Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
The Beatles completed George Harrison’s Indian-flavoured ‘Love You To’ on this day, before beginning work on their next single, ‘Paperback Writer’.
Work on ‘Love You To’ had begun on 11 April 1966. This session began with a reduction mix to free up extra tracks, which was numbered take 7.
With the two newly-available tracks, Ringo Starr played a tambourine while Harrison added more fuzz electric guitar; and Paul McCartney added more harmony vocals. A brief edit piece containing Harrison’s solo sitar was also recorded and used for the song’s introduction.
Three mono mixes were then made of the completed song, and the best parts of each were edited together for the version heard on Revolver. Work on ‘Love You To’ ended at 6.30pm.
The Beatles took a break for dinner, and returned at 8pm to begin work on ‘Paperback Writer’. They recorded two takes of the rhythm track, the first of which was incomplete. Ringo Starr played drums, John Lennon played a tambourine, Harrison performed a rhythm guitar part on a Gibson SG, and McCartney performed a lead guitar part on an Epiphone Casino. The song was completed the following day.
Also on this day...
- 2016: Paul McCartney live: Save Mart Center, Fresno
- 2016: Ringo Starr cancels North Carolina show over anti-LGBT law
- 2012: World première of Paul McCartney’s My Valentine videos
- 2003: Paul McCartney live: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham
- 2002: Paul McCartney live: Air Canada Centre, Toronto
- 1965: Recording: Help!
- 1965: Radio: Pop Inn
- 1965: Paul McCartney buys 7 Cavendish Avenue, London
- 1965: Filming: Help!
- 1964: Filming: A Hard Day’s Night
- 1963: Television: The 625 Show – The Beatles’ first national TV appearance
- 1962: The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg
- 1961: The Beatles live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
If you listen to the instrumental version of “Paperback Writer” there are three guitars and this includes a tremolo electric guitar, so my guess is that the basic track had Paul, George and John on guitars and Ringo on drums or perhaps Paul on bass, George and John on guitars and Ringo on drums, per Phil McDonald’s handwritten notes – as I said, it’s only my guess, but the scenario of Paul, George and John on guitars and Ringo on drums for the basic track to “Paperback Writer” sounds the most plausible, given that George and John had their guitars in the studio with them that day, as studio photographs show.