All the Songs
Page 27
Paul then asked George Martin to help him write a score for brass and wind instruments. Martin’s arrangement included four flutes, two trumpets, two piccolos, and a flugelhorn. These instruments were recorded on January 9 on track 2 of take 9. On the next day, Ringo overdubbed tubular bells. Then, on January 12, additional instruments were added, including two trumpets, two oboes, two English horns, and a double-bass.
Meanwhile, on January 11, during a rebroadcast on the BBC of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto no. 2, Paul discovered a trumpet player who impressed him. He spoke to Martin about him: “[I saw a guy] playing this fantastic high trumpet.” “Yes, the piccolo trumpet, the Bach trumpet. Why?” “It’s a great sound. Why can’t we use it?” “Sure we can.”3 Dave Mason, a member of the prestigious New Philharmonia Orchestra of London, the trumpet player who so impressed Paul, was then recruited on January 17. Martin transcribed the solo that Paul sang for him. After three hours of waiting, Mason, who chose the piccolo in B flat among his nine trumpets, recorded a brilliant solo in only one take, despite the terrible instability of the instrument. Paul insisted on a second take. The trumpet player was dumbfounded and Martin flatly refused (he realized the feat that had just been accomplished), so Paul accepted this sole take. This did not prevent Mason from recording two other complementary parts, which come at the conclusion of the song. Out of all the mixes done during the different sessions, the eleventh mix was selected to be sent right away to Capitol, which was waiting to complete the group’s next single. However, on January 25, the decision was made to delete the trumpet part that concluded the song. Three new mixes were redone and rushed to the United States. Despite their haste, promotional productions of the eleventh mix had already been made. Today these are real collectors’ items! It took over three weeks to produce “Penny Lane.” But what great results!
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Surely, the Beatles were not aware of it, but Penny Lane was named after James Lane, a British eighteenth-century slave trader who was fiercely opposed to abolitionist legislation.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band:
A Genuine Masterpiece
1967
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
With a Little Help from My Friends
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Getting Better
Fixing a Hole
She’s Leaving Home
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite !
Within You Without You
When I’m Sixty-Four
Lovely Rita
Good Morning Good Morning
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise)
A Day in the Life
ALBUM
RELEASED
Great Britain: June 1, 1967 / No. 1 for 27 weeks
United States: June 2, 1967 / No. 1 for 15 weeks
As early as 1968, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band garnered a harvest of Grammy Awards: Best Album of 1967, Best Contemporary Album, Best Record Cover, and Best Non-Classical Recording. The Sgt. Pepper album, often referred to as the best album of all time, was the archetype of the rock ’n’ roll record. It raised pop culture to a higher level. As soon as it came out, it created its own event: the concept, the lyrics, the music, the record cover, the printed lyrics, the length of recording (over five months)—everything was brand new! The Beatles themselves even changed their look: mustaches, multicolored uniforms, granny glasses for John. Even if this record was not an anthology of their best songs, as a whole it was exceptional. Revolver prefigured a change of direction, and Sgt. Pepper became their most exciting work yet. Unfortunately, this change also bore within itself the promise of the end of the group: Paul assumed ascendency over John, whose bossiness and work ethic irritated his colleagues. Nothing would ever be the same again. The brotherhood disintegrated. But before the final breakup of the group, they still recorded a few masterpieces, one of which is Sgt. Pepper.
The album was conceived in late 1966. After causing a scandal in fundamentalist circles in the southern United States by claiming they were more famous than Jesus Christ, and after almost getting lynched in Manila by refusing to attend a reception given by the Marcos family, the Beatles were on the verge of breaking up: freaking out about the madness they had been experiencing for three years, they decided that the August 29 concert in Candlestick Park in San Francisco would be the last concert of their career. A bit lost with this new freedom, every one of the Beatles escaped as he pleased: John acted in How I Won the War by Richard Lester, and was soon joined by Ringo in Spain; Paul wrote the music score for a movie called The Family Way before flying off to Kenya for a safari; and George left to study the sitar with Ravi Shankar in India. Returning to London, the four musicians came back to the studio to record “Strawberry Fields Forever,” the first song of their next album. On November 24, 1966, the Sgt. Pepper sessions started. The tone had been set: watch out, this was going to be amazing!
The Concept of the Album
During his flight back from Nairobi to London, Paul thought of a new concept for the album: why not invent a fictitious band and pretend to play in its place—just so they would no longer be in the limelight and could leave their egos at the door? Along with Mal Evans, the Beatles’ faithful road manager, Paul searched for a long name for the band—long band names were in fashion at the time. The salt and pepper shakers on his tray provided the solution: Salt and Pepper … Sergeant Pepper! But he needed the rest of the name. Lonely Hearts Club was a very popular name around dating agencies. Perfect! Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was born! Although right from the start it was a concept album, curiously, only the two first songs and the second to the last one, the so-called reprise, were designed in this light; the other songs were totally independent of the concept. In 1980, John confirmed that he was never concerned about this concept: “All my contributions to the album have absolutely nothing to do with this idea of Sgt. Pepper and his band; but it works ’cause we said it worked, and that’s how the album appeared. But it was not as put together as it sounds, except for Sgt. Pepper introducing Billy Shears and the so-called reprise. Every other song could have been on any other album.”1
The record cover was one of the most ambitious projects of its time. The overall cost, which was much higher than the standard, made a few people at EMI gnash their teeth. Robert Fraser introduced Paul to pop art artist Peter Blake, as well as photographer Michael Cooper, so that they would base the cover on one of his drawings. The Beatles, Robert Fraser, and Peter Blake provided a host of personalities whose photo would appear in the background. Albert Einstein, Lewis Carroll, Aleister Crowley, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Karl Marx were all suggested. John wanted to be provocative by evoking Hitler and Jesus, but his idea was rejected. Eighty-five personalities and objects were selected. EMI was worried and asked Brian Epstein to obtain permission to reproduce each photograph. The photo session took place on March 30 and lasted roughly three hours—three hours that immortalized the peak of the greatest group in the history of rock.
The Instruments
The Beatles played the same instruments as on Revolver, using more keyboards, such as the Mellotron MKII and the Lowrey Heritage Deluxe organ. Paul still treated himself to a Fender Esquire, a new Selmer Thunderbird guitar amplifier, and, for his bass, a Vox 730 guitar amplifier. Various other instruments, types of percussion, and Indian instruments, such as the swarmandal, were used, not to mention a series of harmonicas.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Lennon-McCartney / 2:02
1967
SONGWRITER
Paul
MUSICIANS
Paul: vocal, bass, guitars
John: backing vocal
George: guitar, backing vocal
Ringo: drums, backing vocal (?)
James W. Buck, John Burden, Tony Randall, Neil Sanders: French horns
Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall: backing vocals (?)
RECORDED
Abbey Road: February 1–2, 1967 (Studio Two) / March 3 and 6, 1967 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 10
MIXING
Abbey Road: February 2, 1967 (Studio Two) / March 6, 1967 (Studio Two)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Assistant Engineer: Richard Lush
Genesis
Paul wrote the first line of the song: It was twenty years ago today / Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. Here we have the image of a brass band. Paul goes on to develop the idea of Sergeant Pepper directing the members of an imaginary orchestra. This subterfuge was supposed to free the Beatles from the yoke of fame. They no longer had to “play” at being the Beatles, but could be satisfied with being the anonymous members of an anonymous band. It was a unifying theme that only extended to the first two songs of the album and the reprise of the title song: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “With a Little Help from My Friends,” and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (reprise).
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
If you listen carefully, on the right side of the stereo version you can hear Paul (?) in the distance at exactly 0:09 calling, “Roll over boys!”
Production
On February 1, 1967, the Beatles recorded the rhythm track of “Sgt. Pepper” in nine takes. Ringo was on drums; Paul and George on electric guitar. According to Geoff Emerick, Paul received permission from John to play the rhythm guitar here. John played a bass that Paul would pick up once the rhythm track was recorded. The next day, with the accompaniment of John and George on backing vocals, Paul recorded a superb rock ’n’ roll lead vocal, that was emphasized by a lot of reverb. According to Ryan and Kehew, the vocals in the choruses were then doubled by all four Beatles, joined by Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall.1 And then there was a reduction of the first four tracks.
A month later, on March 3, the group redid the song. Four French horn players were recruited to liven up the concept of the brass band. As usual, George Martin noted down what Paul sang for him. George then added solo guitar. After numerous failed attempts, Paul grabbed the guitar with no consideration for poor George and performed a superb solo (which was deleted too early at 1:54).
In order to re-create the atmosphere of a Sgt. Pepper concert, extracts of the orchestra tuning up, which had been recorded for “A Day in the Life,” were added on March 6, as well as different noises of murmurs, laughter, and applause, drawn from one of George Martin’s Beyond the Fringe live recordings. Finally, the yelling of the public, captured during a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, ensured the transition to “With a Little Help from My Friends.” The final mixes were made the same day.
The Hendrix Touch
On June 4, 1967, Brian Epstein introduced Jimi Hendrix at the Saville Theatre in London. Paul and George, who attended the concert, were startled by the unexpected cover that the American virtuoso did of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” since the album had only been released on June 1!
Technical Details
Using the direct box (DI box or Direct Injection box), an invention of Ken Townsend, Paul recorded his bass while connected directly to the console without going through an amplifier. This innovation was later used in studios worldwide.
With A Little Help From My Friends
Lennon-McCartney / 2:43
1967
SONGWRITERS
John and Paul
MUSICIANS
Ringo: vocal, drums, tambourine, timpani
John: rhythm guitar (?), backing vocal
Paul: bass, piano, backing vocal
George: lead guitar (?), organ (?), backing vocal
George Martin: organ (?)
RECORDED
Abbey Road: March 29–30, 1967 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 11
MIXING
Abbey Road: March 31, 1967 (Studio Two) / April 7, 1967 (Studio Two)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Assistant Engineer: Richard Lush
Genesis
“With a Little Help from My Friends” was the second and last song to fit into the concept of the album (except for the reprise at the end of the record). It follows “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” which ends with the introduction of Billy Shears, alias Ringo. It was written at John’s place in Weybridge, based on an original idea by Paul. Both of them knew Ringo needed a new title: his debonair attitude was the inspiration for the lyrics.
It was in fact a celebration of friendship, even if sentences like I get high had another meaning back then. Originally, the text began with What would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and throw tomatoes at me? Ringo objected, “There’s not a chance in hell am I [sic] going to sing this line.”1 He was worried that during a tour, the fans might pick up on this suggestion! Rather daring allusions were also slipped into the text. Paul said. “I remember giggling with John as we wrote the lines: What do you see when you turn out the light? I can’t tell you but I know it’s mine.”2 Juvenile humor … The song became enormously popular. Joe Cocker did a brilliant adaptation of it that shot to number 1 in Great Britain in 1968 and that he sang at Woodstock the following year.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Not only did Joe Cocker take this song to the top of the charts, but in February 2004, it was number 1 again in the U.K. as sung by Sam & Mark.
Production
The recording session started on March 29. The working title was “Bad Finger Boogie” (which inspired the Iveys—the first group to record with Apple—who renamed themselves Badfinger). The Beatles, who had helped with preparations for the record’s photo session on the same day, were in top shape. The rhythm track was recorded in ten takes. Ringo was on drums, George on guitar, Paul on the “Mrs. Mills” piano, and George Martin on the Hammond organ. According to Ryan and Kehew,3 photos indicated that George Harrison was on organ while John was on guitar.
After the whole song was reduced, Ringo, who thought he could go home to bed, was invited by his colleagues to record his vocal. With their support, he did this with flying colors, although he was very nervous about hitting the song’s last note, which was way outside his narrow vocal range. John, Paul, and George replied to Ringo’s questions and answers in the lyrics. The Beatles also added the “Billy Shears” intro at the end of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” which segued right into “With a Little Help from My Friends.” The next day, the Beatles were immortalized on the record cover. They went back to the studio for further overdubs: kettledrum and snare drum for the intro, tambourine, guitar, and backup vocals. According to Emerick, Paul then recorded his superb bass line, set up alone in the control room with the engineers. The sound and melodic richness he drew from the instrument were reminiscent of Brian Wilson. He stated later on that it was one of the best bass lines of the album, along with that of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Mixed in mono on March 31, with the addition of ADT, flanging, and reverb on the vocal, it was mixed again for stereo on April 7.
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Lennon-McCartney / 3:27
1967
SONGWRITER
John
MUSICIANS
John: vocal
Paul: bass, organ, backing vocal
George: guitars, tambura
Ringo: drums
RECORDED
Abbey Road: February 28, 1967 (Studio Two) / March 1–2, 1967 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 8
MIXING
Abbey Road: March 2–3, 1967 (Studio Two) / April 7, 1967 (Studio Two)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Assistant Engineer: Richard Lush
Genesis
There has been a lot of speculation about this song with the title whose initials form the acronym LSD. “It was purely uncon
scious … until somebody pointed it out, I never even thought of it,”1 stated John. Even though the other Beatles confirmed this statement, as did George Martin, the legend goes on still. This misunderstanding meant the song was banned from the BBC airwaves when it came out.
The inspiration for Lucy was Lucy O’Donnell (who died in 2009), the best friend of John’s son Julian, who was then three years old. And the background of the title could be explained by John’s reaction to a drawing by Julian, who told him that he had depicted his friend Lucy in the sky with diamonds. John found the title brilliant and right away wrote a song, inspired by Alice in Wonderland. John said in 1980, “It was Alice in the boat. She is buying an egg and it turns into Humpty-Dumpty. The woman serving in the shop turns into a sheep and the next minute they are rowing in a rowing boat somewhere and I was visualizing that.”2 Paul remembered going to Kenwood and discovering Julian’s drawing. He participated in writing the song and added the words cellophane flowers and kaleidoscope eyes, which produced the girl with kaleidoscope eyes. For John, this girl with kaleidoscope eyes was the unconscious image of the woman he was waiting for to save him. “It turned out to be Yoko, though I hadn’t met Yoko yet,”3 he said.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
The proud owner of the original drawing by Julian is none other than David Gilmour, the guitarist for Pink Floyd!
Production
The production of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” began on February 28, 1967, with a long rehearsal. Only on March 1 did the group work on the rhythm track. For the first take, John recorded a scratch vocal, George an acoustic guitar (which was processed with flanging), George Martin a piano part (which would be deleted), Ringo was on drums, and Paul added a part on the Lowrey Heritage DSO-1 organ, whose sound was similar to a harpsichord and gave the intro its peculiar sound. The seventh take was the best. George accompanied John’s voice with a tambura. A tape reduction of the song was made the next day, with the playback occurring at a faster speed. Paul recorded his part on bass, which he considered one of the best of the album, while George played his Epiphone Casino, passed through a Leslie cabinet. George said, “In the middle eight of the song you can hear the guitar playing along with John’s voice. I was trying to copy Indian classical music.”4 The rhythm track was slowed down by nearly one tone in order to record John’s voice supported by Paul’s harmony. The voices were then doubled. The recording was one of the fastest of the album. The final mono mix was carried out on March 3 with heavy reliance on ADT; the stereo mix was done on April 7. The psychedelic spirit of the lyrics was perfectly respected. It was a success.