(thing) by Mercuryblues Thu Jan 30 2003 at 5:24:42

Here, I will focus on the instrumentation and other technical details of The Beatles' seventh album (Britsh Release):

Overall: Recorded mostly between April 6 and June 21, 1966 at Abbey Road. Released on August 5, 1966. Continued use of studio technology and experimentation mark this album, including tabla and sitar, tape loops, backwards recordings, brass bands, and submarine sounds among other things.

  1. Taxman...Recorded on April 21, 1966 (remake of an April 20 recording), at Abbey Road, and overdubbed on April 22 and May 16, 1966.
  2. Eleanor Rigby...Instrumental backing was recorded on April 28, 1966, at Abbey Road Vocals were overdubbed April 29, with another McCartney overdub on June 6. Released as a single August 5, 1966
    • McCARTNEY: lead vocal (double-tracked)
    • LENNON: harmony vocal
    • HARRISON: harmony vocal
    • Session musicians: four violins, two violas, two cellos
  3. I'm Only Sleeping...Recorded on April 27, 1966 at Abbey Road with the lead vocal overdubbed April 29, backwards guitar on May 5, and backing vocals May 6.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, backing vocal
    • LENNON: acoustic guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, backing vocal
    • STARR: drums
  4. Love You To...Recorded on April 11, 1966 at Abbey Road, with overdubs on April 13.
    • HARRISON: vocal (double-tracked)
    • Anil Bhagwat: tabla
    • Session musicians: other instruments
  5. Here, There, and Everywhere...Recorded on June 14, 1966 at Abbey Road, with overdubs on June 16 and 17, 1966
    • McCARTNEY: acoustic guitar, lead vocal (double-tracked)
    • LENNON: backing vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, backing vocal
    • STARR: drums
  6. Yellow Submarine...Recorded on May 26, 1966 at Abbey Road, with special effects overdubbed June 1. Released as a single August 5, 1966. All kinda of effects were used, including bubbles blown in tanks, chains rattling, and Lennon speaking through a hand mic through his Vox amp.
    • McCARTNEY: acoustic guitar, backing vocal, "submarine crew"
    • LENNON: acoustic guitar, backing vocal, blowing bubbles through a straw, funny voices, including "submarine crew"
    • HARRISON: tambourine, backing vocal, swirling water in a bucket
    • STARR: drums, lead vocal
    • Session musicians: brass band
    • Chorus on fadeout: Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Alf (?), Geoff Emerick, Patti Harrison, and studio staff
  7. She Said She Said...Recorded on June 21, 1966 at Abbey Road. It took only nine hours to complete this song, with overdubs and all.
    • McCARTNEY: bass
    • LENNON: acoustic guitar, vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar
    • STARR: drums
  8. Good Day Sunshine...Recorded on June 8, 1966 at Abbey Road, with overdubs on June 9
    • McCARTNEY: bass, lead vocal
    • LENNON: harmony vocal
    • HARRISON: harmony vocal
    • STARR: drums
    • George Martin: piano
  9. And Your Bird Can Sing...Recorded on April 26, 1966 (remake of an April 20 recording) at Abbey Road.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, harmony vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, harmony vocal
    • STARR: drums, tambourine
  10. For No One...Recorded on May 9, 1966 at Abbey Road, with the vocal overdubbed May 16, and french horn solo on May 19.
  11. Doctor Robert...Recorded on April 17, 1966 at Abbey Road, with vocals overdubbed on April 19.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, harmony vocal
    • LENNON: harmonium, maracas, lead vocal (double-tracked)
    • HARRISON: lead guitar
    • STARR: drums
  12. I Want to Tell You...Recorded on June 2, 1966 at Abbey Road, with bass overdubbed June 3. This was the first time bass was overdubbed on a Beatles recording. It was very common later on becuase it allowed flexibility in the mixing process.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, piano, harmony vocal
    • LENNON: tambourine, harmony vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, lead vocal (double-tracked)
    • STARR: drums
  13. Got to Get You Into My Life...Recorded on April 7 and 8, 1966 at Abbey Road, with overdubs added April 11, May 18, and June 17.
  14. Tomorrow Never Knows...Recorded on April 6, 1966 at Abbey Road, with overdubs on April 7 and 22. Lennon's voice was recorded through a loudspeaker and rotated. Each Beatle worked at home creating weird sounds, which were recorded at different speeds, forwards and backwards. Lennon himself made eight tape loops, which were eight tape machines, and faded in and out as desired. The birdlike noises are a tape loop of McCartney laughing.
    • McCARTNEY: bass
    • LENNON: tambourine, vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, sitar
    • STARR: drums
    • George Martin: piano

Other singles from this period:

My sources are Beatlesongs by William J. Dowlding (©1989) and The Beatles Anthology, by "The Beatles" (©2000).

I like it! 1 C!