track. The song was recorded on February 11, 1963 in ten takes during the first of three sessions for Please Please Me

The song was officially credited to "McCartney-Lennon", as were all other Lennon-McCartney compositions on the original UK release of Please Please Me

Personnel

 * John Lennon: lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1962 Gibson J-160E), harmonica (Hohner G Chromatic)
 * Paul McCartney: lead vocals, bass guitar (1961 Hofner 500/1)
 * George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar (1962 Gibson J-160E)
 * Ringo Starr: drums (1960 Premier 58/54 Mahogany)

Cover versions

 * A cover version was released by The Flavin' Groovies.
 * The Smithereens also released a cover on their 2008 album B-Sides The Beatles.
 * Latin American Rock legend Charly Garcia recorded a version for his live album "Estaba en llamas Cuando Me Acoste" (1995).
 * A cover version also by Stevie Wonder.

Cultural legacy
It was used at the start of Daniel Farson's Associated-Redifussion documentary "Beat City", a portrait of Liverpool which was shown at Christmas 1963.