Do you want to know a secret? - the story behind the song

This is a love song written by John Lennon and based on a song his mother would sing to him as a child (photo): "Want to know a secret? Promise not to tell? We are standing by a wishing well." ("I'm Wishing" from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs movie).

Although rumors have persisted that John wrote this song about his girlfriend Cynthia, whom he'd just married, evidence remains inconclusive. It is true that he'd gotten her pregnant and was urged by Brian to marry her, yet keep the marriage a secret so as to make him appear available to female fans. But whether the "secret" in question is that John has decided he loves Cynthia, or that their marriage is the secret, is hard to tell. For his part, Lennon always treated it as a generic love song in interviews.

This was given to George to sing and was the first recorded Beatles song not sung by John or Paul. It was not, however, written specifically for him. (George and Ringo were often given songs to sing in the early days, so as to reach out to their individual fans.) John has said that "I thought it would be a good vehicle for him, because it had only three notes and he wasn't the best singer in the world." :)