"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 Jul 17, 1968 • "Yellow Submarine" world premiere
Session Jul 18, 1968 • Recording "Cry Baby Cry", "Helter Skelter"
Session Jul 19, 1968 • Recording "Sexy Sadie"
Article Jul 20, 1968 • Jane Asher announces her separation from Paul McCartney
Interview Jul 20, 1968 • Paul McCartney interview for Melody Maker
Next session Jul 22, 1968 • Recording "Don't Pass Me By", "Good Night"
AlbumSome of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "The Beatles (Mono)" LP
From 7:30 pm to 4 am on this day, The Beatles began recording John Lennon’s “Sexy Sadie.” They formally recorded 21 takes, featuring John on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, George Harrison on electric guitar, Paul McCartney on the organ (switching to electric piano for some takes), and Ringo Starr on drums. This session was largely exploratory, with the band trying out various arrangements. Ultimately, nothing was used from this session.
Take 3 was released on the 2018 re-release of the White album, and Take 6 on Anthology 3:
Recorded a month earlier and at a slower tempo than the master (which was numbered 117, although nowhere near as many takes had been recorded), this is Take 6 of Sexy Sadie, featuring the basic line-up of electric guitar, drums, organ, and a vocal from the composer John Lennon. The recording is faded out at the end because, at this point, the coda had not been finalised.
About Take 6 – From Anthology 3 liner notes
In this session, The Beatles also jammed, notably recording a six-minute instrumental rendition of George Gershwin’s “Summertime.” Additionally, John Lennon improvised a tune featuring rather crude lyrics about the Beatles’ former manager, Brian Epstein:
What about Brian Epstein and his brother Sam?
They was workin’ in a coal mine, doing what I am.
And what about brother Andy, he’s shuttin’ down the fire.
But if you tell the time about his brother Sam,
Wah dap, a wah dap bop
Wah dup, a ba ba bow…About his brother Clive, he’s a dirty old man,
Well what about Brian Epstein, he’s god damned in jail.
He’s working in the coal mine sittin’ dead as a fail (?).
His mother’s dirty Queenie, well she’s the queen of them all.
“Sexy Sadie” was initially titled “Maharishi“. While in India for a Transcendental Meditation training course, John Lennon grew disenchanted with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi after he allegedly made a sexual advance towards Mia Farrow. At some point during the session, John shared with Paul some crude alternative lyrics to the song “Sexy Sadie“:
Sexy Sadie, you little twat
Who the fuck do you think you are?
Who the fuck do you think you are?
Oh, you cunt.
The Beatles continued working on “Sexy Sadie” on July 24.
Recording the Beatles was a wonderful experience, but while there were times when their creative juices were flowing and it was incredibly exciting, there were others when it was as boring as hell. For instance, I remember it took three days just to get the basic track of ‘Sexy Sadie’. Primarily, they were down in the studio, figuring out the different parts, and all we had to do was make sure the tape was constantly running. What got me through those times was the firm belief that, in the end, it would turn into something amazing, and generally that was the case. But then, I didn’t have to work on ‘Revolution 9’.
Ken Scott – From The Beatles ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ (soundonsound.com)
Recording • Take 1
Recording • Take 2
Recording • Take 3
AlbumOfficially released on The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 4
Recording • Take 5
Recording • Take 6
AlbumOfficially released on Anthology 3
Recording • Take 7
Recording • Take 8
Recording • Take 9
Recording • Take 10
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
Written by George Gershwin
Recording
Brian Epstein Blues
Recording • A John Lennon improvisation about Brian Epstein and his brother Sam, bootlegged as "Brian Epstein Blues"
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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