All the Songs
Page 33
Sound Engineers: J. P. Sen and S. N. Gupta (Bombay), Geoff Emerick, Ken Scott, Peter Brown, Jeff Jarratt
Assistant Engineers: Jerry Boys, Richard Lush, John Barrett
Genesis
In 1968, Paul commented, “Forget the Indian music and listen to the melody. Don’t you think it’s a beautiful melody? It’s really lovely.” George’s new song, with its exotic charm was subtle and spellbinding. The Beatles liked it so much that the song was chosen as the B-side of “Lady Madonna.” It was the first George Harrison song to be featured on a Beatles single. The lyrics of “The Inner Light” were inspired by poem 48 of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, which Juan Mascaró, professor of Sanskrit at the University of Cambridge, had recommended to George. Mascaró had enjoyed “Within You Without You” on Sgt. Pepper and had suggested setting the poem to music. George set this Chinese text to Indian-sounding music. It was the last song that George wrote for the Beatles with an Asian inspiration. His “incursion” into Eastern music and philosophy had a considerable impact on Western youth at the time.
Production
In early January 1968, George went to India to record local musicians at the EMI studios in Mumbai for the sound track of Wonderwall, a film directed by Joe Massot. In 1967, Massot had asked George Harrison to write a score for his film. Harrison recorded the basic instrumental track of “The Inner Light” on January 12 during his stay in India. Upon his return to London, he went to Abbey Road on February 6 to record his vocal. Mal Evans helped create a soothing atmosphere with a lot of incense, candles, and dim lighting. But George was reluctant to perform. He did not feel confident that he could do the song justice. Jerry Boys, one of the assistant engineers, recalled, “I remember Paul saying, ‘You must have a go, don’t worry about it, it’s good.’”1 John and Paul were close by to encourage him, perched on high stools. Finally, he recorded a remarkable vocal and he was satisfied. On February 8, John and Paul overdubbed some background vocals at the very end of the song (2:18), before the final mono mix was completed. The stereo mix was done on January 27, 1970.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Ringo was absent on February 6 because he had been invited by Cilla Black to perform on the second edition of her new live show, called Cilla, on BBC. Paul wrote “Step Inside Love” for her show.
The Beatles: The White Album:
The Album of Discord
1968
Back in the U.S.S.R
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Wild Honey Pie
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Martha My Dear
I’m So Tired
Blackbird
Piggies
Rocky Raccoon
Don’t Pass Me By
Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?
I Will
Julia
Birthday
Yer Blues
Mother Nature’s Son
Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Sexy Sadie
Helter Skelter
Long, Long, Long
Revolution 1
Honey Pie
Savoy Truffle
Cry Baby Cry
Revolution 9
Good Night
ALBUM
RELEASED
November 22, 1968 / No. 1 for 30 week
Known as the White Album or the Double Album, this work by the Beatles was a radical return to a rock sound, a simplified approach to music that was very far from the complexity of Sgt. Pepper or Magical Mystery Tour. Paul said it plainly in November 1968: “We’ve tried to play more like a band this time—only using instruments when we had to—instead of just using them for the fun of it.”1 John shared this opinion in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 1970: “I don’t care about the whole concept of Pepper, it might be better, but the music was better for me on the double album, because I’m being myself on it.”2 This new album was the beginning of the end of their psychedelic period. The days of “peace and love” were over.
In February 1968, the Beatles flew with their spouses and girlfriends, as well as male friends, for long weeks of transcendental meditation in Rishikesh, in India, under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In this studious atmosphere, they wrote most of the songs for the White Album. But in April, John wrongfully accused the Maharishi of trying to seduce actress Mia Farrow. John immediately went back to London. He interpreted this incident as treason on the part of the master, whom he suspected of being an imposter.
In May, the Beatles were busy: John and Paul officially announced the launch of Apple Corps, their new business venture; George was in Cannes to see the screening of Wonderwall, for which he composed the music; John presented Yoko Ono to the public for the first time, and on May 30, the recording sessions for the White Album began. On July 17, the animated movie Yellow Submarine premiered at the London Pavilion. In October, John and Yoko were arrested for possession of marijuana, and Paul invited American photographer Linda Eastman to live with him. On November 8, the divorce between John and Cynthia was finalized and by November 22, the White Album had been completed. Seven days later, John and Yoko released the first of three experimental and controversial albums, Two Virgins, on the cover of which they both posed naked!
Having returned from Rishikesh with a large number of songs, the Beatles recorded their first double album. George Martin would have preferred to make it a single, but the Beatles had become more prolific: from now on, each of them wanted to express their talent equally. Although John and Paul continued to share most of the songwriting, George started to seriously compete with them by recording four songs, including the great “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Even Ringo wrote his very first song, “Don’t Pass Me By.”
Paul still excelled at writing ballads (“Blackbird”), as well as rock (“Back in the U.S.S.R.”) and even hard rock (“Helter Skelter”). As for John, he composed very tender songs (“Julia”), highly original tunes (“Happiness Is a Warm Gun”), and even avant-garde music (“Revolution 9”).
The White Album was a collection of around thirty songs in very different musical genres, and it definitely signified the end of the brotherhood of the Beatles. Geoff Emerick, the faithful sound engineer, could not stand to see them tear each other apart and stopped working with them in mid-July. Ringo, fed up with the hateful atmosphere within the group, left them at the end of August. As for poor George Martin, who was no longer the captain of the ship, he got knocked around a lot by some of his protegées. From then on, it was every man for himself.
When the White Album appeared, it was a commercial hit. Although the starkness and eclectic character of the songs could be surprising at first, this album is considered one of the Beatles’ best, despite the tension that pervaded the recording sessions.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the White Album, a British collector in 2008 sold an original copy on eBay numbered 0000005 for the sum of €24,550 [$32,000 U.S.] The first four copies had been reserved for each one of the Beatles.
Sober and Stark
Sobriety and starkness are the key words to describe this new work—perhaps as a reaction to the exuberance of Sgt. Pepper. This included the cover, which the group had Richard Hamilton produce, on the recommendation of Robert Fraser. The pop art artist suggested a sober cover, proposing an all-white cover and an extremely simple title, The Beatles. No more than that. Hamilton then got the idea of numbering each copy and engraving the embossed title, The Beatles. Convincing EMI was not easy, but they finally accepted the concept. Paul commented, “John got 0000001 because he shouted the loudest.”3 Hamilton designed the inside poster with Beatles photos and personal documents. Four portraits are also enclosed in the record. But there was no group photo.
The Instruments
Paul acquired an acoustic Martin D-28
guitar that was similar to the one John used in the film clip of Hello, Goodbye at the end of 1967. George purchased a Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar, and his friend Eric Clapton offered him a magnificent Les Paul Standard Gibson that he nicknamed “Lucy.” John and George had the the psychedelic paint job stripped off their guitars, and their Epiphone Casinos regained their natural clear wood look. Paul did the same in early 1969 with his Rickenbacker 4001S. The group also acquired a six-string Fender VI bass, a Fender Jazz Bass, Fender Deluxe amplifiers, and Vox wah-wah pedals.
Back In The U.S.S.R.
Lennon-McCartney / 2:43
1968
SONGWRITER
Paul
MUSICIANS
Paul: vocal, bass, piano, lead guitar, drums
John: bass, rhythm guitar, backing vocal, hand claps, snare drum
George: lead guitar, bass, backing vocal, hand claps
RECORDED
Abbey Road: August 22–23, 1968 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 6
MIXING
Abbey Road: August 23, 1968 (Studio Two) / October 13, 1968 (Studio Two)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Ken Scott
Assistant Engineer: John Smith
Genesis
“Back in the U.S.S.R.” was a parody of Chuck Berry’s “Back in the U.S.A.” Paul pictured a Russian traveler coming home and joyfully finding his native land, the mountains of Georgia, and the charm of his country’s women. Mike Love, the singer for the Beach Boys who stayed in Rishikesh with the Beatles, remembered, “I was sitting at the breakfast table and McCartney came down with his acoustic guitar and he was playing ‘Back in the U.S.S.R.,’ and I told him that what you ought to do is talk about the girls all around Russia, the Ukraine and Georgia.”1 Paul took this into account and finished writing the song upon returning from India. Ken Mansfield, the CEO of Apple in the United States, also claimed he made a few suggestions to Paul about this song.
In this song, which includes many inside jokes, the Beach Boys were honored: the Beatles imitated their irresistible harmonies in the bridge; likewise for Ray Charles whose 1960 hit “Georgia on My Mind” was referenced in the song.
Proposing a song in 1968 celebrating the joy of returning to the Soviet Union was pretty risky: this was during the Cold War and getting chummy with the U.S.S.R. was frowned upon. Some people called the Beatles anti-American, to which John replied with his usual irony: “That is very accurate, except we are not Americans …”
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
In 1988 Paul released an album of rock covers exclusively for the Soviet market, called CHOBA B CCCP, which was the Russian translation of Back in the U.S.S.R.
Production
When the Beatles met on August 22 to record “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” they had already been working on the White Album in the studio for nearly three months. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Plus the omnipresence of Yoko added to everyone’s discomfort. Geoff Emerick, who could no longer stand this atmosphere, left his job as a sound engineer in mid-July while George had gone to Greece to get some rest for a few days. When George returned, the atmosphere was extremely tense, at the expense of Ringo. Paul was constantly explaining to him how to do a fill on the toms. After many attempts and one last scolding, the drummer, who was fed up, left the group on August 22 and joined his friend Peter Sellers on his yacht in Sardinia. The three others were lost, but still carried on by redistributing the roles played by Ringo: Paul replaced Ringo on drums, John was on the Fender Bass VI, and George on his Les Paul Gibson. The rhythm track was recorded after five attempts. The next day there was an overdub session. It is hard to discern the exact distribution of the instruments. Paul probably added drumming and a part with the Fender Jazz Bass that was doubled in some places by George on the six-string bass (that meant three basses in the same song!). John doubled the snare drum, and Paul was on piano and provided other guitar parts with John and George. Following a reduction, Paul recorded his voice while John and George supported his voice with Beach Boys–style harmonies and hand claps. Lastly, the final touch: the noise of an airplane taking off and landing, a British Viscount, was inserted during the mono mix that was carried out the same day. The stereo mix was done on October 13.
Dear Prudence
Lennon-McCartney / 3:55
1968
SONGWRITER
John
MUSICIANS
John: vocal, acoustic guitar
Paul: bass, piano, drums, bugle, backing vocal, hand claps, tambourine (?)
George: lead guitar, backing vocal, hand claps, tambourine (?)
Mal Evans, Jackie Lomax, John McCartney (Paul’s cousin): hand claps and backing vocals
RECORDED
Trident Studios: August 28–30, 1968
NUMBER OF TAKES: 1
MIXING
Trident Studios: October 5, 1968
Abbey Road: October 13, 1968 (Studio Two)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineers: Barry Sheffield (Trident), Ken Scott
Assistant Engineer: John Smith
Genesis
When the Beatles arrived in Rishikesh to follow the transcendental meditation teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Mia Farrow and her sister Prudence had already been there for a while. Recently divorced from Frank Sinatra, Mia inadvertently became the subject of a scandal that prompted John and George to leave India early and inspired the song “Sexy Sadie.” But prior to this incident, Mia’s sister Prudence was the center of attention of the entire ashram. She lived as a recluse in her little chalet, spending all her time meditating in solitude. “They selected me and George to try and bring her out because she would trust us,”1 explained John. He wrote a song for her on this occasion, Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play? “We got her out of the house. She’d been locked in for three weeks and wouldn’t come out, trying to reach God quicker than anybody else.”2 The Farrow sisters inspired two extraordinary John Lennon songs.
Production
Since Ringo had left the group on August 22, the three remaining Beatles met at Trident Studios in London on August 28 to use its eight-track technology. They were familiar with the studio because they had recorded “Hey Jude” there at the beginning of the month. In “Dear Prudence,” John used a style of finger-picking that Donovan had taught him in Rishikesh. He composed many songs based on this technique, including “Julia.” The rhythm track was recorded with John and George on guitar (finger-picking rhythm and lead, respectively) and Paul on drums. On August 29, John sang and double-tracked the lead vocal, Paul played bass and added backing vocals with George, along with hand claps and tambourines. Mal Evans, Jackie Lomax (an artist who was being recorded by George on the Beatles’ Apple label), and a cousin of Paul’s (John McCartney) joined them for hand claps and backing vocals. The master tape also indicated, according to Mark Lewisohn, that they were present at the end of the song to record applause, though this was mixed out of the finished master. The next day, the last day at Trident Studios, Paul overdubbed a piano part and, according to Lewisohn, added a short bugle passage, which is mostly inaudible (probably between 3:19 and 3:30). Although the song was recorded at Trident Studios, the final mixes were redone at Abbey Road on October 13. The vocals and hand claps were doubled by means of ADT.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Siouxsie and the Banshees performed an excellent version of this song, which rose to third place on the British charts in 1983.
Glass Onion
Lennon-McCartney / 2:17
1968
SONGWRITER
John
MUSICIANS
John: vocal, rhythm guitar
Paul: bass, piano, flute
George: lead guitar
Ringo: drums, tambourine
Henry Datymer, Eric Bowie, Norman Lederman, Ronald
Thomas: violins
John Underwood, K
eith Cummings: violas
Eldon Fox, Reginald Kilbey: cellos
RECORDED
Abbey Road: September 11–13, 16, and 26, 1968 / October 10, 1968 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 34
MIXING
Abbey Road: September 26, 1968 (Studio Two) / October 10, 1968 (Studio Two)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producers: Chris Thomas, George Martin
Sound Engineer: Ken Scott
Assistant Engineers: John Smith, Mike Sheady
Genesis
Glass Onion was the name that John planned to give to the Iveys, a group in the stable of Apple Records that gained some recognition in early 1970 and finally chose the name Badfinger. (The working title of “With a Little Help from My Friends” had been “Badfinger Boogie.”) “Glass Onion” was a strange song that John wrote for the fans who found clues and double entendres in the Beatles’ lyrics. The lyrics directly referenced the songs “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “I Am the Walrus,” “Lady Madonna,” “The Fool on the Hill,” and “Fixing a Hole.” John took pleasure in sowing fanciful clues: “I threw in the line The Walrus was Paul just to confuse everybody a bit more. It could have been: the fox terrier is Paul.”1 He explained that “I [John] was feeling guilty because I was with Yoko and I was leaving Paul.” He hoped this little allusion would make him happy, and show his thanks to Paul for maintaining the group’s cohesiveness for such a long time. “It’s a very perverse way of saying to Paul: ‘Here have this crumb this illusion this stroke because I’m leaving.’”2
Not all the lyrics refer to the Beatles; for instance, the passage the bent-backed tulips alludes to the very exclusive London Parkes restaurant on Beauchamp Place that was run by Tom Benson, a friend of the group, and that was decorated with bent-backed tulips. As for the Cast Iron shore, that referred to the beach in Liverpool. What was most amusing was that out of all the songs quoted by John, two are his and three are Paul’s. He must have felt really guilty …