Recording: The End, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Oh! Darling

Studios Two and Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Phil McDonald

The Beatles continued work on the Abbey Road album in the afternoon after the cover photography took place.

There were two separate recording sessions on this day. The first was held in Studio Two from 2.30-9pm, and saw work continue on ‘The End’ and ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’. ‘The End’ was the first, and was given more drums and bass guitar.

‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ was at the time known simply as ‘I Want You’. Although a reduction mix had been made on 18 April 1969, The Beatles ignored it for now and went back to the 23 February master tape made at Trident Studios.

Paul McCartney’s diary, 7-8 August 1969

On this day John Lennon added white noise to the song, generated with George Harrison’s Moog synthesizer, while Ringo Starr added extra drums.

Meanwhile, between 5.30pm and 9.45, Paul McCartney was in Studio Three adding lead guitar and tambourine overdubs onto ‘Oh! Darling’. Neither recording was used in the final mix.