Recording "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight"

Thursday, July 3, 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 Two, Abbey Road

Master release


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About

On July 1, 1969, John Lennon was on holiday in Scotland and got involved in a car accident along with his wife Yoko, his son Julian, and Yoko’s daughter, Kyoko. He was hospitalised and stayed at this hospital till July 6. He would rejoin The Beatles’ sessions on July 9, missing five days of work.


On this day, the three other Beatles continued the work on “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight“. The session started at 3 pm, and the first task was to edit together take 13 and take 15, recorded the previous day, to create a satisfactory basic track (the result was still called take 13).

They then started the process of recording overdubs. Paul McCartney recorded his lead vocals. Ringo Starr added drums and Paul some extra vocals on track four. The two Beatles then double-tracked their vocals on the chorus of “Carry That Weight” on tracks four and seven. Finally, George Harrison added a lead guitar and Paul a rhythm guitar.

I remember trying to get a very strong vocal on it, because it was such a gentle theme, so I worked on the strength of the vocal on it, and ended up quite pleased with it.

Paul McCartney, talking about “Golden Slumbers”  – From “Many Years From Now” by Barry Miles, 1997

The eight-track being full, two reduction mixes – numbered takes 16 and 17 – were then made to allow for further overdubs.

The session ended at 8:30 pm and work on “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight” would continue on the following day.

Last updated on December 23, 2021

Songs recorded


1.

Golden Slumbers

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Editing • Editing of takes 13 and 15, called take 13


2.

Golden Slumbers

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Recording • SI onto take 13


3.

Golden Slumbers

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Tape copying • Tape reduction take 13 into take 16


4.

Golden Slumbers

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Tape copying • Tape reduction take 13 into take 17


5.

Carry That Weight

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Recording • Recorded along with "Golden Slumbers" as one track, under the working title "Golden Slumbers"

Staff

Musicians on "Carry That Weight"

Paul McCartney:
Backing vocals, Vocals, Rhythm guitar
Ringo Starr:
Drums, Backing vocals
George Harrison:
Lead guitar

Musicians on "Golden Slumbers"

Paul McCartney:
Vocals, Rhythm guitar, Backing vocals
Ringo Starr:
Backing vocals, Drums
George Harrison:
Lead guitar

Production staff

George Martin:
Producer
Phil McDonald:
Engineer
Chris Blair:
Second 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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