From the Studio Album: With The Beatles (1963)
Song Overview
“Devil In Her Heart” is one of the lesser-known cover songs recorded by The Beatles, but it remains an interesting part of their early catalogue. Released in 1963 on With The Beatles, the song is notable for featuring George Harrison on lead vocals and for demonstrating the group’s love of American rhythm and blues music.
Originally recorded by the Detroit singer Richard Drapkin under the stage name The Donays, the song was relatively obscure when The Beatles discovered it. Their decision to record it reflected their habit of digging deeper than many British groups of the era in search of lesser-known American records.
Today, “Devil In Her Heart” is remembered as one of George Harrison’s strongest early lead vocal performances and a fascinating example of The Beatles’ musical influences during the height of Beatlemania.
Who Wrote the Song?
Unlike many songs in The Beatles’ catalogue, “Devil In Her Heart” was not written by Lennon and McCartney.
The song was written by:
- Richard Drapkin
Drapkin also recorded the original version in 1962 under the name The Donays, a female vocal group from Detroit.
Although the original charted only modestly, it eventually found its way into The Beatles’ record collection and became part of their live repertoire.
When Was the Song Written?
“Devil In Her Heart” was written and originally recorded in 1962.
At the time, The Beatles were actively collecting American rhythm and blues records and frequently searching for interesting songs to perform in their live shows.
The group became aware of the original recording and quickly adopted it, appreciating both its catchy melody and unusual lyrics.
By the time With The Beatles was being assembled, the song had become a natural candidate for inclusion on the album.
Album and Release Information
- Writer: Richard Drapkin
- Album: With The Beatles
- UK Release Date: 22 November 1963
- Record Label: Parlophone
The song appears on With The Beatles, The Beatles’ second studio album.
Although never released as a single by the band, it became known to fans through one of the best-selling albums of the Beatlemania era.
Recording Details
- Recorded: 18 July 1963
- Studio: EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
- Producer: George Martin
- Engineer: Norman Smith
George Harrison sang the lead vocal, making this one of several songs on With The Beatles that helped showcase his abilities as a singer.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney provided backing vocals, creating the harmonies that became one of the defining features of The Beatles’ early sound.
The arrangement remains fairly faithful to the original recording while benefiting from the tighter musicianship and stronger vocal blend that characterised The Beatles during 1963.
Chart Performance
As an album track, “Devil In Her Heart” did not chart independently.
However, With The Beatles was a huge commercial success and reached:
- Number 1 on the UK Albums Chart
The popularity of the album ensured that the song was heard by a wide audience despite its origins as an obscure American recording.
Song Meaning and Interpretation
The song tells the story of a man who is warned that the woman he loves may not be trustworthy.
Friends and acquaintances repeatedly tell him that she has a “devil in her heart” and will eventually hurt him. Despite these warnings, the narrator refuses to believe them and remains devoted to her.
The song explores themes of trust, loyalty and the tendency to ignore criticism when deeply in love. While the lyrics are relatively simple, they tell a complete story and differ from many straightforward love songs of the period.
Interesting Facts
- George Harrison sang the lead vocal.
- The original version was recorded by The Donays in 1962.
- The song was written by Richard Drapkin.
- The Beatles frequently searched for lesser-known American records rather than simply covering major hits.
- Many fans first heard the song through The Beatles rather than the original recording.
- It is one of several Motown-influenced tracks included on With The Beatles.
- The song helped expand George Harrison’s role within the group as a vocalist.
- The original recording remains relatively obscure compared with The Beatles’ version.
Appearances in Film, Television and Other Media
Unlike some Beatles songs from the same period, “Devil In Her Heart” was not prominently featured in a Beatles film.
However, it has appeared on various reissues of With The Beatles, compilation releases and documentaries examining the band’s early years and musical influences.
The song is often discussed in relation to George Harrison’s development as a vocalist and The Beatles’ admiration for American rhythm and blues music.
Legacy
Although it is not among The Beatles’ most famous recordings, “Devil In Her Heart” remains an important part of the band’s early history.
The song highlights their willingness to explore lesser-known material and demonstrates the breadth of their musical tastes. It also provided another opportunity for George Harrison to develop as a frontman and performer alongside Lennon and McCartney.
Today, the track is appreciated by Beatles fans as one of the hidden treasures of With The Beatles and a reminder of the American records that helped shape the band’s sound before they became one of the most influential groups in music history.
Lyrics and Copyright
Lyrics are copyrighted and are therefore not reproduced on this website. Official lyrics can be found through authorised music publishers and authorised Beatles publications.
Note: Information on this page has been compiled from official Beatles releases, interviews, historical records and recognised Beatles reference works. Interpretations of song meanings may vary and are based on publicly available information.