Recording "Long Long Long", "I'm So Tired", "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill"

On this day, from 4 pm to 8 am, The Beatles progressed with the work on “Long, Long, Long” and also recorded two new tracks by John Lennon, “I’m So Tired” and “The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill“.

The recording session for George Harrison’s “Long, Long, Long” began the previous day. On this day, overdubs were added to Take 67.

Paul McCartney recorded his bass part, followed by George Harrison double-tracking his lead vocals and contributing additional acoustic guitar parts.

The last overdubs were recorded on the following day, finalizing the track.

The Beatles then began and finished “I’m So Tired” in that session, recording 14 takes of the basic track. John Lennon was on lead vocals and electric guitar, George Harrison on electric guitar, Paul McCartney on bass, and Ringo Starr on drums.

Take 7 was released on the “The Beatles” 50th anniversary boxset in 2018.

Take 14 was deemed the best and received overdubs.

OK, we’ll do it again. Try and leave those spaces, Paul, ’cause it’s all, at remix you’ll have to pull it all out.

John Lennon – Before take 14 – Quoted in beatlesebooks.com

John Lennon contributed an organ part, Paul McCartney played an electric piano, and Ringo Starr supplemented with additional drums.

John, Paul, and George provided backing vocals, and John recorded another guitar part. However, these overdubs were not included in the final mono and stereo mixes done on October 15. A version with all those discarded overdubs was released on the 2018 re-release of the White Album.

Sessions track 15 is the master with some elements that were left out of the final mixes made a week later. For example, John, Paul and George sang harmonies on track five […] Another omitted part, described as ‘far-off’ electric guitar on the tape box, is heard in this mix. This was recorded on track seven, which also has organ and extra drums. Electric piano, guitar and more drums are present on track six.

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

A composite of takes 3, 6, and 9, capturing “all the best moments,” was included in Anthology 3 in 1996.

Into the fifth month of the recording the White Album, two more John Lennon songs – I’m So Tired and The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill – were added to the collection during a through-the-night Abbey Road session that ended at 8am. Now using eight-track recording machines on a regular basis for the first time, I’m So Tired was taped live, the master (Take 14) including minimal overdubbing. John would often perform a vocal with every take, and all the outtakes of I’m So Tired have one – presented here is an amalgam of takes 3, 6 and 9 that embrace all the best moments.

From “Anthology 3” liner notes

After twelve hours into the session, The Beatles moved on to a new track, “The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill,” recording just three takes. John Lennon played acoustic guitar and sang lead vocals, Yoko Ono contributed lead vocals (specifically on the line “Not when he looked so fierce“), and Ringo Starr was on drums.

Take 2 was included in the 50th-anniversary edition of the White Album released in 2018. Take 3 was considered the best, and overdubs were added onto it.

Paul McCartney recorded two bass tracks, John recorded a second vocal part, Ringo added tambourine, and Chris Thomas played a Mellotron part. Group backing vocals featuring all four Beatles, Yoko Ono, and Maureen Starkey were also recorded.

Paul then played a zither, George added some acoustic guitar and additional group backing vocals were added.

By the session’s end, the song was completed. It was mixed in mono & stereo the day after.

I’ve been very fortunate in having ridiculous fantasies come true. For instance, playing with The Beatles on “Bungalow Bill” with George Martin up there producing. Incredible!

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

Session activities

1. Long, Long, Long

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • SI onto take 67

2. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 1

3. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 2

4. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 3

5. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 4

6. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 5

7. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 6

8. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 7

   AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)

9. I'm So Tired

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 8

10. I'm So Tired

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 9

11. I'm So Tired

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 10

12. I'm So Tired

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 11

13. I'm So Tired

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 12

14. I'm So Tired

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 13

15. I'm So Tired

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 14

    AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)

16. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 1

17. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 2

    AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)

18. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording • Take 3

Staff

Musicians on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill"

Musicians on "I'm So Tired"

Musicians on "Long, Long, Long"

Production staff

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