Recording "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"

About

Following a day of rehearsals, The Beatles recording six takes of “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” on this day (in a session lasting from 5 pm to 3:45 am).

The group began work on yet another harsh, aggressive Lennon song…Once again, The Beatles were playing incredibly loud down in the studio, but this time Lennon and Harrison had their volume turned up so high that Paul actually gave up competing with them. Rather than play bass on the backing track, he stood next to Ringo, ringing a huge fireman’s bell, egging his drummer on. There was no microphone on him, because the thing was so loud that it bled on all the mics anyway. Physically, it was very difficult to pull off – Paul had to take a break after each take because his shoulders were aching so much. […] As much as I disliked the song, I had to admit that it was the first time in any of the ‘White Album’ sessions that there was any energy in their playing. George Harrison’s lead work was crisp and efficient, much more aggressive than his usual style.

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

Take 6 was considered to be the best, and work started on some overdubs. Further overdubs would be added on July 1 and July 23.

Needless to say, by the time the track was completed, I had a splitting headache. That evening, Paul had walked into the control room on his way in and unceremoniously plunked a bottle of Johnnie Walker down on the table, saying, ‘This is for you, boys.’…(Engineer Richard Lush and I) restrained ourselves until after everyone had gone home, at which point we drained the entire bottle…Giggling like the drunken fools we were, we got every last cup and saucer out of the canteen and took them into Studio Two, whereupon we smashed them up against the wall. Of course, we then had to hide the evidence. But it was worth it. The next morning the canteen staff came in and wanted to know where all the cups and saucers had gone. Fighting our hangovers and trying to appear as angelic as humanly possible, we pleaded innocence.

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

Last updated on September 11, 2021

Songs recorded

Staff

Musicians on "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"

Paul McCartney:

Maracas, Hand bell

Ringo Starr:

Drums

John Lennon:

Guitar

George Harrison:

Guitar

Production staff

George Martin:

Producer

Geoff Emerick:

Engineer

Richard Lush:

Second Engineer