Comments on: Matchbox

By: Donny

Donny — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 15:25:20 +0000

Contradicting theory to put out here, I believe that George and John BOTH played the guitar solo. Why? Because there are two different guitars playing two different styles of a lead break simultaneously. On the 2009 CD reissue of Past Masters, the solo section starts out with two guitars playing and eventually fades out one of the guitars, leaving the one that sounds like George with its quick-noted figures. However, I’ve heard the other solo on its entirety on the mono mix of the song; it sounds a lot like John’s style, more choppy and Chuck Berry-like. John had played the lead guitar solo back in the Hamburg and early BBC days anyway (you can hear Ringo shout encouragingly on one of the BBC recordings “All right, John!”), but maybe since Mr. Perkins was there in the studio George wanted to try his hand at a lead break as well? Who knows!

By: Only a nowhere girl

Only a nowhere girl — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 17:38:23 +0000

Aren’t their three handclaps at 0:02? I think you forgot them in the personnel.

By: jennifur Sun

jennifur Sun — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 09:36:23 +0000

heard Carl say onetime what the origonal version of the lyrics were and they were changed quite a bit when the Beatles recorded it

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 10:09:22 +0000

You're right about the single release. However, it was also on the Something New album, which came out on 20 July (not 24 July; I'm not sure where you got that date from).

By: Beatle Bob

Beatle Bob — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 00:48:33 +0000

The Beatles “Matchbox”/”Slow Down” was actually released in the U.S. as a single on August 24, 1964, not July 24.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 14:28:36 +0000

Listening to the BBC version. Sounds like Ringo incites John verbally… maybe as a reference to the record?

But on the bbc version… that sounds like George’s playing and riffs if I ever heard it.. Listen to ‘Everybodys Tryin To Be My Baby’ from shea stadium. It’s almost the same solo. lol and I’m 99% certain that is a hollowbody. The rick would not have that boxy Gretche tone. it was more biting and trebly in comparison.

The only way its John is if he’s using George’s guitar and george taught him how to play it. lol

By: S. B. Fields

S. B. Fields — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 16:10:20 +0000

In 1964, listening to the Something New album on my little mono player (manual needle arm, very small speaker), I thought the “peach tree “line was followed by “please don’t take my cream” (ahh, the mind of a teenager!).

Regarding ‘Matchbox’…at that time I thought it was out of place for the Beatles to do rockabilly. This was before I developed an appreciation for the genre. Later, I read that Ringo had a warm spot in his heart for rockabilly and, what was then called “country and western”. (e.g., Honey Don’t, Act Naturally, What Goes On, Don’t Pass Me By) .

For a treat, check out this … a few guys messing around in a Nashville studio, doing Matchbox — Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Carl Perkins.

By: MJP

MJP — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 20:36:17 +0000

Pretty sure it’s in the Jerry Lee Lewis version of the song. Not sure where he got it from.

By: Bongo

Bongo — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 20:18:19 +0000

Long Tall Sally is also the 3rd and final Canadian Beatles LP on Capitol, until Canada was forced to release the US LP versions

By: slatts

slatts — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 15:00:50 +0000

I’ve always wondered where the “peach tree” lyric came from. I was your typical “beatlemaniac” and had never heard any of the Beatles covers before I heard their versions. So, when I played Carl Perkin’s recording of the song, I was surprised to find that verse missing. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

By: Gary84

Gary84 — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:20:34 +0000

George’s Rickenbacker is definitely there in this song – although it’s very low in the mix, you can hear it in the ’09 remaster.

By: Gary84

Gary84 — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:18:45 +0000

I sometimes wonder if inaccurate lyrics such as these are a result of them having to learn the song by ear – note the similar ‘problem’ with Long Tall Sally. It’s quite interesting, in that it almost becomes their own variation on the original.

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:52:23 +0000

Thanks for an interesting website! 🙂

The Beatles got the lyrics wrong on “Matchbox”. This has been pointed out by Carl Perkins himself to Paul McCartney.
It should read; “I’m sittin’ here wondering will a matchbox hold my clothes” and so on. That makes more sence also.

Check out this great documentary on YouTube (My Old Friend) and you will see Carl setting Paul straight. 🙂

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:26:31 +0000

Only for cover versions. I don’t want to get on the wrong side of Apple etc, so no Beatles lyrics.

By: Caleb

Caleb — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:59:26 +0000

I’ve noticed that you put in the lyrics for this song, but I haven’t noticed lyrics on any other pages…are you slowly going through and adding lyrics? It would be a nice touch.

By: exarctly

exarctly — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:38:16 +0000

I love how poorly the Ringo double track comes off… maybe it is intentional or just all that graet reverb… but I love how you hear phrases begin and such a couple of times, or hear two distinct Ringo’s or Ringo echoes.

By: Calvin Green

Calvin Green — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:39:24 +0000

John plays the lead guitar. Riff and everything. George plays the 12 string rhythm. If not then John actually picked up his 325/12 in this song. Either way there is both a shock of this song. John playing lead or his 12 string

By: carlos

carlos — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:44:36 +0000

Through the days this song (along with “Slow down” & “Long tall Sally”) was recorded George was using his 12 strings Rickenbacker, but this can´t be heard on any of these songs (only in “I call your name” to name the 4 songs EP “Long…”) Does it mean he wasn´t present, maybe ill or something, and the solos were all played by John ?

By: Deadman

Deadman — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:10:09 +0000

Is it not John playing the lead guitar break?