As had been suggested in his songs, Paul's notion of a good woman then was someone who would be happy just to be around him. Jane's outlook was unusual at that time. She was not content to be a rock star's "chick". She was well educated, independently minded and wanted, above all, to establish her own career.

In We can Work it Out, Paul doesn't try to argue the merits of his case, but simply pleads with his woman to see things his way because he believes he is right and she is wrong. It was typical of Paul that, faced with what could be the end of a relationship, he didn't retreat sobbing to his room, but emerged with the positive slogan "we can work it out". The slightly downbeat middle eight, with its intimations of mortality, was added by John.

"You've got Paul writing 'we can work it out'," said John. "Real optimistic, and me, impatient, (with) 'Life is very short, And there's no time, For fussing and fighting my friend". The song was written at Paul's father's house in Heswall, Cheshire. The harmonium "wash" was added in the studio as an afterthought and George Harrison suggested changing the middle eight to waltz time.