Monday, February 24, 1969
Tape copying, recording "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
For The Beatles
Last updated on November 27, 2021
Monday, February 24, 1969
For The Beatles
Last updated on November 27, 2021
Feb 22 - Aug 25, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording studio: Trident Studios, London, UK
Session Feb 23, 1969 • Editing "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
Interview Feb 23, 1969 • David Frost Presents… Frankie Howerd
Session Feb 24, 1969 • Tape copying, recording "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
Session Feb 25, 1969 • Recording "Old Brown Shoe", "All Things Must Pass", "Something"
Article March 1969 • The Beatles turn down 4m$ offer for four US concerts
AlbumSome of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "Abbey Road" LP
The Beatles had recorded 35 takes of John Lennon’s “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” on February 22, 1969. On February 23, a master take was assembled from takes 9, 20 and 32.
On this day, February 24, a copy of the edited master was made. Some overdubs were also recorded, but those efforts would be dropped. From the “Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)” book by Kevin Howlett:
A safety copy of this edited-together version was made, but a tape also exists from a Trident session on 24 February with overdubs of two piano parts, a tambourine, more guitars and a ‘backwards cymbal’ (having been recorded with the tape reversed). There is also a recently discovered tape, with the same date on the box, that has an undocumented Abbey Road recording of a faster version of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” lasting 6’23”. ‘New mixer tape’ is written on the tape box. With tones, mains hum and clicks heard across the tracks, The Beatles’ casual performance appears to be a jam for the benefit of engineers testing the new equipment.
From the “Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)” book by Kevin Howlett
Work on “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” would be put on hold for the next month and a half, and would restart on April 18, 1969.
Tape copying • Tape copying of unnumbered Trident master
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!
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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