Don't Pass Me By
This song was
Ringo's first composition for the group, though he had been toying with the idea for some time. He had previously aided in the writing of
What Goes On, from
Rubber Soul. The
working title for the song was "
This is Some Friendly," but as
recording progressed, this was changed. The lines about the car crash were often cited by proponents of the
Paul is dead theories.
This song is Track 14 on Disc 1 of The Beatles, aka The White Album. The song, like most of the songs that Ringo liked, has a definite Country Western feel to it. Other examples include Act Naturally and What Goes On. The main reason for this interest was that Ringo actually wanted to be a cowboy, and was planning on going to Texas just before he was asked to join The Beatles.
The song is 3:50 long. Ringo played the sleigh bell, drums, piano, and contributed the vocals. Paul played both the bass and the piano. And a violinist by the name of Jack Fallon played the violin. The song was recorded at Abbey Road on June 5 and 6, 1968 and July 12 and 22, 1968.
I listen for your footsteps
Coming up the drive
Listen for your footsteps
But they don't arrive
Waiting for your knock dear
On my old front door
I don't hear it
Does it mean you don't love me anymore.
I hear the clock a'ticking
On the mantle shelf
See the hands a'moving
But I'm by myself
I wonder where you are tonight
And why I'm by myself
I don't see you
Does it mean you don't love me any more.
Chorus:
Don't pass me by
Don't make me cry
Don't make me blue
'Cause you know darling I love only you
You'll never know it hurt me so
How I hate to see you go
Don't pass me by
Don't make me cry
I'm sorry that I doubted you
I was so unfair
You were in a car crash
And you lost your hair
You said you would be late
About an hour or two
I said that's alright I'm waiting here
Just waiting to hear from you.
Don't pass me by
Don't make me cry
Don't make me blue
'Cause you know darling I love only you
You'll never know it hurt me so
How I hate to see you go
Don't pass me by
Don't make me cry
(One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...mm)
Don't pass me by
Don't make me cry
Don't make me blue
'Cause you know darling I love only you
You'll never know it hurt me so
How I hate to see you go
Don't pass me by
Don't make me cry
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