Wednesday, September 11, 1968
Recording "Glass Onion"
For The Beatles
Last updated on November 1, 2024
Wednesday, September 11, 1968
For The Beatles
Last updated on November 1, 2024
"The Beatles" (aka the White Album) sessions
May 30 - Oct 18, 1968 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Beatles (Mono)
Recording studio: EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Article Sep 10, 1968 • Children's TV show "Magpie" featuring Paul McCartney and Mary Hopkin is broadcasted
Session Sep 10, 1968 • Recording "Helter Skelter"
Session Sep 11, 1968 • Recording "Glass Onion"
Session Sep 12, 1968 • Recording "Glass Onion"
AlbumSome of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "The Beatles (Mono)" LP
On this day, The Beatles began the recording of John Lennon’s “Glass Onion.” During the session, which lasted from 7 pm to 3:30 am, they recorded 34 takes of the basic track. John Lennon played the acoustic guitar and provided guide vocals, Paul McCartney was on bass, George Harrison played the electric guitar, and Ringo Starr was on drums.
Most takes were approximately 1 minute and 50 seconds long, except for take 15, which extended into a 6-minute jam session. Take 10 was included in “The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)” in 2018. Ultimately, Take 33, the second-to-last one, was deemed the best and received overdubs the following day.
Listening to all the takes reveals that the lyrics were still a work in progress, with John experimenting with different words. For example, “The fool on the hill” was variously described as “standing,” “sitting,” or “living” there, and the “walrus” was alternately “nice,” “cool,” “keen,” or “close.” The third verse had not yet evolved to mention the song “Fixing A Hole,” with the lyrics at that stage consistently using “looking through a hole in the ocean” instead of “fixing a hole in the ocean” found in the final version.
With George Martin away on holiday for most of September 1968, Chris Thomas produced this session.
Mostly John’s idea this one and he does the lead vocal with Paul joining him. John plays his acoustic Gibson and Ringo works with two drum kits instead of just one. Quite a nostalgic number this in that the lyrics include the titles of a few earlier Beatles Goodies like “Strawberry Fields”, “Lady Madonna” and “The Fool On The Hill”. What’s more John lets the cat out of the bag at last – we find out who The Walrus really is!
Mal Evans – From the Beatles Monthly Book, N°64, November 1968
In The Beatles Monthly Book, Mal Evans noted, “Ringo works with two drum kits instead of just one,” referring to Ringo’s newly acquired Ludwig Hollywood kit. The kit arrived at EMI Studios on this day, and it was decided to set it up alongside Ringo’s existing black oyster pearl kit. This created a unique hybrid double-bass drum set for the recording of “Glass Onion.”
I knew we weren’t going to play live anymore, and the others were getting different things to use in the studio, so I thought I would get a proper kit, real drums with real skin heads. […] So we set them all up, and when I was to play the fill, the break came and I just froze, looking at all these drums!
Ringo Starr – From “Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four’s Instruments from Stage to Studio” by Andy Bakiuk, 2015
Recording • Take 1
Recording • Take 2
Recording • Take 3
Recording • Take 4
Recording • Take 5
Recording • Take 6
Recording • Take 7
Recording • Take 8
Recording • Take 9
Recording • Take 10
AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 11
Recording • Take 12
Recording • Take 13
Recording • Take 14
Recording • Take 15
Recording • Take 16
Recording • Take 17
Recording • Take 18
Recording • Take 19
Recording • Take 20
Recording • Take 21
Recording • Take 22
Recording • Take 23
Recording • Take 24
Recording • Take 25
Recording • Take 26
Recording • Take 27
Recording • Take 28
Recording • Take 29
Recording • Take 30
Recording • Take 31
Recording • Take 32
Recording • Take 33
Recording • Take 34
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions • Mark Lewisohn
The definitive guide for every Beatles recording sessions from 1962 to 1970.
We owe a lot to Mark Lewisohn for the creation of those session pages, but you really have to buy this book to get all the details - the number of takes for each song, who contributed what, a description of the context and how each session went, various photographies... And an introductory interview with Paul McCartney!
The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 4: The Beatles through Yellow Submarine (1968 - early 1969)
The fourth book of this critically acclaimed series, "The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 4: The Beatles through Yellow Submarine (1968 - early 1969)" captures The Beatles as they take the lessons of Sgt. Pepper forward with an ambitious double-album that is equally innovative and progressive. From the first take to the final remix, discover the making of the greatest recordings of all time. Through extensive, fully-documented research, these books fill an important gap left by all other Beatles books published to date and provide a unique view into the recordings of the world's most successful pop music act.
If we modestly consider the Paul McCartney Project to be the premier online resource for all things Paul McCartney, it is undeniable that The Beatles Bible stands as the definitive online site dedicated to the Beatles. While there is some overlap in content between the two sites, they differ significantly in their approach.
Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.
