 Harrison said he wrote "I Want to Tell You" about "the avalanche of thoughts" that he found hard to express in words.Supporting the lyrics, his stammering guitar riff, combined with the dissonance employed in the song's melody, conveys the difficulties of achieving meaningful communication.The prominent backing vocals from Lennon and McCartney include Indian-style gamak ornamentation in McCartney's high harmony, similar to the melisma effect used in "Love You To".