Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producers: John Lennon, Yoko Ono
Engineers: Phil McDonald, John Leckie
The second recording session for John Lennon’s debut solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, took place on 27 September 1970.
The musicians were Lennon, Klaus Voormann on bass guitar, and Ringo Starr on drums.
They worked on five songs: ‘Working Class Hero’, ‘Mother’, ‘I Found Out’, ‘Well Well Well’, and ‘God’.
The first song to be tackled was ‘Working Class Hero’. Lennon recorded 12 takes, only four of which were complete. Take 9 was chosen as the best, although three more were recorded on 15 October. On 25 October Lennon recorded the third verse, omitted on this day, which was edited into the final version.
Work then moved to ‘Mother’, which had been started the previous day. Three more takes were recorded, numbered 62-64. The last of these became the master version, and Lennon overdubbed a second piano track. Work continued on the song on 15, 17, 18, 19, and 24 October 1970.
‘I Found Out’ was recorded in seven takes, following numerous unrecorded and unnumbered rehearsals. Only takes 1, 3, and 7 were complete, and take 3 became the master version.
The recording was completed on 7 October and mixed on 24 October. The final mix faded out a studio jam two minutes early.
The band then moved onto ‘Well Well Well’. Four takes were recorded, although the first was a rehearsal that segued into ‘Ain’t That A Shame’. Take 4 became the master, although more attempts were made on 6 and 15 October.
Overdubs were added onto take 4 of ‘Well Well Well’ on 18 October. They included lead guitar by Lennon, as well as maracas by Lennon and tom tom by Starr, although only the guitar made it to the final mix, which was made on 29 October.
The final song was ‘God’, which had the working title ‘The Dream Is Over’. Two takes were recorded, both loose jams. It was taken no further on this day, with recording continuing on 7, 9, and 18 October 1970.