Recording: Dear Prudence

Trident Studios, St Anne’s Court, London
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Barry Sheffield

This was the second session at London’s Trident Studios for the White Album song ‘Dear Prudence’, recording for which had begun the previous day.

This was an overdub session, onto the basic track of acoustic guitars and drums. During this 7pm-6am session, John Lennon recorded two sets of lead vocals, Paul McCartney added bass guitar and piano, George Harrison recorded some electric guitar, and two sets of backing vocals, plus tambourine and handclaps, were added.

Visitors to the studio on this night included McCartney’s cousin John, as well as Apple-signed singer Jackie Lomax. With The Beatles’ assistant Mal Evans, they contributed to the backing vocals and handclaps. Although left out of the final mix, the song ended with deliberate applause.

Ringo Starr was not present at the session, as he had walked out of the group on 22 August 1968. He returned to the group on 3 September.

During the session a knife fight broke out in St Anne’s Court, which at the time was a somewhat insalubrious part of London’s Soho. One of the two combatants was wounded, and Beatles fans waiting outside the studio alerted Mal Evans who called an ambulance.