The 100 best Beatles songs – number 17 – Ticket to Ride

At number 17 in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest Beatles songs is “Ticket to Ride”. This song was recorded in February 1965 and released as a single in April 1965. The B-side to the single was “Yes It Is”. Unusually for a Beatles single, it was also included on an album, in this case their 1965 album Help!, but this is more because the song is in the movie, and the album was essentially a soundtrack of the movie.

According to the screen-capture of the Rolling Stone blurb below, its writers were Lennon and McCartney. I defer to their greater knowledge, but I have always thought of “Ticket to Ride” as a John Lennon composition. He certainly takes the lead vocal, and its style is very much Lennon rather than a collaboration between him and McCartney. The single got to number 1 in the Disunited Kingdom, the USA, and many other countries.

At number 17 in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest Beatles songs is “Ticket to Ride”

Here are the lyrics for this great song. It is one of my favourite Beatles songs from 1965.

I think I’m gonna be sad
I think it’s today, yeah
The girl that’s driving me mad
Is going away

She’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
But she don’t care

She said that living with me
Is bringing her down, yeah
For she would never be free
When I was around

She’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
But she don’t care

I don’t know why she’s riding so high
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
Before she gets to saying goodbye
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me

I think I’m gonna be sad
I think it’s today, yeah
The girl that’s driving me mad
Is going away, yeah

Oh, she’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
But she don’t care

I don’t know why she’s riding so high
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
Before she gets to saying goodbye
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me

She said that living with me
Is bringing her down, yeah
For she would never be free
When I was around

Ah, she’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
She’s got a ticket to ride
But she don’t care

My baby don’t care, my baby don’t care
My baby don’t care, my baby don’t care
My baby don’t care, my baby don’t care (fade out)

Here is a version of “Ticket to Ride” being performed live by the Beatles in 1965 concert at Wembley Stadium, as part of the New Musical Express Poll Winners Concert. Enjoy!