Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane (2017)

Track list

Side 1

1. Strawberry Fields Forever

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   4:11 • Studio version • I • Stereo • 2015 mix

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Bongos, Electric guitar, Mellotron, Timpani Ringo Starr : Drums, Percussion John Lennon : Acoustic guitar, Bongos, Mellotron, Piano, Vocals George Harrison : Electric guitar, Maracas, Svarmandal, Timpani George Martin : Producer Geoff Emerick : Recording engineer Giles Martin : Mixing engineer, Sound producer Mal Evans : Tambourine Derek Simpson : Cello Norman Jones : Cello Neil Aspinall : Guiro Terry Doran : Maracas Tony Fisher : Trumpet Greg Bowen : Trumpet Derek Watkins : Trumpet Stanley Roderick : Trumpet Joy Hall : Cello Sam Okell : Mixing engineer Miles Showell : Mastering

   Session Recording Take 7: Nov 29, 1966 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording Take 26: Dec 08, 1966 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road

   Session Overdubs: Dec 09, 15 and 21, 1966 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Circa 2015 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Side 2

1. Penny Lane

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   3:00 • Studio version • E • Stereo • 2015 mix

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Harmonium, Percussion, Piano, Tambourine, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums, Handbell John Lennon : Backing vocals, Congas, Guitar, Handclaps, Piano George Harrison : Backing vocals, Guitar George Martin : Piano, Producer Geoff Emerick : Recording engineer Giles Martin : Mixing engineer, Sound producer David Mason : Flugelhorn, Trumpets Ray Swinfield : Flutes, Piccolos P Goody : Flutes, Piccolos Manny Winters : Flutes, Piccolos Dennis Walton : Flutes, Piccolos Leon Calvert : Flugelhorn, Trumpets Freddy Clayton : Flugelhorn, Trumpets Bert Courtley : Flugelhorn, Trumpets Duncan Campbell : Flugelhorn, Trumpets Dick Morgan : Cor anglais, Oboes Mike Winfield : Cor anglais, Oboes Frank Clarke : Double bass Sam Okell : Mixing engineer Miles Showell : Mastering

   Session Recording: Dec 29, 1966 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Overdubs: 30 Dec 1966 and 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12 Jan 1967 • Studio EMI Studios, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Jan 25, 1967 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

Limited to 7000 copies

From Record Store Day:

For Record Store Day 2017, an exclusive, limited edition 7″ single of The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane”, among the first songs recorded during the Sgt. Pepper sessions, which begin in November 1966. Rather than being held for inclusion on the album, the two songs were released as a double A-sided single in February 1967. Amidst intense media speculation about the band’s next move, the single bridged what was then considered a long gap between the Revolver album, released in August 1966, and Sgt. Pepper, which followed ten months later.

This is an exclusive; it’s quite funny. I wasn’t even in a meeting about that, but they were talking about it in a meeting that I was in and I went “What are you talking about?” And they said, “We’re putting out the “Penny Lane”/”Strawberry Fields” single for Record Store Day.” So I said, “Why don’t you do the new mixes? Why are you doing the original monos?” They said, “Well, we need to get it done now.” So I phoned up Miles, who was the mastering engineer who cuts the vinyl for me, and he was doing something else. I said, “Can you do a cut?” And he said, “Well, when do you need it done by?” And I said, “45 minutes.” So he did it, and then it came out. That’s how it should be. That’s proper old-style, so I think we did the right thing.

Giles Martin – Interview with Ken Sharp – From Beatlefan #226 (May-June 2017)

Going further

• https://beatlesblogger.com/2017/05/20/penny-lanestrawberry-fields-forever-rsd/