And I Love Her

Richard Furnstein: Paul McCartney is in love. Let him tell you about it. He doesn't pull any punches, love is the only noun and verb that can reflect Paul's feelings. Ringo's claves provide the steady heartbeat of this song; a call and response between two hearts with the cold resonance of a symphony of crickets.

Robert Bunter: Oh man, that's deep. McCartney is singing a melody of joyful devotion, but the downcast, melancholy chord changes and moody gut-string guitars sing a different tune. He knows that his wonderful relationship with Jane Asher (or whoever he was sparking when he wrote this one) is supposed to bring happiness and set his mind at ease, but deep down he is aware that life is fleeting and love is even more so. He's saying one thing and meaning another. In literature, that's called irony.

Richard Furnstein: It's a transient love; one born of young, misguided feelings. A potent brew, but he realizes that it could pass at any moment. "If you saw my love you'd love her to, I love her." He has no choice. This is a puppy love anthem. However, it is important to realize that puppies are easily distracted and can start chasing a paper cup down the street and lose their owners. "A love like ours could never die as long as I have you near me." Watch your love, love.

Robert Bunter: Yeah. It's like listening to a guy tell you about how happy he is while he's in the process of engraving a suicide note onto a piece of paper that he made from bits of his own torn-off skin and marinated in his tears.

Richard Furnstein: Yeah. "And I love her." It's like an afterthought. Oh, by the way, I'm in love. 

Robert Bunter: It's clever, the way they ended the song on that unexpected major chord (perhaps the only Picardy third in the Fabs' catalogue?), which just sets the listener up so perfectly for "Tell Me Why," which is coming up next on the wonderful A Hard Day's Night album.

Richard Furnstein: So we agree: it's one of Paul's prettiest numbers but also thematically and sonically baffling. Whoa, this was packaged with "If I Fell" for a single? Be still my beating heart!