Revolution

We recorded both “Hey Jude” and “Revolution”. We decided to do clips this time instead of zany films and that sort of things. We all really enjoyed doing it.

Paul McCartney – Interview with Melody Maker, September 14, 1968

The Beatles filmed the promotional clips for “Hey Jude” and “Revolution” at Twickenham Film Studios, on the same day. For the “Revolution” clip, The Beatles overdubbed a new vocal track onto the studio version. It was broadcast on BBC’s Top Of The Pops, on September 19, 1968.

The next time The Beatles would be at Twickenham Film Studios with director Michael Lindsay-Hogg would be in January 1969 for the “Get Back” sessions.

From The Beatles Monthly Book, October 1968, N°63:

On previous occasions in the past year or two, The Beatles had made little films showing themselves recording, walking around and so forth with their record playing in the background. Naturally, some of these ran into trouble with the telly people because the fellows came pretty close to miming sometimes, and THAT is a terrible Deadly Sin so far as the unions are concerned. You are not allowed to mine to records on telly.

This time The Beatles decided to avoid all the problems by producing a full-scale LIVE performance, done in colour, at Twickenham Film Studios and intended for showing all over the world.

The day before Neil and Suzie got married at the end of August, I was asked to start making all the shooting arrangements with Michael Lindsay-Hogg, a television and film director who has been involved in plenty of big pop shows in the past.

It was Thursday night. By the following Wednesday we had to get together the technical crew, no less than 300 extras and a 36-piece orchestra. In between there was the August bank holiday week-end, which meant it was hard to get hold of half the people we needed to reach to set things up.

How did we get that code of 300 extras together? We got 20 students to distribute invitation leaflets for us. The result was that all sorts of walks of life were represented – postmen, railwaymen, teenagers, senior citizens. I recruited a bunch of Beatle people from outside the recording studio and told them they would be welcome to join us all at Twickenham and bring along a few mates.

Paul decided he would like a ‘twenties atmosphere at Twickenham so the musicians of the orchestra were dressed up in smart white tuxedos and colourful carnations for the occasion.

And very evident amongst the gathered – together 300 was old Billy from Soho. Billy is a real character. If you’ve walked around Wardour Street or Old Compton Street in Soho you may have seen him, possibly with a bottle on his head, selling or giving away flowers. And like as not, he will have pulled out a photograph he’s very proud of. It was taking months ago and shows him with The Beatles in a film cutting room – when the fellows editing “Magical Mystery Tour”. The photo went into the Daily Mirror at the time. So old Billy just had to be in on the “Hey Jude” and “Revolution” filming.

The Beatles arrived at Twickenham around lunchtime – 1:30 PM. The line-up was Paul, playing an upright piano, George on bass, John on guitar and Ringo on drums. PLUS the 36-piece orchestra PLUS 300 singing extras to join in the big build-up on “Hey Jude” towards the end of the number.

While lights and cameras were being set up, Paul entertained on the piano. He hadn’t really planned to do so, but old Billy came up on to the stage and yelled, “Come on, Paul, give us some of the goold old songs”. And Paul did just that!

Mal Evans

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