When I'm Sixty-Four facts for kids

"When I'm Sixty-Four" is a love song by The Beatles. Paul McCartney wrote it, and it was released in 1967 on their famous album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song is about growing old with someone you love. It was a song that parents often enjoyed, but some younger fans of The Beatles weren't as keen on it.

How the Song Was Made

This song is sung by a young man to his girlfriend. He sings about their plans to grow old together. Even though the song is about getting older, Paul McCartney wrote it when he was only sixteen years old!

In their early days, The Beatles sometimes played this song when their music equipment broke down or the power went out. Both George Martin, their producer, and music historian Mark Lewisohn think Paul McCartney might have thought about the song again for Sgt. Pepper because his father turned 64 that same year.

John Lennon said that Paul wrote the song back when they played at the Cavern in Liverpool. He also mentioned that they added a few more words to it, like "grandchildren on your knee."

Recording the Song

The Beatles recorded "When I'm Sixty-Four" on December 6, 1966. This was one of the very first recording sessions for the album that would become Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

They added many layers to the song. Paul McCartney sang the main part on December 8. Then, on December 20, Paul, John Lennon, and George Harrison added their voices for the backing vocals. The sounds of clarinets were added on December 21.

Making it Sound Right

The song is in the key of D-flat major. The Beatles first recorded it in C major, which is a slightly lower key. However, Paul McCartney wanted the song to sound more lively. So, they sped up the recording. This made the song's key go up a little, and it also made Paul's voice sound younger.

When it Was Released

"When I'm Sixty-Four" was almost released as a single. It was considered to be the "B-side" (the second song) to famous songs like "Strawberry Fields Forever" or "Penny Lane".

Instead, their producer, George Martin, decided to release a "double A-side" single. This meant two songs were equally important on the single. This particular single didn't reach number one in the UK. This was unusual for The Beatles, as they had a long string of number one hits before this.

Who Played What

Here are the people who played on the song:

• Paul McCartney – main vocal, backing vocal, bass, piano
• John Lennon – backing vocal, guitar
• George Harrison – backing vocal
• Ringo Starr – drums, chimes
• Robert Burns, Henry MacKenzie, and Frank Reidy – two clarinets, bass clarinet

See also

In Spanish: When I'm Sixty-Four para niños