One of the most enduring legacies of Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary is the wave of insightful analysis and appreciation it has sparked around The Beatles’ music. Instead of attempting a definitive review of the documentary itself, this article delves into a particular song highlighted in Get Back: “I’ve Got a Feeling,” exploring its enduring appeal and raw emotional power.
While not always considered a top-tier Beatles track, “I’ve Got a Feeling” holds a unique fascination. It’s a song that invites scrutiny, and perhaps even initial dismissal. One might even find themselves agreeing with critiques labeling it as a somewhat disjointed, even lazy, effort from a band seemingly on the verge of exhaustion. Indeed, a closer look at its construction reveals a somewhat unconventional approach.
Initial Doubts and Structural Quirks
Analyzing “I’ve Got a Feeling,” one quickly notices its unconventional structure. It feels almost like two distinct musical ideas fused together – a testament to the collaborative, and sometimes fragmented, songwriting process of Lennon and McCartney. The primary sections are largely Paul McCartney’s creation, while the bridge, with the lines “Everybody had a hard year…,” originates from John Lennon. Melodically, it’s less intricate than many McCartney classics, and the lyrics are undeniably straightforward. In the context of the Get Back project, which aimed for a return to raw, unadorned rock and roll, sonic experimentation takes a backseat. It’s a far cry from the sophisticated compositions of “Eleanor Rigby” or the psychedelic soundscapes of “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Interestingly, within Get Back, George Harrison himself pinpoints a perceived weakness in “I’ve Got a Feeling.” He highlights the section where Paul passionately sings “All these days I been wandering around…,” noting its static melodic nature, hanging on a single note. McCartney concurs, acknowledging that the line’s impact relies heavily on sheer vocal force rather than melodic development. Yet, despite this awareness, the song remains unaltered, this “flaw” uncorrected.
Initially, these observations might reinforce a sense that “I’ve Got a Feeling” is somewhat overrated, a product of the Beatles’ immense talent carrying even their lesser works. However, witnessing the song’s evolution within the Get Back documentary, particularly during the final Apple sessions and the iconic rooftop concert, drastically shifts this perspective.
The “Get Back” Revelation: The Rooftop Performance Shift
As Get Back progresses towards the climactic rooftop performance, a transformation occurs in the perception of “I’ve Got a Feeling.” The Beatles, deeply familiar with the song after extensive rehearsals, lock into a powerful groove. Paul and Ringo’s rhythmic interplay becomes seamless. Billy Preston’s keyboard adds another layer of dynamism. John’s distinctive riff and George’s bluesy guitar lines intertwine perfectly. And then there’s Paul’s vocal performance. Despite, or perhaps because of, the personal and band-related pressures evident during this period, McCartney sounds genuinely liberated. His shouts, whoops, and call-and-response exchanges with John (“Oh yeah – Oh yeah?”) are infectious.
And when he unleashes that seemingly static, single-note line that George critiqued – it becomes the song’s undeniable high point. It’s not a flaw, but a release. It’s not melodic weakness, but raw, unadulterated feeling.
The Power of “Feel”: Beyond Technicality
This experience underscores the limitations of purely analytical approaches to music. “I’ve Got a Feeling” isn’t about intricate melodies or lyrical complexity; it’s about something more fundamental: feel. As George Saunders eloquently puts it in A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, art often operates in that space “just before we start to explain or articulate,” capturing a “knowing” that is “superior to our usual (conceptual, reductive) way.” This resonates deeply with the essence of “I’ve Got a Feeling.”
The Beatles, perhaps intuitively, understood this primacy of “feel.” For them, music was a superior form of communication, transcending the limitations of words alone. This emphasis on “feel” is central to much of 20th-century popular music, which initially baffled “Serious People” accustomed to more traditional forms of musical analysis. “Feel” resists notation; it’s in the phrasing of Louis Armstrong’s trumpet, the timbre of Billie Holiday’s voice, the very texture of electric instruments – elements that expand music’s expressive palette beyond conventional technical vocabulary. The teenage fans screaming for The Beatles in 1964 grasped this revolution on a visceral level, perhaps more profoundly than some contemporary critics.
While songwriting craft is undoubtedly important, as evidenced by McCartney’s meticulous approach to songs like “Here, There and Everywhere,” sometimes over-analysis can overshadow the raw emotional core of a song. Perhaps McCartney consciously or unconsciously allowed “feel” to take precedence in “I’ve Got a Feeling.” In the midst of the band’s internal tensions, channeling pure, unfiltered emotion through performance became a powerful and necessary release.
Why “I’ve Got a Feeling” Resonates: Song as Pure Emotion
“I’ve Got a Feeling” may not be a display of lyrical genius or complex musical architecture. Its brilliance lies elsewhere. It’s a song that is a feeling, rather than a song about a feeling. Its power isn’t easily dissected or explained through conventional musical terms. It’s experienced, felt, and understood on a deeper, more intuitive level. And in that raw, visceral emotionality, lies its enduring appeal and its undeniable strength. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most profound artistic statements are those that bypass the analytical mind and speak directly to the heart.
