Tuesday, September 10, 1968
Recording "Helter Skelter"
For The Beatles
Last updated on November 1, 2024
Tuesday, September 10, 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
Session Sep 09, 1968 • Recording "Helter Skelter"
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"
AlbumSome of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "The Beatles (Mono)" LP
This was the second day of work on this remake of “Helter Skelter“, the basic track having been recorded the day before. As George Martin was on holiday for most of September 1968, Chris Thomas produced this session.
On this day, from 7 pm to 3 am, The Beatles added overdubs which included Paul McCartney recording his lead vocals, backing vocals by Paul, John Lennon and George Harrison, lead guitar parts by Paul and George, a trumpet played by Mal Evans, a piano played by Paul, further drums by Ringo Starr, and “mouth sax” created by John blowing through a saxophone mouthpiece.
The mono mix was made on September 17, and the stereo mix on October 12.
The first version of this one played for 24 minutes, but the finished one you’ll hear on the LP is no longer than average. Paul sings this in his screaming rock voice and the backing features The Two Harrys on brass. That’s Mal Evans on trumpet and John Lennon on saxophone! When we did the final version of this in the second week of September I made a note in my diary that The Beatles were the first people to use a brand-new 8-track recording machine just installed at the EMI Studios. Theme of the song’s lyrics? Boy to girl: “Do you don’t you want me to love you?” John plays bass which is unusual.
Mal Evans – From the Beatles Monthly Book, N°64, November 1968
Recording • SI onto take 21
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.
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