I’m Happy Just To Dance With You is unusual in being a Lennon-McCartney song where the lead vocal is taken by George Harrison. I think it’s one of just two among their official recordings.
The Beatles Bible‘I’m Happy Just To Dance With You’ was written by Lennon and McCartney as George Harrison’s vocal spot on the A Hard Day’s Night album.
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WikipediaAccording to the Beatles Bible, both Lennon and McCartney agreed that it had been written with George in mind. McCartney describes it as one of those that panders to the fans, and not one that he or Lennon would have wanted to sing because “it was a bit…” (this quote is from the Barry Miles book). The sentence trails off, but I think you can imagine him saying “soft” or something similar. The lyrics would certainly reassure any potential in-laws: “I don’t want to kiss or hold your hand.” etc. All in line with the Beatles clean-cut image. A long way from “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road”!
The Hard Day’s Night album on which I’m Happy Just To Dance With You appears was probably the peak of Lennon’s raw productivity as a writer (he is said to have been sole writer on 8 tracks, and to have co-written this one). He seemed to have mastered the catchy pop song and was now able to write convincing and accessible songs “to order” i.e., to fulfil a particular commercial or musical function within a bigger project or for a hit single.
I always think that Harrison is an excellent singer and I think his contributions to covers and Lennon-McCartney originals in their early shows and albums were a big part of what made the Beatles distinctive. Both George Martin and Brian Epstein (who were crucial in seeing their potential for national or global fame) had at least as impressed by the group’s unique charm and personality as by their music. By giving each member of the band their turn in the spotlight, the audience could identify with their different characters and personalities. I think the fact that George could sing lead was an important part of creating this group persona in their early days.
The Beatles might well have been able to carry on as clean-cut commercial cartoon mop-tops indefinitely, but fortunately they had bigger ambitions. Once their movies were finished they used the capital they’d built up with fans and record companies to try something more artistically fulfilling.