Ticket to Ride

Ticket To Ride
Words & Music: John Lennon & Paul McCartney

I think I'm gonna be sad
I think it's today Yeah
The boy that's driving me mad is going away.

He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
and he don't care.

He said that living with me
was bringing him down Yeah
He would never be free
when I was around.

He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
and he don't care.

Don't know why he's riding so high
He oughta do right
He oughta do right by me
Before he gets to saying goodbye
He oughta do right
He oughta do right by me

I think I'm gonna be sad
I think it's today Yeah
The boy that's driving me mad is going away.

He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
and he don't care, don't care.



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Liner notes
from The Singles 1969-1973 written by Digby Diehl
In retrospect, the transformation of a Lennon-McCartney song into one of the first distinctive presentations of the Carpenters' style seems symbolic. Even though Richard had heard Ticket hundreds of times as a smash by the Beatles in 1965, it was not until 1969 when, hearing it as a flashback, that he got the idea to arrange it as a ballad. Revising chord changes, and enriching harmonies, this version emerged as an ironic interpretation of the same lyrics, a bitter-sweet, lilting lament. As the first song recorded for their first album at A&M studios, it was a remarkable hit single, perhaps due to the complete novelty or a romantic sound in rock. After its release in Ocotber, 1969, Ticket enjoyed considerable airplay and after a while made it to the national pop charts where it remained for three months.


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Other Notes
In the notes to the Carpenters: The Compact Disc Collection, Richard Carpenter wrote:

Our debut single Ticket To Ride stayed on the charts for several months and ultimately peaked at 54. This showed some promise for us but did not move many Offering albums. Nevertheless, Herb continued to "keep the faith" and we started recording a second album. In late 1969 Burt Bacharach heard our version of Ticket To Ride.