John Lennon: I wrote this one. I remember getting the idea from a
Walt Disney film - "Cinderella" or "Fantasia". [webmaster's note: It was "Snow White"] It went something like "D'you want to know a secret, promise not to tell, standing by a wishing well".
John Lennon (in 1980) - "Well, I can't say I wrote it 'for' George. My mother was always... she was a good comedienne and a singer. Not professional, but she used to get up in pubs and things like that. She had a good voice. She could do Kay Starr. She used to do this little tune when I was one or two years old... she was still living with me then. The tune was from a Disney movie: (sings) 'Do you want to know a secret? Promise not to tell? You are standing by a wishing well.' So, I had this sort of thing in my head, and I wrote it and just gave it to George to sing. 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. He has improved a lot since then; but in those days, his ability was very poor."
Paul McCartney (in 1984) - "A song we really wrote for George to sing. Before he wrote his own stuff, John and I wrote things for him and Ringo to do."
