- Album Songs recorded during this session officially appear on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono) LP.
Timeline
More from year 1966
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About
The Beatles’ last recording session as a group took place on June 22, 1966, when they finalized “Revolver“. After a summer spent touring internationally, including stops in Germany, Japan, the Philippines and the USA, the band took a break and each Beatle spent time doing solo activities. During this time, Paul McCartney vacationed in France, Spain and Kenya, and also composed the soundtrack for the film “The Family Way“. He also spent time in recording studios with Donovan and The Escorts.
On November 24, 1966, The Beatles were back at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, to start recording their next single and album.
In November The Beatles returned to the studio for the first time after they had decided to stop touring. They were generally fed up with their lives. They’d had a lot of aggro in that past year, coupled with Brian Epstein worrying that they were going down the pan. He thought that it was the end of The Beatles, and there were all sorts of signs of that in 1966. There was the Philippines disaster, and the falling attendance in some of their shows, and they were fed up with being prisoners of their fame.
We started off with ‘Strawberry Fields’, and then we recorded ‘When I’m Sixty-Four and ‘Penny Lane’. They were all intended for the next album. We didn’t know it was Sgt Pepper then – they were just going to be tracks on The New Album — but it was going to be a record created in the studio, and there were going to be songs that couldn’t be performed live.
George Martin – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000
The big influence was Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. That was the album that flipped me. The musical invention on that album was, like, ‘Wow!’ That was the big thing for me. I just thought, ‘Oh dear me. This is the album of all time. What the hell are we going to do?’ So, Sgt Pepper eventually came out, basically, from the idea that I had about this band. It was going to be an album of another band that wasn’t us. We were going to call ourselves something else, and just imagine all the time that it wasn’t us playing this album. So, I had this song written of ‘Sgt Pepper’, who, twenty year’s ago today, taught us to play and we’re his protégés and here we are.
Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles: Off the Record” by Keith Badman, 2008
We didn’t think it was fair game for the people who had already spent their pounds on buying the ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and ‘Penny Lane’ single to have it included on an album. We thought that we should give them virgin stuff on an album and so we excluded the tracks from the Sgt Pepper album. I wish we had left them in actually, we could have made an even better album than it was.
George Martin – From “The Beatles: Off the Record” by Keith Badman, 2008
They were free to think of any idea they could lay their hands upon. They would come to me and say, ‘We don’t quite know what we want, but we’ll try and indicate to you.’ It was my job to get inside their minds and find out what kind of noises was inside their brains and translate it into practical terms. My involvement with Pepper was enormous, but I was no longer dictating to them my ideas, on the contrary, I was trying to get out of them their ideas and mould them. It really was a partnership. Pepper grew of its own accord. I don’t think they really knew what they were doing on it, and I didn’t have a great deal of an idea either, but somehow, some magic hands did and started doing something.
George Martin – From “The Beatles: Off the Record” by Keith Badman, 2008
The current Beatles recording sessions are producing some very trendy clothes as well as some forward-looking songs. The variety of musical instruments in the studio is only equalled by the varying styles of The Beatles’ suits, jackets, ties and shoes. Paul zipped into the studio wearing a lemon-yellow jacket, set off by a brightly striped tie. George strolled in with his Civil War moustache, but minus beard. A long, black, Mississippi gambler’s jacket and black moccasins set off his moustache. Ringo and John arrived together in John’s mini, with blacked-out windows, of course. The new moustache and sideboards suit Ringo very much, but curiously, they are much blacker than his medium-brown hair. So much that people say that he’s stuck them on. John’s Chinaman type moustache topped a neckerchief, held together at the throat with badge, inscribed with the words, ‘Down With Pants’. The contact lenses have now been discarded and he’s wearing the steel-rimmed spectacles that he had made for the film How I Won The War. There’s no truth in the rumour that these spectacles are going to be blacked out in the near future, to match his car windows.
From The Beatles Monthly Book – From “The Beatles: Off the Record” by Keith Badman, 2008









Last updated on March 24, 2023
Related sessions
Mixing "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)", recording "Only A Northern Song"
Apr 20, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mixing "Good Morning Good Morning", "Only A Northern Song"
Apr 19, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mixing "Getting Better", "She's Leaving Home", "When I'm Sixty-Four", "Lovely Rita"
Apr 17, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Apr 07, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mixing "Good Morning Good Morning"
Apr 06, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mixing "Within You Without You"
Apr 04, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Within You Without You"
Apr 03, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"
Apr 01, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mar 31, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "With A Little Help From My Friends"
Mar 30, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mar 29, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Good Morning Good Morning" and "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
Mar 28, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Getting Better"
Mar 23, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Within You Without You"
Mar 22, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Getting Better", "Lovely Rita", mixing "Lovely Rita"
Mar 21, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "She's Leaving Home"
Mar 20, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "She's Leaving Home"
Mar 17, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Within You Without You"
Mar 15, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Good Morning Good Morning"
Mar 13, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mar 10, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mar 09, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mar 07, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Mar 06, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", mixing "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
Mar 03, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
Mar 02, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "A Day In The Life", "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
Mar 01, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
Feb 28, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Feb 24, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Mixing "A Day In The Life", recording "Lovely Rita"
Feb 23, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "A Day In The Life"
Feb 22, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Feb 21, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!", mixing "Good Morning Good Morning"
Feb 20, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
Feb 17, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording and mixing "Good morning good morning"
Feb 16, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "A Day In The Life" #4
Feb 10, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Feb 09, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Good Morning Good Morning"
Feb 08, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "A Day In The Life" #3
Feb 03, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Feb 02, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Feb 01, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "A Day In The Life" #2
Jan 20, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "A Day In The Life" #1
Jan 19, 1967 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Penny Lane" and mixing "When I'm Sixty Four", "Penny Lane"
Dec 30, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Mixing "When I'm Sixty Four", "Strawberry Fields Forever" and recording "Penny Lane"
Dec 29, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Mixing "Strawberry Fields Forever"
Dec 22, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Recording "When I'm Sixty Four", "Strawberry Fields Forever"
Dec 21, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Recording "When I'm Sixty Four"
Dec 20, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Strawberry Fields Forever" #6
Dec 15, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Recording "Strawberry Fields Forever" #5
Dec 09, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Recording "Strawberry Fields Forever", "When I'm Sixty-Four"
Dec 08, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Recording Christmas messages and "When I'm Sixty Four"
Dec 06, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono)
Recording "Strawberry Fields Forever" #3
Nov 29, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Recording "Strawberry Fields Forever" #2
Nov 28, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Recording "Strawberry Fields Forever" #1
Nov 24, 1966 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Songs recorded
1.
2.
3.
4.
Christmas Messages for Radio Caroline
Dec 06, 1966 • Recording Christmas messages and "When I'm Sixty Four"
5.
Christmas Messages for Radio London
Dec 06, 1966 • Recording Christmas messages and "When I'm Sixty Four"
7.
9.
10.
11.
Dec 20, 1966 • Recording "When I'm Sixty Four"
12.
14.
Dec 22, 1966 • Mixing "Strawberry Fields Forever"
15.
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19.
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21.
Jan 19, 1967 • Recording "A Day In The Life" #1
22.
Jan 20, 1967 • Recording "A Day In The Life" #2
23.
24.
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Feb 03, 1967 • Recording "A Day In The Life" #3
26.
27.
Feb 09, 1967 • Recording "Fixing A Hole"
28.
Feb 10, 1967 • Recording "A Day In The Life" #4
29.
31.
32.
33.
Feb 21, 1967 • Recording "Fixing A Hole"
34.
Feb 22, 1967 • Recording and mixing "A Day In The Life"
35.
Anything
Feb 22, 1967 • Recording and mixing "A Day In The Life"
36.
37.
38.
Feb 24, 1967 • Recording "Lovely Rita"
39.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
Mar 07, 1967 • Recording "Lovely Rita"
47.
Mar 09, 1967 • Recording "Getting Better"
48.
Mar 10, 1967 • Recording "Getting Better"
49.
50.
Mar 15, 1967 • Recording "Within You Without You"
51.
Mar 17, 1967 • Recording "She's Leaving Home"
52.
Mar 20, 1967 • Recording and mixing "She's Leaving Home"
54.
55.
56.
Mar 23, 1967 • Recording and mixing "Getting Better"
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
Apr 04, 1967 • Mixing "Within You Without You"
68.
Crossfades for LP
Apr 06, 1967 • Mixing "Good Morning Good Morning"
69.
Apr 06, 1967 • Mixing "Good Morning Good Morning"
70.
71.
Crossfades for LP
Apr 07, 1967 • Mixing "With A Little Help From My Friends", "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!", "Fixing A Hole", "Lucy In The Sky Wit
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
81.
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!
The Beatles Recording Reference Manual - Volume 2 - Help! through Revolver (1965-1966)
The second book of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC)-nominated series, "The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 2: Help! through Revolver (1965-1966)" follows the evolution of the band from the end of Beatlemania with "Help!" through the introspection of "Rubber Soul" up to the sonic revolution of "Revolver". From the first take to the final remix, discover the making of the greatest recordings of all time.
Through extensive, fully-documented research, these books fill an important gap left by all other Beatles books published to date and provide a unique view into the recordings of the world's most successful pop music act.
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