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- Album This song officially appears on the Revolver (UK Mono) LP.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Jun 08, 1966
Jun 09, 1966
Jun 22, 1966
"Give My Regards To Broad Street" sessions
December 1982 to July 1984
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“Good Day Sunshine” is a song by the Beatles on the 1966 album Revolver. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Leonard Bernstein praised the song for its construction in a 1967 CBS News documentary. Richie Unterberger of allmusic said the song “radiates optimism and good vibes” and Ian MacDonald said it is “superbly sung by McCartney and exquisitely produced by George Martin and his team” and that it shows the Beatles “at their effortless best.“
Recording
The song was recorded on 8 June 1966, with overdubs added the following day. McCartney sang the lead vocal and played piano, accompanied by Ringo Starr on drums, and then overdubbed the bass guitar. Music critic Ian MacDonald was unsure if John Lennon played guitar on the track; in his description of the recording sessions for the song, Mark Lewisohn did not mention a guitar track. Lennon and George Harrison add harmony vocals during the choruses. Lennon can be barely heard repeating “she feels good” after McCartney at 1:27. George Martin played the piano solo, recorded with the tape recorder running slower than usual and thus in the released version the solo sounds faster than it was actually played.
Like “She Said She Said” the song closes with an imitative canon in the voices.
Influences and cover versions
McCartney said that he was influenced by the Lovin’ Spoonful: the song’s “old-timey vaudevillian feel” particularly recalls the Spoonful’s hit “Daydream“, to which “Good Day Sunshine” bears some harmonic resemblance. […]
McCartney re-recorded the song himself in 1984 for the soundtrack to his film, Give My Regards to Broad Street. […]
Paul McCartney played the song live during his 2005 fall US tour, which was featured on the live DVD The Space Within US in 2006. […]
Paul McCartney in "Many Years From Now", by Barry Miles:
It was really very much a nod to The Lovin’ Spoonful’s Daydream, the same traditional, almost trad-jazz feel. That was our favourite record of theirs. Good Day Sunshine was me trying to write something similar to Daydream. John and I wrote it together at Kenwood, but it was basically mine, and he helped me with it.
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
- [a] mono 22 Jun 1966.
UK: Parlophone PMC 7009 Revolver 1966.
US: Capitol T 2576 Revolver 1966.- [b] stereo 22 Jun 1966.
UK: Parlophone PCS 7009 Revolver 1966.
US: Capitol ST 2576 Revolver 1966.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46441 2 Revolver 1987.The bass drum is missing at the very end in stereo [b].
Last updated on December 31, 2021
The book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present", published in 2021, covers Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, the Beatles, Wings, and solo careers, by pairing the lyrics of 154 of his songs with first-person commentaries of the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.
"Good Day Sunshine" is one of the 154 songs covered.
Lyrics
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
I need to laugh, and when the sun is out
I've got something I can laugh about,
I feel good, in a special way.
I'm in love and it's a sunny day.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
We take a walk, the sun is shining down,
Burns my feet as they touch the ground.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
And then we lie, beneath a shady tree,
I love her and she's loving me.
She feels good, she knows she's looking fine.
I'm so proud to know that she is mine.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine,
Good day sunshine.
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1966
2:09 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Handclaps, Piano, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Handclaps
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Martin :
- Piano, Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 08, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jun 09, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 22, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1966
2:12 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Handclaps, Piano, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Handclaps
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Martin :
- Piano, Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 08, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jun 09, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 22, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1966
2:11 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Handclaps, Piano, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Handclaps
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Martin :
- Piano, Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 08, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jun 09, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 22, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 1966
2:09 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Handclaps, Piano, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Handclaps
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Martin :
- Piano, Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 08, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jun 09, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 22, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Give My Regards To Broad Street (CD version)
Official album • Released in 1984
2:33 • Studio version • C
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney
- Paul McCartney :
- Vocals
- George Martin :
- Piano, Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer (?)
- Jon Jacobs :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- Stuart Breed :
- Assistant engineer (?)
- John Kelly :
- Recording engineer (?)
- Session Recording:
- Between December 1982 and July 1984
- Studio :
- Unknown location
CD Single • Released in 1990
2:33 • Live
Concert From the concert in Montreal, Canada on Dec 09, 1989
Revolver (Mono - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
2:09 • Studio version • A2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Handclaps, Piano, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Handclaps
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Martin :
- Piano, Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Sean Magee :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Jun 08, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jun 09, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 22, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Revolver (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
2:09 • Studio version • B2009 • Stereo • 2009 stereo remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Handclaps, Piano, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Handclaps
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Handclaps
- George Martin :
- Piano, Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Jun 08, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jun 09, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 22, 1966
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
Indianapolis IN February 15, 1990
Unofficial live
2:34 • Live
Concert From the concert in Indianapolis, USA on Feb 15, 1990
Live at The Ahoy, Rotterdam, Nov 7, 1989
Unofficial live
3:03 • Live
Concert From the concert in Rotterdam, Netherlands on Nov 07, 1989
Live performances
“Good Day Sunshine” has been played in 135 concerts and 1 soundchecks.
Latest concerts where Good Day Sunshine has been played
Jul 07, 2015 • Part of Out There Tour
Jul 04, 2015 • Part of Summer festivals 2015
Jul 20, 2008 • Canada • Quebec City • Plains Of Abraham
Jun 14, 2008 • Ukraine • Kiev • Independence Square
Los Angeles • Staples Center • USA
Nov 30, 2005 • Part of The US Tour
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