Wednesday, July 2, 1969
Recording "Her Majesty", "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight"
For The Beatles
Last updated on December 23, 2021
Wednesday, July 2, 1969
For The Beatles
Last updated on December 23, 2021
Feb 22 - Aug 25, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording studio: EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Session Jul 01, 1969 • Recording "You Never Give Me Your Money"
Album Jul 01, 1969 • "Battersea Rain Dance" by The Chris Barber Band released in the UK
Session Jul 02, 1969 • Recording "Her Majesty", "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight"
Session Jul 03, 1969 • Recording "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight"
Session Jul 04, 1969 • Recording "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight"
Some of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "Abbey Road" LP.
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, Paul McCartney was the first one to arrive at the studio at 3 pm. Waiting for George Harrison and Ringo Starr, he decided to record “Her Majesty“, the 23-second track which would end up the “Abbey Road” album.
Paul had demoed “Her Majesty” during the “Get Back” sessions, on January 9 and January 24. On this day, he recorded three complete takes of it, playing acoustic guitar and singing. Take three was deemed the best. The three takes were released on the “Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)” in 2019.
[The Beatles] hadn’t got a tape op, and Allan Stagge, then studio manager, called me to his office to ask if I might like to help out. He said that he wouldn’t pressurize me into doing it. I was extremely nervous on the session and my mind went completely blank. Paul sat down and did ‘Her Majesty’ and I couldn’t for the life of me think how to spell Majesty on the tape box. I rang upstairs, all around the building, asking people how to spell Majesty!
Chris Blair – Second engineer – From “The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions” by Mark Lewisohn
Once George and Ringo arrived, the three Beatles began work on “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight“.
Like “Her Majesty“, those two songs had been rehearsed during the “Get Back” sessions in January 1969. If “Carry That Weight” was considered as a standalone song when first played on January 6, Paul changed his mind the day after, attaching it to another song fragment, “Golden Slumbers“.
On this day, they recorded “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight” as one track (under the working title “Golden Slumbers” even if, on the “Abbey Road” LP, the two names would be mentioned).
They recorded 15 takes of the backing track, with Paul on piano (track three) and guide vocal (track eight), George on bass (track two) and Ringo on drums (take one).
Takes 1 to 3 were incomplete takes and were included on the “Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)” in 2019.
The session ended at 9:30 pm, and work on “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight” would continue the following day.
Recording • Take 1
AlbumOfficially released on Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 2
AlbumOfficially released on Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 3
AlbumOfficially released on Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 1
AlbumOfficially released on Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 2
AlbumOfficially released on Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 3
AlbumOfficially released on Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording • Take 4
Recording • Take 5
Recording • Take 6
Recording • Take 7
Recording • Take 8
Recording • Take 9
Recording • Take 10
Recording • Take 11
Recording • Take 12
Recording • Take 13
Recording • Take 14
Recording • Take 15
Recording • Takes 1-15 (recorded along with "Golden Slumbers" as one track, under the working title "Golden Slumbers")
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!
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.
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.
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