This was first recorded as "Match Box Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1927. It was reworked by several Blues musicians afterwards. The Beatles' version is influenced by Carl Perkins recording of the song. The Beatles also covered Perkins' "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby" and "Honey Don't."
The original first line in the song is "Sittin' here wonderin' will a matchbox hold my clothes," a reference to being poor. Perkins uses this line in his version, but Ringo sings both this line and "Sittin' here watchin', matchbox hole in my clothes," which are erroneously assumed by many to be the real lyrics. There are also verses present which do not exist in Perkins' original, suggesting the group had heard other interpretations.
Pete Best, The Beatles original drummer, sang lead on this until he was fired. John Lennon sang it at their Hamburg shows, and Ringo did the lead vocals on the recorded version. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France, for all above)
Carl Perkins was at this session in early June, 1964. In a letter Perkins wrote before he died, he mentioned that he and the Beatles (at their request) played a few of his songs together on this date, but these jams were not taped. The only song he absolutely remembered was "Your True Love," which George Harrison did with Perkins on his cable special. Harrison also sang it at Perkins' memorial service. (thanks, Barry Kesten - Bellmore, United States)
Ringo sang this on the 2014 CBS tribute special The Beatles: The Night That Changed America, which aired exactly 50 years after the group made their first Ed Sullivan Show appearance.
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