Recording "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", mixing "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"

About

The Beatles had recorded the basic track of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and vocals over two days, on February 1 and 2, 1967. A little over a month later, they returned to it with the help of four session musicians. Those were James W. Buck, Neill Sanders, Tony Randall and John Burden. They all played French horns, but without a definite pre-arranged score.

They didn’t really know what they wanted. I wrote out phrases for them based on what Paul McCartney was humming to us and George Martin. All four Beatles were there but only Paul took an active interest in our overdub.

John Burden – From “The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions” by Mark Lewisohn, 1988

John Lennon had tape op Richard Lush record all of the conversation between the four players, Paul McCartney and George Martin. Then, for reasons best known only to himself, he took the tape home for his private collection!

From “The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions” by Mark Lewisohn, 1988

Once the brass overdub was complete, Paul McCartney recorded the lead guitar. The horn parts and lead guitar were recorded onto track three of Take 10.

George Harrison spent hours trying to nail down the guitar solo. In the end, Paul peremptorily replaced George’s work with a stunning solo of his own, which Harrison was clearly not very happy about. But the storm quickly blew over.

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

The latest overdubs, in the form of sound effects, were added on March 6, 1967.

For the rest of the session, The Beatles and the engineering team focused on “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.”

The track was recorded over two days, March 1 and March 2. March 2 also saw the creation of eleven mono mixes, but none of them were considered suitable.

On this day, they created four mono mixes, making extensive use of frequency control. Out of the four, Mono Remix 4 was considered the best and was released on the album.

The stereo mix of “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” was made on April 7, 1967.

At some point during the session, a representative of Berman’s, the theatrical costumiers, visited The Beatles and brought samples of fabric for the uniforms that were going to appear on the cover of “Sgt. Pepper’s.”

For our outfits, we went to Berman’s, the theatrical costumiers, and ordered up the wildest things, based on old military tunics. That’s where they sent you if you were making a film: ‘Go down to Berman’s and get your soldier suits.’ They had books there that showed you what was available. Did we want Edwardian or Crimean? We just chose oddball things from everywhere and put them together. We all chose our own colours and our own materials: ‘You can’t have that, he’s having it…’

We went for bright psychedelic colours, a bit like the fluorescent socks you used to get in the Fifties (they came in very pink, very turquoise or very yellow). At the back of our minds, I think the plan was to have garish uniforms which would actually go against the idea of uniform. At the time everyone was into that ‘I Was Lord Kitchener’s Valet’ thing; kids in bands wearing soldiers’ outfits and putting flowers in the barrels of rifles.

Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

The session, which had begun at 7 pm, ended at 2:15 am on the following day.

BEATLES back at the top

THE Beatles released Engelbert Humperdinck from tenancy of the top of the MM’s Pop 50 with their double hit “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane”.

The group are working on their new album — a follow-up to their “Revolver” hit LP. Their A & R man George Martin told the MM: “We are working every night on the album from seven o’clock until two in the morning. It’s even more way out than ‘Revolver’.“

The LP, which is half completed, will not be released before April.

From Melody Maker – March 4, 1967

Last updated on February 10, 2024

Songs recorded

Staff

Musicians on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

Paul McCartney:

Lead guitar

Neill Sanders:

French horn

James W. Buck:

French horn

Tony Randall:

French horn

John Burden:

French horn

Production staff

George Martin:

Producer

Geoff Emerick:

Engineer

Richard Lush:

Second Engineer