Listen "You Can't Do That - Episode 45"
Episode Synopsis
The Beatles wrote dozens of love songs—but “You Can’t Do That” is all jealousy, threat, and menace. In this episode, Peter and Kenyon unpack John Lennon’s ferocious 1964 track, a surprisingly harsh B-side to the exuberant “Can’t Buy Me Love.” The hosts explore how Lennon channels emotional volatility through biting lyrics, raw vocal delivery, and a snarling lead guitar part that George Harrison devised with a newly acquired Rickenbacker 12-string. They delve into the song’s modal blues influences, subtle key ambiguities, and its use of stop-time syncopation in the verses—a rhythmic tension that mirrors the song’s lyrical unease. The conversation also touches on the song’s live arrangements, early mixes, and the moment when Paul’s high harmony nearly outshines the lead vocal. “You Can’t Do That” may not be a Beatles chart-topper, but in this episode, it gets the spotlight as one of their most emotionally charged early recordings.Website: https://www.notebynoteseries.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/NoteByNoteSeriesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/notebynoteseries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More episodes of the podcast The Beatles: Note By Note
Baby's In Black - Episode 72
06/12/2025
Baby's In Black - Lecture Series 72 (bonus)
06/12/2025
I'm A Loser - Episode 71 with Abigail Devoe
29/11/2025
I'm A Loser - Lecture Series 71 (bonus)
29/11/2025
No Reply - Episode 70 with Skylar Moody
22/11/2025
No Reply - Lecture Series 70 (bonus)
22/11/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.