The Meaning Behind "Come and Get It" by Badfinger and the Conditions Paul McCartney
Badfinger scored one of their biggest hits with “Come and Get It” in 1970. Little did folks know at the time that the song was not only written for them by none other than a Beatle, but the Beatle pretty much spoon-fed the track to the band.
What is the meaning of “Come and Get It”? What was their relationship to Paul McCartney, who wrote and produced the track? And what ultimatum did he make of the band before they were allowed to record the song? Let’s find out, shall we, Sonny?
Badfinger formed in the early ‘60s as The Iveys, until a name change took place at the request of their new label Apple Records. The Beatles-run company signed a wide variety of artists in their first few years of business. But Badfinger performed music in a similar vein to the Fab Four: rock with smart, melodic songwriting and thrilling vocal harmonies.
Unfortunately, they didn’t feel they were receiving enough attention from the label in their earliest days of recording for them. In fact, Badfinger member Ron Griffiths even gave an interview to that effect. Apparently, the old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the grease proved correct in this case, because the band were about to get not just attention from the Fab Four, but a ready-made hit single.
McCartney had recently written a song he intended to give to the soundtrack of the upcoming film The Magic Christian, which would include fellow Beatle Ringo Starr in a starring role. On a whim, he decided it would be a perfect track for Badfinger to use as a single. But he had some conditions, which he described in The Beatles Anthology book:
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
