Mixing "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill", recording "Long, Long, Long", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road"

The session on this day lasted from 7 pm to 5:30 am, beginning with the completion of George Harrison’s “Long, Long, Long.” George, along with Paul McCartney, contributed minor backing vocals, while Chris Thomas performed a piano overdub.

The track was mixed in stereo on October 10 and in mono on October 14.

[Chris Thomas] recalled that “They said ‘Make it like The Moody Blues'”. Sure enough, his playing is reminiscent of Mike Pinder’s piano solo on ‘Go Now!’ by The Moody Blues, released in 1964.

From “The Beatles” Super Deluxe edition book (2018)

Paul McCartney isolated himself with Ken Townsend in Studio One to record a new track, “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?“. It marked the only occasion when technical engineer Ken Townsend, despite his significant contributions to The Beatles’ sound (such as the invention of Artificial Double Tracking – ADT), served as a balance engineer for one of their songs.

My one-minute-40-seconds claim to fame! […] Paul said, ‘I’ve got this idea for a song. Can we give it a try?’ (Studio One) was laid out for an orchestra for the following day. I placed Paul on the left-hand side so I could see him through the window. That studio is a huge great barn – 22,000 cubic feet.

Ken Townsend – From “The Beatles” Super Deluxe edition book (2018)

Paul recorded five takes of “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?“, each time playing the acoustic guitar and providing vocals. The song, which ultimately took on a heavy blues style, started as a simple acoustic piece, with Paul exploring various vocal styles with each take.

Take 4 was released on “Anthology 3” in 1996:

The White Album version does not suggest so, but Why Don’t We Do It In The Road started out as an acoustic number, and, moreover, had Paul alternating between gentle (if pleading) and strident vocal styles. The master (Take 5) was adorned with a number of overdubs that turned the song into much heavier piece, with every instrument bar Ringo’s drums played by Paul himself. This is Take 4, performed solo.

From the liner notes of “Anthology 3“

At this end of take 4, Paul said to Ken Townsend:

Well, well, well, what do you think of all that? Do you think that I could do it better? I think I could do it a bit better actually. See, I wanna just try and do one quiet verse, one loud verse; and then that’s it, really.

Paul McCartney – At the end of take 4 – From “The Beatles” Super Deluxe edition book (2018)

Paul then recorded Take 5. This version of Take 5, devoid of overdubs, was included in the White Album’s 50th anniversary reissue in 2018.

Finally, Paul added a piano overdub to Take 5 before ending the session. Work on “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?” continued and was completed on the following day.

Is that OK? ‘Cause I won’t come listen to that one. However, I will move this microphone nearer the piano, should I?

Paul McCartney – At the end of take 5

While Paul McCartney worked on “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?“, George Harrison, John Lennon and the engineering team worked on mixes for “The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill“. The mono and stereo mixes released on the White Album were made on this day.

Session activities

1. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 1 from take 3

2. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 2 from take 3

   AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (Stereo)

3. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Mono mixing - Remix 1 from take 3

   AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (Mono)

4. Long, Long, Long

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • SI onto take 67

5. Helter Skelter

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Tape copying • Tape copying of take 3

6. Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 1

7. Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 2

8. Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 3

9. Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 4

   AlbumOfficially released on Anthology 3

10. Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 5

    AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)

Staff

Musicians on "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?"

Musicians on "Long, Long, Long"

Production staff

Going further

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