The Beatles Bible

Inspired by Paul McCartney’s often-stormy relationship with Jane Asher, ‘What You’re Doing’ saw The Beatles experimenting with arrangement and production in a number of ways.

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Wikipedia

"What You're Doing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their album Beatles for Sale, released in December 1964. It was written by Paul McCartney, although credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song was one of eight original compositions …

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Having read the Beatles Bible page (I also have the Many Years Ago book), I agree with Paul McCartney’s own assessment of the song:

“You sometimes start a song and hope the best bit will arrive by the time you get to the chorus… but sometimes that’s all you get, and I suspect this was one of them.”

This song is from Beatles For Sale and was recorded in October 1964. The lyrics and melody are (by Beatles standards) nothing to write home about, but this is ahead of its time in terms of production and arrangement, very much pointing the way toward the sounds on I Feel Fine (recorded around the same time), Ticket to Ride and Rubber Soul.

I think you can perhaps see this track as a “missing link” fossil in the evolution of the mid-Sixties sound. (Not really “missing” – but transitional and less well known). The prominent trebly lead guitar under the vocals is a big part of this. It predates the influential Byrds’ version of Mr Tambourine Man (interestingly, that seems to be in the same key). Meanwhile the drum intro sounds a bit like a sped up version of Be My Baby.