Left off the US version of Rubber Soul, this was released as the B-side to "Nowhere Man" in America. The song dates back to 1957, when the group was known as The Quarrymen. The Quarrymen were a Skiffle group, Skiffle being a king of music reminiscent of Country & Western with roots in Jazz, involving banjos and various improvised instruments such as a washboard and a washtub. John Lennon was tremendously influenced by Lonnie Donegan, and The Quarrymen in fact covered several Donegan songs.
Ringo helped Lennon and McCartney write this and received his first songwriting credit for it - the composition credit on most Beatles songs is Lennon/McCartney, but this is credited to Lennon/McCartney/Starkey. Ringo also sang lead. Incidentally, this song being partially credited to "Starkey" is a good time to point out that Ringo Starr's actual name is "Richard Starkey," a fact even some Beatles fans seem to be in the dark about. What was Ringo's comment on having received his first song-writing credit? At a 1966 press conference for the album, Ringo jested in his typical self-deprecating style that he'd written "About five words, and I haven't done a thing since!"
John Lennon can be heard answering Ringo's vocal "Tell me why," with "I already told you why," A reference to their earlier song "Tell Me Why."
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