Take Good Care Of My Baby

Composer: Gerry Goffin / Carole King

George Harrison lead guitar (Gretsch Duo Jet guitar), Lead Vocal
Paul McCartney bass (Hofner 500/1 bass), Backing Vocal
John Lennon rhythm guitar (Rickenbacker 325 guitar),
Pete Best drums (blue Premier kit with 26" kick drum)

Mike Smith: Producer
Peter Attwood: Engineer

Recorded: Monday 1 January 1962, Decca Studios, 165 Broadhurst Gardens, London
Recording Medium: Two Track

UK Release: December 1979 (LP: The Decca Tapes [Circuit Records LK 4438-1])
US Release: December 1979 (LP: The Deccagones [Deccagone - No catalogue number listed])

Running Time:

• Mono Mix: 2:29

Available on:

• Lost Decca Sessions

(Source: Revolution in the Head, Ian MacDonald, Vintage 2005, and Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments from Stage to Studio, Andy Babuick, Backbeat Books 2002)

Take Good Care Of My Baby was the sixth song of The Beatles' Decca audition.

Written by one of Lennon and McCartney's favourite American songwriting teams, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, it had been a recent US and UK number one for American teen idol Bobby Vee. Nevertheless, it was an odd choice for The Beatles, who normally avoided this kind of artist and song like the plague. It may be that it was included at the suggestion of Brian Epstein, who had drawn up the list of songs to be performed at the session. However, according to Pete Best, it was Harrison's idea. In Drummed Out: The Sacking of Pete Best, he told author Spencer Leigh, "more than the others, [Harrison] thought we should do one or two from the top twenty." That Harrison sings this track lends support to Best's comment.

Played slightly faster than Vee's original, The Beatles turn in a competent if uninspired performance. Harrison's vocal is confident, but McCartney's nerves still appear to be playing up as his backing vocals are strained.