I Want To Hold Your Hand - Lecture Series 41 (bonus)

In this lecture, Kenyon offers a comprehensive analysis of “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” a track often celebrated for its cultural impact but rarely studied for its structural depth. Far from merely a straightforward pop song, Kenyon argues that its emotional resonance stems from a carefully balanced interplay between action and sentiment, mirrored in both its lyrics and harmonic choices. The lecture examines how Lennon and McCartney use alternating couplets to create tension between directness and vulnerability, supported by a harmonic pattern that moves fluidly between major and minor tonalities. Kenyon highlights the song’s use of the "two-bridge" form, deceptive cadences, plagal resolutions, and Paul McCartney’s rhythmic double-stop bass work. Special attention is given to the song’s harmonic ambiguity—especially in the B minor vs. B7 debate—and to George’s understated arpeggios buried in the mix. This session reframes “I Want to Hold Your Hand” as a masterclass in pop composition and emotional architecture.

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