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Tuesday, April 29, 1969

Recording and mixing "Octopus's Garden"

For The Beatles

Last updated on December 28, 2021


Master session

Location

  • Recording studio: EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

Timeline

Master release

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

Some of the songs from this session also appear on:

The day started with a four-hour playback of recently recorded titles (from 2.30 pm to 6:30 pm), likely with the “Get Back” LP in mind.


The backing track of Ringo Starr’s composition “Octopus’s Garden“ had been recorded on April 26, 1969. On this day, from 7:30 pm to 1 am, the song received its first overdubs.

Ringo Starr recorded his double-tracked lead vocals, replacing the guide vocals from April 26. Paul McCartney also added a piano overdub.

Four attempts at creating stereo mixes were then made. The song would however receive more overdubs on July 17, 1969.


Session activities

  1. Octopus's Garden

    Written by Ringo Starr

    Recording • SI onto take 32

  2. Octopus's Garden

    Written by Ringo Starr

    Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 1 from take 32

  3. Octopus's Garden

    Written by Ringo Starr

    Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 2 from take 32

  4. Octopus's Garden

    Written by Ringo Starr

    Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 3 from take 32

  5. Octopus's Garden

    Written by Ringo Starr

    Mixing • Stereo mixing - Remix 4 from take 32


Staff

Musicians on "Octopus's Garden"

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!

Shop 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.

Shop on Amazon

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

Paul McCartney writing

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