Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 25, 28, 30 July 1969
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Phil McDonald
Released: 26 September 1969 (UK), 1 October 1969 (US)
Available on:
Abbey Road
Anthology 3
Personnel
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass guitar
John Lennon: backing vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine, maracas, percussion
A song about the ‘Apple scruffs’ that held vigil outside the group’s headquarters, Abbey Road Studios and the members’ homes, ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ was written by Paul McCartney and first released as part of the long medley on Abbey Road.
The song is believed to have been based on an incident involving some fans who took a ladder from McCartney’s garden, climbed into his house in Cavendish Avenue, London, and stole a precious picture, possibly of his father.
We found a ladder in his garden and stuck it up at the bathroom window which he’d left slightly open. I was the one who climbed up and got in.
A Hard Day’s Write, Steve Turner
I’m still amused by the distinction of the woman who ‘could steal but she could not rob’. A nice distinction if ever there was one.And that, of course, goes back to the fact that a woman did actually sneak into my house through the bathroom window that was a bit ajar. A fan, apparently – one of a group called the ‘Apple scruffs’. She found a ladder lying outside my house in London. As far as I recall, she stole a picture of my cotton salesman dad. Or robbed me of it. But I got the song in return.
The Lyrics: 1956 To The Present
Some of the Scruffs are said to have known where McCartney kept a key to his house, and took turns to look around inside. The more daring of the set took mementos from the scene until McCartney became wise to the losses.
There were really two groups of Apple Scruffs – those who would break in and those who would just wait outside with cameras and autograph books. I used to take Paul’s dog for a walk and got to know him quite well…I knew there was one picture he particularly wanted back – a colour-tinted picture of him in a Thirties frame. I knew who had taken this and got it back for him.
A Hard Day’s Write, Steve Turner
McCartney’s neighbours attempted to contact him when they realised the break-ins were taking place, inspiring the lines “Sunday’s on the phone to Monday, Tuesday’s on the phone to me.”
I used to see the days of the week in colours. Monday was black, Tuesday was yellow, Wednesday was green, Thursday was dark blue, Friday was red, Saturday was orange, Sunday was white. When I saw the name of the day of the week, I pictured them like that. It’s a form of synaesthesia.So the lines ‘Sunday’s on the phone to Monday/Tuesday’s on the phone to me’ are particularly resonant for me. I use essentially the same device in ‘Lady Madonna’, where I have ‘Friday night arrives without a suitcase’ and ‘Sunday morning, creeping like a nun’. It seems to be fruitful ground for me.
The Lyrics: 1956 To The Present
Another version of the tale was revealed by the Moody Blues. Their former keyboard player Mike Pinder claimed that a groupie climbed through an open bathroom window and spent the night with band member Ray Thomas. Pinder and Thomas are said to have told McCartney about the incident the next day, who began strumming on a guitar and improvised the opening line.
In 1980 John Lennon said that the song was written while he and McCartney were in New York in 1968.
That’s Paul’s song. He wrote that when we were in New York announcing Apple, and we first met Linda. Maybe she’s the one that came in the window. I don’t know; somebody came in the window.
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
Lennon and McCartney were in New York in May 1968 to announce the formation of Apple Corps. In October that year, when the White Album had been completed, McCartney flew to the city once again to see Linda Eastman.
And the end of his two-week stay, McCartney was in a taxi heading to JFK airport. At the time he needed a final verse for ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’, and noticed the driver’s police identification panel on the dashboard. The ID had a photograph of the driver, along with the name Eugene Quits, above the words ‘New York Police Dept.’
So I got ‘So I quit the police department’, which are part of the lyrics to that. This was the great thing about the randomness of it all. If I hadn’t been in this guy’s cab, or if it had been someone else driving, the song would have been different. Also I had a guitar there so I could solidify it into something straight away.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
The end of ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ brings a pause in the Abbey Road medley. The song concludes a song cycle that begins with ‘Sun King’, and continues with ‘Mean Mr Mustard’ and ‘Polythene Pam’.
A slower version, meanwhile, can be found on Anthology 3. This was recorded on 21 January 1969 during the Get Back sessions at Apple Studios. The Beatles also played the song on 6, 7, 8, 9, 24, and 29 January.
In the studio
‘Polythene Pam’ and ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ were recorded as one on 25 July 1969. They taped 39 takes of the songs’ basic track, with John Lennon and Paul McCartney singing guide vocals where needed.
Take 39 was selected as the best, and was subjected to further overdubs. Take 27, meanwhile, was released on some formats of the 50th anniversary reissue of Abbey Road.
The basic tracks featured McCartney’s bass guitar on track one of the eight-track tape; Ringo Starr’s drums on track two; Lennon’s 12-string acoustic guitar on three; George Harrison’s electric lead guitar on four; and vocals by Lennon and McCartney on six.
Towards the end of the same session, between 10.30pm-2.30am, Lennon and McCartney replaced their guide vocals with proper attempts.
On 28 July they added a range of overdubs to the two songs, including more lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, tambourine and other percussion, electric and acoustic piano. Recording was concluded on 30 July with the addition of backing vocals, percussion, and guitar overdubs.
That is not Paul McCartney playing lead. It’s George.
I’ve read conflicting reports. Some even say that George is on bass as well as lead (not at the same time, obviously!). As a safeguard I put them both on lead guitar, unless I can find definitive confirmation one way or another.
George is singing backing vocals along with John and Paul. One mistake I found in the 50th anniversary deluxe edition is that George isn’t credited singing backing vocals on PP/SCITTBW. When I isolated the backing vocals I can hear 3 harmonies George I’m assuming the low, John the mid and Paul the high.
I don’t know why Kevin Howlett makes a lot of unnecessary errors or omissions in the line-ups on his SDE books and in some cases, he relied directly on Mal Evans’s “Beatles Monthly” reports that have proven to be incorrect over time.
Anyone know what guitar and/or amp he’s using? I love this sound and I want to try to replicate it.
If I was going to try and duplicate it I’d say Les Paul Junior through Vox AC30 (no mistaking the tone), Tape echo (probably either a WEM Copycat or an Echoplex)
George probably played his Les Paul Standard (Lucy) through a Fender (probably a Twin Reverb – they weren’t using Vox amps then), and miking through a Leslie speaker (common practice for George).
Some think George is playing his Rosewood Tele, but it doesn’t really have that sound (of course, it’s highly processed).
I actually think it´s the Fender Strat (the painted one), middle and bridge pick-up. Sounds like single coil picks, but not like the (Rosewood) Tele.
Rocky?
George’s lead guitar work is stellar, as usual.
I hear George singing backing vocals on this and Polythene Pam. Why isn’t he credited?
“In New York, McCartney is said to have been given protection by an NYPD officer named Eugene Quits, who found his name alluded to in the line “And so I quit the police department”.”
Actually, according to Paul in either Anthology or Many Years From Now, Eugene Quits was the name of the man who drove a taxi he and Linda took at one point, and the words “Police Department” were on the license, which was hanging from the rearview mirror.
So it is. Thanks for that. It’s in Many Years From Now, in the White Album chapter (page 521 in my copy). I’ll amend the article.
This is a great song on this album. The shortest songs on here are the best ones.
yes indeed
The guitar work in this song is so beautiful to me. It sounds like it is from somewhere else in the universe. It seems to be counter pointing the lyrics. Just fantastic. Great song.
I can’t remember the exact interview (7 months ago) but during the interview I believe Ringo Starr stated this to be his favorite Beatles song.
In the very beginning of the song, before he says “Oh look out” what’s beind said there? I can’t tell and lyrics sites only start at “oh look out”. Any help? Thanks!
To me, it’s everything between “Oh, listen to that now” and “Don’t listen to that now”. I’m not sure.
I’ve always presumed it was “Lights go out now”, but I don’t know for sure.
I played the song on half the speed, and I’m pretty sure he says “Oh, listen to that now”.
“Hey-Late! Fellas come on now. Heh-heh. Oh, look out!” It’s John
“We’re going to listen to that now”..I got it from a youtube recording of just the vocals from the medley/
At the very beginning of the song, in anticipation of the change of tempo, John Lennon says “well listen to that Mal (referring to Mal Evans)… heh-heh” and then shouts “Oh, look out!
Take it from a fellow Liverpudlian, it is spoken in a slightly exaggerated Scouse accent by John and the words are;
“Great”
“Fab”
“That’s great”
“It’s really good, that”
“It’s Real good”
“Oh listen to that, now”
“heh, heh, heh”
“Oh, Look Out!”
From my ears it’s jibberish & laughing but can’t make out the jibberish. Is it John who says “Oh Look Out!”?
Paul said oh ? out!!! Ha ha we mustn’t spill our lil secret and mess up our whole nice shebang ha ha ha. John you mustn’t be so coy and tongue in cheek ha ha ha we got a great gig goin here ha ha ha doan mess it up ha ha ha you’re gonna spoil it!!!ha ha ha our fans believe in us ha ha ha John doan feel so guilty ha ha ha it all worked out ha ha ha besides most people are morons ha ha ha
I’ll always wonder why they didn’t use any tapes as a sonic bridge between this and “Golden Slumbers”, the way they did for “…Money”/”Sun King”. As it is, it’s not really one big medley, is it? It’s two shorter ones.
Agreed. I edited the beginning of Golden Slumbers closer for the mp3 I made of the medley, because that’s how it should have been! Don’t know why they just stopped the medley in the middle like that.
I’m sure it’s John and I saw on another site he said “oh listen to that now” but it would be a strange accent on ‘now’ although that’s not to say it wasn’t said! Thanks 🙂
It sounds to me like “There’s the van now. Heh-heh-heh. Oh look out!” preceding the first verse.
For me, it sounds like John Lennon saying “Please, come about”. I can’t hear nor “listen to that now” neither “we’ll listen to that now”, like someones say.
The handclaps on this are awesome and placed in such an unusual place.
Yes, Can’t accompany/
I’ve always thought it was “You can come out now.” That’s what it sounds like to my ears, anyway.
I agree. I have always heard: “You can come out now…” and it’s in George’s voice to my hear, and then John storms in with: “Oh, look out!”
How could any Beatles expert fan think it’s Paul playing the solo ? That is actually George with his Gibson Les Paul trying to play Clapton’s style. I have no doubt about it. Sorry, I’m 54 and I know what I’m talking about.
Amazing Song, Would have been very suitable song for the rooftop concert, but as of january it was much slower and more a ballad (like on anthology 3) anyway the lead guitar is amazing, it could be mccartney, he played very good guitar when abbey road was recorded (the end) but i think most say it’s harrison
One thing about John, he was often wicked funny, re: Linda being the girl ‘who came in thru the bathroom window (protected by a silver spoon) & his comment to George regarding ‘All things must pass’.
Maybe it’s just me, I heard some indirect references to ‘Helter Skelter’ in the second verse.
HS: You may be a lover but you ain’t no dancer.
She said she’d always been a dancer
She worked at 15 clubs a day
HS: Tell me, tell me, tell me, come on tell me the answer
And though she thought I knew the answer
Well I knew but I could not say.
Again: Maybe it’s just me, but found it very interesting.
Very insightful.
Never thought of that but you are right! The “Oh, look out” phrase in the intro is also from “Helter Skelter”
I love the encouragement that Paul gives John on the piano on Anthology 3 towards the end! Great song. They kept working off of each other, almost no matter what! Simply fantastic.
Sunday’s on the phone to Monday, Tuesday’s on the phone to me…..God speaks to Jesus, The Holy Spirit speaks to me
Courtesy of *The Beatles: Rock Band* the lyrics to the beginning are, “We’ll listen to that now. Heh heh heh. Oh look out it’s…”. Although the game doesn’t have every song, the ones it does have provide a great source for definitive lyrics. I couldn’t imagine them releasing that game without verifying the correct lyrics. And if you’ve never heard of The Beatles: Rock Band, you’re welcome. 🙂
Close – it’s “Oh listen to that now”. I think it might also be “He’s” at the end, not “it’s”. I’d like to know what was Lennon was about to say.
it’s the distant guitar at the end of each bar almost dwindling off that makes the song what it is… I wish people had never gotten the idea to cook their drugs on silver spoons though, and I gather this song influenced that trend for a short time… I learnt in Chemistry class at school that Silver Oxide, which forms easily during such a process, is toxic to the occipital nerves ( the back half of the brain ) inducing blindness… marihuana’s one thing, but stuff that could help you amputate your own leg shouldn’t be “fun”.
Yes, its George on the guitar and what a lovely interplay between it and Paul’s bass, very bluesy. A friend and I who are both Beatle nuts love to play the parts and do the harmonies, its a really fun song to play.
Come ON out heh heh heh Oh look out!
It’s obviously Paul’s voice that shouts “Oh – look out!”. John speaks the words just before; there are no spoken words after.
Agreed. I was just waiting to see if anyone else commented such before I did so myself.
Hello all you english native speakers 😉
I have another question about the lyrics : does Paul say “wanders” or “wonders” (…by the banks of her own lagoon…)
She sucks her thumb and wanders, by the banks of her own lagoon…
I just love the drums on this piece. Ringo’s playing it very simplistic (to these laymen ears) yet he’s playing the song to a “T”. Amazing.
This song is the best one,of this album.
My favourite song on Abbey Road! Finally I found the isolated vocals and in the very beginning it is clearly John who says: “Oh, Listen to that now, oh look out!” And then, John again is about to say “He’s coming ” but there is a cut after “He’s co…”
“Hey listen to that…Mal”
Mal Evans that is… that’s what Lennon said. I think Geoff Emerick claryfied it a couple of years ago
Anybody know anything about the line:
(She said she’d always been a dancer)
She worked at 15 clubs a day?
In the Anthology series McCartney says this is referring to all the strip clubs in the Reeperbahn in Hamburg where they played before becoming famous. Most of them were owned by one guy.
Did Paul play a Fender Jazz Bass? Its souds like…
No, he obviously played his Rickenbacker bass.
… “Easy” – Paul
“She’s coming through the house…..oh look out!”
If you listen to the isolated vocals you can tell that Lennon is saying “Oh listen to that now…”
I would love to know with certainty who played lead guitar on this one. It’s my favorite guitar sound of any of the Beatles songs and one of my favorite tones ever. I really feel the guitar as being very soulful here. One of my absolute favorite Beatles songs and it’s criminally underrated, as Is the Abbey Road medley. That Abbey Road side 2 is the best work the Beatles ever gave us IMO
I love this site. Been wasting hours reading stuff.
It was George.
After “look out” in the intro – to me it sounds like Lennon is starting another vocal take of Polythene Pam: “y’ should…”
Wonderful record and song.