Beatles A Day in the Life Blog posts of '1969' 'February'

The Beatles are taking a break today.

On the song Carolina In My Mind, Paul McCartney plays bass and George Harrison sings harmony vocals. Highest US chart position: #62

The original recording of the song was done at London's Trident Studios during the July to October 1968 period, and was produced by Asher. The song's lyric "holy host of others standing around me" makes reference to the Beatles, who were recording The Beatles in the same studio where Taylor was recording his album.

Indeed, the recording of "Carolina in My Mind" includes a credited appearance by Paul McCartney on bass guitar and an uncredited one by George Harrison on backing vocals.The other players were Freddie Redd on organ, Joel "Bishop" O'Brien on drums, and Mick Wayne providing a second guitar alongside Taylor's.Taylor and Asher also did backing vocals and Asher added a tambourine.

Richard Hewson arranged and conducted a string part; an even more ambitious 30-piece orchestra part was recorded but not used. The song itself earned critical praise, with Jon Landau's April 1969 review for Rolling Stone calling it "beautiful" and one of the "two most deeply affecting cuts" on the album and praising McCartney's bass playing as "extraordinary". Taylor biographer Timothy White calls the song "the album's quiet masterpiece.

The Beatles are taking a break today.

It was a year ago today when the Beatles arrived in India. So much has changed. Brian Epstein had just passed away. John left Cynthia. Yoko Ono is in the studio while the Beatles are recording. Paul is now with Linda Eastman and The Beatles' rooftop concert made their final public performance on January 30, 1969.

The Beatles took a break from recording today.

The first song by George Harrison recorded for Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was Only A Northern Song. Today the Beatles started recording in a session that started at 7pm and finished at 3.30am. The next day the song had the working title Not Known, but by the following day it had been named Only A Northern Song.

The session began, however, with the creation of four mono mixes of A Day In The Life. Then nine takes of Only A Northern Song were recorded. The rhythm track had Harrison on organ, John Lennon on tambourine, Paul McCartney playing bass guitar and Ringo Starr on drums.

Also, occurring today was the launch party for Mary Hopkins's album Postcard. The party was organized by Apple Records, and took place at the restaurant at the top of the Post Office Tower in central London. Guests included Paul McCartney, his new girlfriend Linda Eastman, Donovan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and a number of other music stars, as well as members of Hopkin's family.

The Beatles took a break from recording today.

Room 53, EMI Studios, London

Stereo mixes, ending with a tape compilation, of the January 30th rooftop recordings: "I've Got A Feeling", (two versions) "Don't Let Me Down, "Get Back" (two versions) "The One After 909" and "Dig A Pony".

Source: Mark Lewisohn/The Complete Beatles Chronicle

The Beatles are taking a break today.

Another break in the recording studio for The Beatles