The Beatles - When I'm Sixty Four Lyrics

The Beatles Lyrics

"When I'm Sixty Four"

When I get older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I'm sixty four?

You'll be older too
And if you say the word
I could stay with you

I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride
Doing the garden, digging the weeds
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I'm sixty four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight
If it's not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck and Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine forevermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I'm sixty four?
Ho!

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Writer(s): Paul McCartney, John Lennon

This song was the first one recorded for the album.

The music for this song was written by Paul McCartney when he was about 15 or 16 years old. The Quarrymen (the previous name of The Beatles) played it on piano during their performance at Cavern Club. The lyrics were written later in 1966, and some say that it's not a coincidence that McCartney's father turned 64 earlier that year.

Paul McCartney wanted to have a clarinet in this song, although it's very unusual to hear it in a rock song. He said, "George helped me on a clarinet arrangement. I would specify the sound and I love clarinets so 'Could we have a clarinet quartet?' 'Absolutely.' I'd give him a fairly good idea of what I wanted and George would score it because I couldn't do that."

Lennon said of this song, "Paul wrote it in the Cavern days. We just stuck a few more words on it like 'grandchildren on your knee' and 'Vera, Chuck and Dave'... this was just one that was quite a hit with us."