Recording, mixing: Sentimental Journey, Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing by Ringo Starr

Olympic Sound Studios, London
Producer: George Martin

The seventh recording session for Ringo Starr’s debut studio album, Sentimental Journey, took place on this day.

The title track had been a 1945 hit for Doris Day. Starr admired American producer Richard Perry’s work on Tiny Tim’s 1968 debut album God Bless Tiny Tim, and invited him to arrange the song.

Although they wouldn’t actually meet for another two years, Perry and Starr worked together extensively in 1973-74. Perry recorded the backing track for ‘Sentimental Journey’ in America in late 1969, with guitar, bass, drums, piano, accordion, clarinet, saxophone, strings, autoharp and backing vocals.

Starr recorded his lead vocals at Olympic Sound Studios, in a session lasting from 2.30-5.30pm. His vocals were double-tracked during the middle eight section.

He also recorded vocals for ‘Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing’. Quincy Jones had conducted a 27-piece orchestral backing track at A&M Studios in Los Angeles on 26 December 1969. The results, however, were never used, and a new backing track and vocals were recorded on 3 February 1970.

A half-hour rough mixing session took place once this day’s recording was complete, ending at 6pm. The song was properly mixed at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, the following month.