Recording and mixing "The Inner Light" and "Across The Universe"

On this day, the Beatles worked on “The Inner Light” and “Across The Universe” in a session lasting from 2:30 pm to 9 pm.

“The Inner Light” had been recorded in January 1968 (in Bombay with some Indian musicians) and on February 6 (George Harrison added his vocals).

On this day, it was decided that John Lennon and Paul McCartney would add a brief backing vocal overdub towards the end of the song on the lyric “do all without doing”. George also double-tracked his vocals on the line “arrive without travelling“. Those overdubs were added onto Take 6.

Once those final touches were added, the engineering team worked on the mono mix. They decided that one of the earlier takes recorded in Bombay sounded better for the instrumental first verse. An edit of this earlier take with Take 6 was then done, and three mono mixes were created, numbered 2 to 4. Mono mix number 4 became the released mono version of the upcoming single.

“The Inner Light” was mixed in stereo two years later, on January 27, 1970. This stereo mix would only be released in 1981!

By around 4:30 p.m., the Beatles continued the work on John’s “Across The Universe,” which had begun on February 3 and 4. They decided to restart from Take 8, minus the last overdubs recorded on February 4 (the backward recordings of Paul’s bass and Ringo’s drums and the “humming” sound effects).

We started overdubbing onto another track that Ken (Scott) had begun in my absence. “Across The Universe’ was probably the gentlest, sweetest John Lennon song I’d heard to date, and it took me very much by surprise. At around the time of Brian’s death, the four Beatles had been studying with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and on this night it occurred to me that perhaps meditation had done John some good. The song represented a drastic change for him, and it was an eye-opener for me. It was true that in recent weeks the cutting, sarcastic John Lennon had been largely absent; we were seeing a softer side in him, a side I didn’t ever know existed. I knew that McCartney could be a rocker as well as a balladeer, but, up until this session, I’d pretty much just thought of Lennon as a basher. I really loved the song, and John’s gentle, lyrical vocal definitely connected with me.

Geoff Emerick – From “Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles“, 2006

John added a mellotron, and George Martin recorded an organ part, but both contributions were discarded.

John then added a wah-wah guitar part, George played some maracas, and Paul added some piano. The three Beatles also recorded some high harmonies in the choruses of the song. John also re-recorded his lead vocals.

We recorded that vocal over and over again because John was unhappy with the job he was doing, despite the fact that we, and the entire group, were effusive in our praise. It was a problematic vocal to do because of phrasing; there were just too many words to sing, so many points at which he had to take breaths. Because of that, John wasn’t satisfied that he’d gotten the feeling into the words that he was hoping for, and he was a bit upset about that. The song clearly meant a lot to him and he was frustrated because it hadn’t come out the way he’d heard it in his head.

Geoff Emerick – From “Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles“, 2006

Towards the end of the session, The Beatles needed to decide which songs would appear on their next single. John was so dissatisfied with the end result of “Across The Universe” that he didn’t want it to be released at all. The single would then be “Lady Madonna” on Side A and “The Inner Light” on Side B.

But interestingly, there was a guest in the recording studio.

The legendary comedian and ex-Goon Spike Milligan (who was one of John’s idols) happened to be at the session that night as a guest of George Martin’s. He was so impressed with what he was hearing that he asked Lennon if the track, in its current state, could be used for to help raise funds for a charity he was involved in. A distracted, aggrieved John simply said, ‘Yeah, whatever,’ and that’s how ‘Across The Universe’ came to be released on a charity record for the World Wildlife Foundation.

Geoff Emerick – From “Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles“, 2006

“Across The Universe” was released in December 1969 on the “No One’s Gonna Change Our World” album. Some sound effects would be added during the mixing session on October 2, 1969. The two mono mixes done on this day were never released.

In 1970, producer Phil Spector reshaped “Across The Universe” for inclusion on the “Let It Be” album, still using the February 1968 recordings.

At some point during this session, The Beatles also took the opportunity to pose for some formal group pictures in the studio. These pictures were used as promotional material to accompany the release of “Lady Madonna.”

Session activities

1. The Inner Light

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • SI onto take 6

2. The Inner Light

   Written by George Harrison

   Mixing • Mono mixing - Remix 2 from take 6

3. The Inner Light

   Written by George Harrison

   Mixing • Mono mixing - Remix 3 from take 6

4. The Inner Light

   Written by George Harrison

   Mixing • Mono mixing - Remix 4 from take 6

   AlbumOfficially released on Lady Madonna / The Inner Light (UK - 1968)

5. Across The Universe

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • SI onto take 8

6. Across The Universe

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Mono mixing - Remix 1 from take 8

7. Across The Universe

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Mono mixing - Remix 2 from take 8

Staff

Musicians on "Across The Universe"

Musicians on "The Inner Light"

Production staff

Visitors

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