If I Needed Someone - Composition

Composition

The song was heavily influenced by the music of The Byrds. In a 2004 radio interview with the BBC in London, Roger McGuinn confirmed that Harrison had sent a tape recording of the song to him in Los Angeles before it was released on record. Harrison did this to show McGuinn that the guitar riff he had used in "If I Needed Someone" was based on McGuinn's own riff in "The Bells of Rhymney." "George was very open about it," said McGuinn, who was then going by his given name, Jim. "He sent to us in advance and said, 'This is for Jim' — because of that lick."

"If I Needed Someone" was the only Harrison composition played during any of The Beatles' tours; otherwise Harrison sang only covers onstage. Hence, it is the first and only song written by Harrison performed by him in concert until the group disbanded in 1970. "If I Needed Someone" is one of only two tracks from Rubber Soul that the Beatles performed live (the other was "Nowhere Man"). It was included on The Beatles final UK tour in December 1965, the 1966 NME Poll-Winners All-Star Concert, and on the 1966 Summer World Tour, including The Beatles' very last concert, in Candlestick Park on 29 August 1966. The 1982 documentary The Compleat Beatles used a clip from The Beatles' haggard performance of the song on stage in Tokyo as an illustration of band's growing weariness with touring.

The song is a playable track on The Beatles: Rock Band; despite the venue for the aforementioned Japanese shows appearing in the game, the song is on the level modelled after the group's legendary Shea Stadium performance, which took place before it had been recorded.