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8.21pm
1 November 2012
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On the solo album by Ringo called simply Ringo (1973), Ringo with the help of his friends does a version of the old 1960 classic “You’re Sixteen”.
In the middle of that song, there is a solo of what sounds distinctly like a kazoo. On the album liner notes (I have the LP album cover right here on my desk as I type) it lists:
“Mouth Sax Solo: Paul McCartney “.
Wikipedia tells us that people thought that was a kazoo, but that actually it was just Paul mimicking with his mouth the sound of a kazoo.
If you listen to it, that seems amazing, if not impossible. How could a human being make that sound with his lips, without some kind of technical help (sound distortion on the mic, engineering help, some instrument pressed against his lips…)?
Perhaps Paul is compressing his lips and blowing air out to sound like a balloon that you let air out of by squishing it? Or maybe he’s somehow squeezing air out of his nose…?
P.S.: Also note that Paul is double-tracking two of his “mouth sax” sounds, one on the background, one in the foreground.
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Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
8.53pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline I had heard the ‘mouth sax’ on that song for years before discovering a few years back that it was Paul. I knew it was a human, just not which one!
So…do you prefer his mouth sax on ‘You’re Sixteen’ or his mouth bass on ‘I Will ‘?
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
12.38am
1 November 2012
Offline Zig said
I had heard the ‘mouth sax’ on that song for years before discovering a few years back that it was Paul. I knew it was a human, just not which one!So…do you prefer his mouth sax on ‘You’re Sixteen’ or his mouth bass on ‘I Will ‘?
I much prefer the mouth sax solo. While the “I Will ” mouth bass is fine for the song, I think it would have been better with an acoustic stand-up bass.
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
2.48am
17 January 2013
Offline I had to listen… and I did. That man is amazing.
"Please don't bring your banjo back, I know where it's been.. I wasn't hardly gone a day, when it became the scene.. Banjos! Banjos! All the time, I can't forget that tune.. and if I ever see another banjo, I'm going out and buy a big balloon!"
4.49am
5 November 2011
Offline 
He really is.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
7.36am
27 December 2012
Offline Lol if Paul continued doing that, he would have put a lot of saxophone players out of the business.
6.50pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline Not to mention the trouble he would have with the International Brotherhood of Kazoo Players Union.
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Mr. KiteTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
2.50am
17 January 2013
Offline Just noticed this today… is Paul at it again with “When the Night” by Wings?
Right at 1:48…
"Please don't bring your banjo back, I know where it's been.. I wasn't hardly gone a day, when it became the scene.. Banjos! Banjos! All the time, I can't forget that tune.. and if I ever see another banjo, I'm going out and buy a big balloon!"
3.21am
6 December 2012
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Zig said
Not to mention the trouble he would have with the International Brotherhood of Kazoo Players Union.
Does that exist??? Probably not. I wish it did. That would be awesome. 
Also known as Egg-Rock, Egg-Roll, E-George, Eggy, Ravioli, Eggroll Eggrolli...
~witty quote~
3.30am
1 November 2012
Offline LongHairedLady said
Just noticed this today… is Paul at it again with “When the Night” by Wings?
Right at 1:48…
Thanks LHL. I knew there was another McCartney song that had it, but I couldn’t think of it. I guess I didn’t try thinking hard enough, because I’ve probably listened to “When The Night” about 1,000 times in my life.
I’m still not convinced it’s not a kazoo there and in “You’re Sixteen”. I just can’t see how it’s possible to make that sound without some kind of instrument.
On the same note, I just learned that “Lovely Rita ” has all four Beatles tracking over with makeshift kazoos you can make with tissue paper over a comb:
Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, bass, comb and paper
John Lennon: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
George Harrison: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
Ringo Starr: drums, comb and paper
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
3.33am
17 January 2013
Offline Funny Paper said
On the same note, I just learned that “Lovely Rita ” has all four Beatles tracking over with makeshift kazoos you can make with tissue paper over a comb:Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, bass, comb and paper
John Lennon: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
George Harrison: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
Ringo Starr: drums, comb and paper
That’s what that is in Lovely Rita ! Dear God do I ever love that tune. 
"Please don't bring your banjo back, I know where it's been.. I wasn't hardly gone a day, when it became the scene.. Banjos! Banjos! All the time, I can't forget that tune.. and if I ever see another banjo, I'm going out and buy a big balloon!"
3.48am
1 November 2012
Offline LongHairedLady said
Funny Paper said
On the same note, I just learned that “Lovely Rita ” has all four Beatles tracking over with makeshift kazoos you can make with tissue paper over a comb:Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, bass, comb and paper
John Lennon: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
George Harrison: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
Ringo Starr: drums, comb and paperThat’s what that is in Lovely Rita ! Dear God do I ever love that tune.
I just had a listen to Lovely Rita after many years — this was the first time I heard those kazoos. All the previous times I listened to the song, I guess I was just oblivious to those sounds, and probably semi-consciously just assumed they were brass or saxophones. They are exquisitely performed.
I also noticed the beginning has some “ahhs” that sound eerily like those infamous “ahhs” in A Day In The Life .
Also, Joe forgot to list cowbell, which I can distinctly hear near the end.
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
1.49am
27 December 2012
Offline LongHairedLady said
Just noticed this today… is Paul at it again with “When the Night” by Wings?
Right at 1:48…
Although you can notice it’s not as good as the later one, probably because he was just about to perfect it. Paul loves to make weird sounds
2.20am
5 November 2011
Offline Red Rose speedway came out after Ringo.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
8.07am
1 November 2012
Offline unknown said
Red Rose speedway came out after Ringo.
Both LPs say “1973” on their back cover; so it’s only a matter of months (and that’s not factoring in that one would have to know when they actually laid down the tracks — could have been in December of 1972 on either one for all we know).
At any rate, I think the kazoo on “When The Night” is just fine, no less pleasing than the one on “You’re Sixteen”.
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
8.28am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
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Funny Paper said
unknown said
Red Rose speedway came out after Ringo.Both LPs say “1973” on their back cover; so it’s only a matter of months (and that’s not factoring in that one would have to know when they actually laid down the tracks — could have been in December of 1972 on either one for all we know).
At any rate, I think the kazoo on “When The Night” is just fine, no less pleasing than the one on “You’re Sixteen”.
Red Rose Speedway was recorded between March and October 1972, and it was released 30 April (US) and 4 May (UK) 1973.
Ringo was recorded between March and July 1973, and it was released 2 (US) and 23 (UK) November 1973.
So When the Night was recorded months ahead of Only Sixteen.
Edit: Just read Joe’s article on Red Rose Speedway and he has When the Night being recorded in Los Angeles in March 1972. That’s not to say the “kazoo” wasn’t a later overdub…
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
3.14pm
5 November 2011
Offline Yeah, I guess RRS anx Ringo did come out the same year. I always think Ringo came out in 1971, and I think that’s because Early 1970 is a bonus track, so for some reason that confuses me.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
1.10am
Reviewers
4 February 2014
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Funny Paper said
Zig said
I had heard the ‘mouth sax’ on that song for years before discovering a few years back that it was Paul. I knew it was a human, just not which one!So…do you prefer his mouth sax on ‘You’re Sixteen’ or his mouth bass on ‘I Will ‘?
I much prefer the mouth sax solo. While the “I Will ” mouth bass is fine for the song, I think it would have been better with an acoustic stand-up bass.
Imagining that, it would’ve been perfect for the song! Never thought of that.
That’s interesting that that’s just paper and a comb in Rita, I also thought it was brass or something. But that song has a lot of unconventional sounds like the maraca sound with their mouths (chicka chicka chicka…), a mouth pop which you can hear 1:25-1:28 right before more maraca, that whole section from 2:10 on which the weird breathing and whatever noises Paul is making.
But back on topic, I was so sure that sound was a kazoo!! There’s no way he can make that sound with his mouth alone!!!
Maybe if you make this face and hum you sound like a kazoo:
4.38am
1 November 2012
Offline I agree, and I have a hunch the person who wrote the liner notes just called it a “mouth sax” but meant a kazoo. Until I see a video of Paul demonstrating his mouth sax without hiding anything in his mouth, I won’t believe it.
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
12.20pm
Reviewers
4 February 2014
Offline Funny Paper said
I agree, and I have a hunch the person who wrote the liner notes just called it a “mouth sax” but meant a kazoo. Until I see a video of Paul demonstrating his mouth sax without hiding anything in his mouth, I won’t believe it.
I think that’s all it meant. But it would’ve been real interesting if Paul could’ve done that alone.
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