Recording and mixing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Something", "You Never Give Me Your Money"

During this 2:30 pm to midnight session, overdubs were added to “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer“, “Something” and “You Never Give Me Your Money“.

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” had been worked on over the past two days. On this third day, Paul McCartney replaced the lead vocal for the third verse, and George Harrison added a final electric guitar part. Those overdubs were added onto Take 21.

The track would receive one final overdub on August 6.

They got annoyed because Maxwell’s Silver Hammer took three days to record. Big deal.

Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

“Something” had been initially started in May 1969. On this day, overdubs were added onto Take 36. George Harrison recorded his first lead vocals for the track, and Paul McCartney contributed backing vocals.

According to Kevin Howlett in the “Abbey Road” Super Deluxe edition book (2019), Billy Preston was also present in the studio, recording an organ part. However, Jerry Hammack, in his book “The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5“, states that Preston’s organ contribution was recorded earlier, on May 2.

Following the overdubs, four stereo mixes were prepared, along with a tape reduction — labelled Take 37 — to free up additional tracks for further overdubs. At this stage, the track was edited from 7’48” down to 5’32”, with the instrumental coda shortened from 4’48” to 2’32” (this coda would eventually be removed entirely).

Work on “Something” would resume on July 16.

“You Never Give Me Your Money” had last been worked on, on July 1. On this day, Paul added a bass guitar overdub onto track seven of take 30. Work on the track would continue on July 15.

Session activities

1. Maxwell's Silver Hammer

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • SI onto take 21

2. Something

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • SI onto take 36

3. Something

   Written by George Harrison

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 1 from take 36

4. Something

   Written by George Harrison

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 2 from take 36

5. Something

   Written by George Harrison

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 3 from take 36

6. Something

   Written by George Harrison

   Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 4 from take 36

7. Something

   Written by George Harrison

   Tape copying • Tape reduction take 36 into take 37

8. You Never Give Me Your Money

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • SI onto take 30

Staff

Musicians on "Something"

Musicians on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"

Musicians on "You Never Give Me Your Money"

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

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.

Buy on Amazon