| "From a Window" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas | ||||
| B-side | "Second to None" | |||
| Released | 17 July 1964 | |||
| Recorded | 29 May 1964 Abbey Road Studios | |||
| Genre | Beat | |||
| Length | 1:56 | |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney | |||
| Producer(s) | George Martin | |||
| Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"From a Window" is a song written by Paul McCartney, [1] attributed to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which was recorded by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas. It was the last of six Lennon–McCartney compositions recorded by Kramer. [2]
Kramer recorded the song on 29 May 1964 at Abbey Road Studios. [3] George Martin produced the session, which was attended by Lennon and McCartney. [4] McCartney can be heard at the very end of the song, harmonizing on the final word. [2]
"From a Window" was released as a single in the UK on 17 July 1964. Its peak in August at no. 10 indicated an abrupt drop in popularity for Kramer & the Dakotas whose previous chart history comprised four Top 5 hits, two of them no. 1s. [2] The follow-up, "It's Gotta Last Forever", fell short of the UK Top 50, and the subsequent release, " Trains and Boats and Planes", peaking at no. 12 in the summer of 1965, punctuated their two-year UK chart career.
In the US – with " I'll Be on My Way" serving as the B-side – "From a Window" reached no. 23 in October 1964. It was the band's fourth US Top 40 hit in a five-month period, and also their last. [5]
Chad & Jeremy recorded "From a Window" in a December 1964 New York City recording session produced by Jimmie Haskell. The track was featured on the February 1965 album release Chad & Jeremy Sing For You. World Artists Records issued the track as a single that June. By then Chad & Jeremy had other current releases on Columbia Records, but their version of "From a Window" received enough regional attention to register on the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 97.
Billy J. Kramer's version of "From a Window" was included on the 1979 compilation album The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away. [6]
"From a Window" has also been recorded by Cisse ( fi) (album Teen Dreams/ 1976) and by Graham Parker on his album From a Window: Lost Songs of Lennon & McCartney (2003). A cover for the Mexican market: "Desde mi ventana", was recorded by both Los Hermanos Carrión ( es) and Sandro y los de Fuego.
Recordings of "From a Window" as The Beatles may have performed it are available on the 1989 album by Bas Muys entitled Secret Songs: Lennon & McCartney [7] [8] and on the 1998 release It's Four You by the Australian tribute band The Beatnix. [9] [10] It has also been covered by Seattle-based Beatles cover band Apple Jam on their album Off The Beatle Track.
Notes
- ^ Sheff 2000, p. 172.
- ^ a b c Unterberger 2006, p. 346.
- ^ Calkin 2009a.
- ^ Giuliano & Devi 1999, p. 310.
- ^ Whitbutrn 1997, p. 343.
- ^ Calkin 2009b.
- ^ Tagtuner.com
- ^ Gnudb.org
- ^ Answers.com
- ^ Amazon.com
References
- Calkin, Graham (2009a). "From A Window". The Beatles Complete U.K. Discography. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
- Calkin, Graham (2009b). "The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away". The Beatles Complete U.K. Discography. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
- Giuliano, Geoffrey; Devi, Vrnda (1999). Glass Onion: The Beatles in Their Own Words. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80895-1.
- Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying. St Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-25464-4.
- Unterberger, Richie (2006). The Unreleased Beatles: Music and Film. Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-892-3.
- Vaughn, Robin (9 May 2003). "Lost and found: The 'Other' Songs of John Lennon and Paul McCartney". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
- Whitbutrn, Joel (1997). Top Pop Singles 1955-1996. Record Research.
