Beatles 50th Blog

50 years ago today people in the US were listening to Yesterday by The Beatles. In UK Tears by Ken Dodd was in the top 5 hits. 

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

Vocal repair work was effected onto take two of "We Can Work It Out" between 2:00 and 4:00 pm, and from then until 5:00 both this song and also "Day Tripper" were mixed twice into mono - once for record release and once for TV play-back on November 1-2.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Studio One, EMI Studios, London

A rough mono mix of "We Can Work It Out", made between 5:00 and 5:30 pm, not for record release but for the Beatles to mime to during the video-taping of The Music Of Lennon & McCartney.

It was only when they heard a playback of this mix-for-TV that the Beatles realized the song's vocal tracks required an overhaul. They were overdubbed again the next day, October 29th, instantly rendering this mix unusable.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicles - Mark Lewisohn

The number one song in the US on October 27, 1965 was Yesterday by The Beatles.

Stereo mixes of "Drive My Car", "Day Tripper", "In My Life", "If I Needed Someone", "Norwegian Wood", and "Nowhere Man", were prepared by George Martin between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm this day in studio one at EMI.

Although the Beatles were beginning to attend mix sessions they certainly missed this one, instead collecting their MBE's from the Queen of Buckingham Palace and hosting a subsequent press conference at the Saville Theatre. There was, naturally, considerable newsreel, TV and radio news coverage of these events. (As an example, even the BBC Home Service's somewhat august news and current affairs program The World At One, anchored by William Harcastle, had four consecutive reports about the morning's activities, two from outside the Palace, one from inside and another commentating on the Beatles' arrival at the Saville.)

Studio One, EMI Studios, London

Mono mixes of "Drive My Car", "In My Life", "If I Needed Someone", "Day Tripper", "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" and "Nowhere Man", produced by George Martin from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, probably without the Beatles in attendance.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

Though stacked with potential, Paul's new song "I'm Looking Through You", wasn't easy to realize on tape. The Beatles spent the first half of this nine-hour session, 2:30-7:00 pm, recording one take of the song's rhythm track and overdubbing onto this, then spent the second half, until 11:00 pm, adding vocals. By the end of the night they had what would recognize as a classy recording - most, that is, but not the Beatles, who were to tape a re-make on November 6th and a second re-make on the 10th-11th.

Source: The Beatles Complete Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

On this date, 50 years ago, people in US were listening to Yesterday by The Beatles.

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

The day began with a 10:30-11:30 morning session - probably without the Beatles in attendance - during which George Martin filled the hole in the middle of the otherwise complete "In My Life" with a beautiful baroque-style piano solo. To achieve the desired texture he played the piece at half-speed for playback at double-speed.

The Beatles were certainly around for one continous 2:30-11:30 pm session which saw them start fresh with a remake of "Nowhere Man" and conclude the recording in only three more takes.

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

"This Bird Has Flown", now "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), was re-made from start to finish during the afternoon, 2:30-7:00 pm, in just three more takes. Without breaking for dinner, the Beatles then began to tackle John's "Nowhere Man". Two takes were attempted but the recording was incomplete when the session concluded at midnight, a re-make commenced the following evening.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn