I just don't understand 1961

1. Introduction

The song I Just Don't Understand was originally released by RCA Victor in the United States during June 1961, as a single by then new Swedish-born artist Ann-Margret Olsson - the actress and dancer best known as simply Ann-Margret (b.1941) and for films such as Viva Las Vegas (1963) with Elvis Presley and the film noir Once a Thief (1965) with French actor Alain Delon. The song I Just Don't Understand was written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kent Westberry. The latter went on to record a version in 1981; however, Wilkin does not appear to have ever done so, though she did release a number of largely Christian recordings during the 1980s. The Ann Margret version entered the Billboard Top 40 the week of 21 August 1961 and stayed 6 weeks, peaking at #17. It also peaked at #6 on the CHUM chart in October 1961 and spent 12 weeks on that chart. 

The recording was produced by Chet Atkins and Dick Pearce. It was a very sultry, bluesy song, with dominant harmonica rhythm and lead breaks, along with an early version of fuzz-tone guitar fills. The latter has been noted in a number of historical assessments:

Session guitarist Billy Strange, a friend of session musician and technician Red Rhodes, uses the Rhodes fuzz box on the the Ann Margaret recording I Just Don't Understand. This is one of the first recorded uses of a fuzz box.

The song was subsequently recorded by a variety of artists during the 1960s - refer the Australian Pop Archives webpage - and through to the current day, in a variety of genres, from jazz, through blues, rock and country. Most notably, The Beatles did a version in 1963. Links to some of these recordings are presented below.

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2. Lyrics

I Just Don't Understand was composed by Marijohn Wilkin and Kent Westberry.

Well you call me your baby
When you're holdin' my hand
Mm, how you can hurt me
I just don't understand
Well you say that you need me
Like the ocean needs sand
But the way you mistreat me
I just don't understand
Well you know that I love you
More than anyone can
But a one-sided love
I just don't understand (don't understand)
------ harmonica ------
Well you know that I love you
More than anyone can
But a one-sided love
I just don't understand (don't understand)
Well you call me your baby
And you hold my hand
Ah, honey, you hurt me
And I just don't understand (don't understand)

The music of the song is a simple progression in Em and Am, with some B7 and various riffs and fills. Aspects of the playing with guitar are presented in the Lesson section below.

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3. Versions

1961

* Ann Margaret, RCA Victor, June 1961, YouTube, duration: 2.38 minutes. Original rhythm and blues version. Remastered version 2016.

1962

* Les Paul and Mary Ford, 5 November 1962, YouTube, 7 January 2016, duration: 2.36 minutes. Includes replication of the original fuzz-tone guitar sound.

1963

* The Beatles, live studio version for radio, BBC Pop Go the Beatles, 20 August 1963, YouTube, 5 July 2018, duration: 2.47 minutes. An isolated John Lennon vocal track is also available.

* I Just Don't Understand, Stowe School concert, 4 April 1963, live bootleg version, The Beatles Rare Tracks, YouTube, 23 August 2023, duration: 2.57 minutes. Released April 2023.

* Sophie, France, 1963, YouTube, duration: 2.36 minutes. A jazzy version in French, with harmonica like the original, plus strings and horns replacing the fuzz guitar.

1964

* The Cresters, UK, January 1964, YouTube, 23 September 2016, duration: 2.09 minutes. Pop version.

* Tom Adderley and Max Merritt & His Meteors, New Zealand, July 1964, duration: 2.29 minutes. Pop version with heavy use of fuzz guitar.

* Freddie and the Dreamers, UK, 1964, YouTube, duration: 2.03 minutes. Pop version.

1965

* Normie Rowe and the Playboys, Australia, June 1965, YouTube, 19 September 2019, duration: 2.21 minutes. Rocky, pop version. A live version from Festival Hall, Melbourne, is also presented below. The band comprised Billy Billings (guitar), Peter Carrol (bass) and Graeme Trottman – “Trotta” (drums).

* Carmen Cole, US, 1965, YouTube, duration: 2.25 minutes. Similar to the Ann Margret version. Produced by Chet Atkins, who also produced the original Ann Margaret version.

c.1968

* Katty Line, France, circa 1968, YouTube, duration: 2.57 minutes. Jazzy version. Similar backing to Sophie 1963.

1973

* Jerry Reed, 1973, YouTube, 13 February 2010, duration: 2.58 minutes. Rock version. Beautiful guitar solo, with a bit of wah.

1981

* Kent Westberry and the Memory Makers, 1981, YouTube, duration: 2.52 minutes. Electrified country version. Westberry was one of the composers of I Just Don't Understand. A 1995 article of his discussing the song is included below.

Santa Cruz Sentinel, 6 June 1995.

2010

* TheWalrusWasDanny, YouTube, 2 October 2010, duration: 3.02 minutes. Acoustic version.

2012

* Sheng Moua, US, 26 June 2012, YouTube, duration: 1.34 minutes. Acoustic version.

2014

* Spoon, 16 September 2014, YouTube, duration: 2.37 minutes. Studio version.

2015

* Kate-Margaret, 15 July 2015, YouTube, duration: 3.12 minutes. Studio version with strings.

2018

* Springbreeze Harukaze, 9 June 2018, YouTube, duration: 3.11 minutes. Performed by a Japanese musician.

2019

* Britana, 20 February 2019, YouTube, duration: 2.15 minutes. Primarily a solo voice version.

2022

* Stuart Herbertson, Australia, 7 August 2022, YouTube, duration: 2.47 minutes. Live acoustic version.

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4. Lessons

The following videos provide reference to how the song can be played using the guitar.

* Judge Timbers, Beatles version, guitar lesson, YouTube, 22 March 2021, duration: 3.37 minutes.

* Clay Novak, I Just Don't Understand (Live At The BBC) Beatles Lead Guitar cover, YouTube, 2 October 2020, duration: 2.50 minutes.

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Last updated 14 December 2023

Michael Organ, Australia

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