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Sunday, February 23, 1969

Editing "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"

For The Beatles

Last updated on March 30, 2025


Master session

Location

Timeline

Master release

AlbumSome of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "Abbey Road" LP

The previous day, The Beatles had recorded 35 takes of the basic track for “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” On this day, still working at Trident Studios, a composite master take was assembled using portions from three of those takes:

  • Take 9 was chosen for the opening section, as John Lennon’s vocal on that take was considered the strongest.
  • Take 20 provided the middle section.
  • Take 32 was used for the remainder of the song.

This composite master would serve as the foundation for further overdubs in the months to come. Although some overdubs were attempted the following day, February 24, they were ultimately discarded.


Session activities

  1. I Want You (She's So Heavy)

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Editing • Unnumbered master, from takes 9, 20 and 32


Staff

Production staff


Going further

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions • Mark Lewisohn

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions • Mark Lewisohn

The definitive guide for every Beatles recording sessions from 1962 to 1970.

We owe a lot to Mark Lewisohn for the creation of those session pages, but you really have to buy this book to get all the details - the number of takes for each song, who contributed what, a description of the context and how each session went, various photographies... And an introductory interview with Paul McCartney!

The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)

The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)

The fifth and final book of this critically acclaimed series, "The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)" follows The Beatles as they "get back to where they once belonged...". Not once, but twice. With "Let It Be", they attempted to recapture the spontaneity of their early years and recordings, while "Abbey Road" was a different kind of return - to the complexity, finish and polish that they had applied to their work beginning with "Revolver" and through to "The Beatles".

Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles

Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles

Acclaimed Beatles historian Kenneth Womack offers the most definitive account yet of the writing, recording, mixing, and reception of Abbey Road. In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound, and included "Come Together," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun," which all emerged as classics.

If we modestly consider the Paul McCartney Project to be the premier online resource for all things Paul McCartney, it is undeniable that The Beatles Bible stands as the definitive online site dedicated to the Beatles. While there is some overlap in content between the two sites, they differ significantly in their approach.

Read more on The Beatles Bible

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