This site covers the original British Beatles Albums plus analyses of the lyrics of non-album tracks.
Information on how the Beatles wrote the lyrics to the Beatles for Sale album can be navigated from below.
Beatles Album: Beatles for Sale : Track 2
Year: 1964
Lyrics: Lennon and McCartney
Length: 2.31
The I’m a loser song was written by John and the lyrics are very inspired by Bob Dylan, at the time of writing I’m a loser Lennon was obsessed with the Dylan sound. The song was also inspired by a meeting with the journalist Kenneth Allsop of the daily mail. Allsop had said to John that he didn’t really like the Beatles songs that much because they were all about boys loving girls, or girls loving boys, and that they should write something about their own personal experiences. Though John had previously written songs about being in sorrow and feeling lonely and abandoned, this song marked a change in that he delve much deeper into his sorrow and described himself as a loser in life rather than just a loser in love.
The influence of Dylan can be clearly heard in the music and lyrics to I’m a loser, in the song John takes the role of lead vocalist.
John Lennon: Lead vocals, Acoustic guitar, Harmonica.
Paul McCartney: Harmony vocals, Bass guitar.
George Harrison: Lead Guitar
Ringo Starr: Drums, Tambourine