Mixing "Across The Universe"

During the recording of “Across The Universe” in February 1968, John Lennon was so dissatisfied by the final result that he didn’t want the song released at all. However, there was a guest in the recording studio:

The legendary comedian and ex-Goon Spike Milligan (who was one of John’s idols) happened to be at the session that night as a guest of George Martin’s. He was so impressed with what he was hearing that he asked Lennon if the track, in its current state, could be used for to help raise funds for a charity he was involved in. A distracted, aggrieved John simply said, ‘Yeah, whatever,’ and that’s how ‘Across The Universe’ came to be released on a charity record for the World Wildlife Foundation.

Geoff Emerick – From “Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles“, 2006

By late 1969, the World Wildlife Fund charity album was about to be released.

On this day, in a brief session from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., George Martin created two new stereo mixes from the original 1968 tapes. One version featured no sound effects; the other included added effects such as birdsong, children’s voices, and galloping horses. Both mixes were also slightly sped up: the version without effects ran 3:37 at normal speed, while the final, effects-laden, mix came in at 3:47.

This second mix — featuring the added sound effects —was released in December 1969 on the UK charity LP, “No One’s Gonna Change Our World.”

Session activities

1. Across The Universe

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 1 from take 8

2. Across The Universe

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 2 from take 8

   AlbumOfficially released on No One's Gonna Change Our World

Staff

Production staff

Going further

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!

Buy on Amazon

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".

Buy on Amazon