Recording and mixing "Octopus's Garden"

Tuesday, April 29, 1969 • For The Beatles

Part of


"Abbey Road" sessions

Feb 22 - Aug 25, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road

Album Songs recorded during this session officially appear on the Abbey Road LP.
Studio:
EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

Master release


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About

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.

Last updated on December 28, 2021

Songs recorded


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"

Paul McCartney:
Piano
Ringo Starr:
Lead vocals

Production staff

John Kurlander:
Second Engineer
Chris Thomas:
Producer
Jeff Jarratt:
Engineer

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 like to think, in all modesty, that the Paul McCartney Project is the best online ressource for everything Paul McCartney, The Beatles Bible is for sure the definitive online site focused on the Beatles. There are obviously some overlap in terms of content between the two sites, but also some major differences in terms of approach.

Read more on The Beatles Bible

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