John Lennon mixed the song ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ for his Rock ‘N’ Roll album at the Record Plant in New York City on Saturday 13 July 1974. He then assembled the musicians for his forthcoming Walls And Bridges album in Studio C for the first rehearsal sessions.
| Date | Saturday 13 July 1974 |
| Studio | Record Plant, New York City |
| Producer | John Lennon |
| Activity 1 | Mixing: ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ for Rock ‘N’ Roll |
| Activity 2 | Rehearsals for Walls And Bridges (Studio C) |
Mixing ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’
‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ is a Chuck Berry classic, originally released in 1958. The backing track for Lennon’s version had been recorded on 22 October 1973 during the troubled Phil Spector sessions in Los Angeles — the same sessions that produced the bulk of the Rock ‘N’ Roll album. On 13 July 1974, Lennon completed the mixing of the track at the Record Plant in New York.
The Rock ‘N’ Roll album was a collection of covers of songs from Lennon’s youth — the American rock and roll and rhythm and blues records that had inspired The Beatles. The project had a troubled history: the Phil Spector sessions in October–November 1973 descended into chaos, with Spector’s erratic behaviour and the legendary producer eventually disappearing with the master tapes. Lennon was forced to re-record several tracks and complete the album himself in 1974.
The Phil Spector sessions
John Lennon and Phil Spector had previously collaborated on Imagine (1971) and Some Time In New York City (1972). The Rock ‘N’ Roll sessions at A&M Studios in Los Angeles in October–November 1973 were intended to be a straightforward covers album, but Spector’s increasingly erratic behaviour — including reportedly firing a gun in the studio — brought the sessions to a halt. Spector then disappeared with the master tapes, and Lennon spent months attempting to retrieve them.
When the tapes were eventually recovered, Lennon completed the album at the Record Plant in New York in 1974, re-recording some tracks and mixing others from the original Spector sessions. ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ was among the tracks mixed from the original October 1973 recordings.
Walls And Bridges rehearsals
After completing the mixing session, Lennon assembled the musicians for his next studio album in Studio C at the Record Plant. The rehearsals were recorded, and the songs worked on were:
- ‘Beef Jerky’
- ‘Steel And Glass’
- ‘Going Down On Love’
- ‘Move Over Ms L’
- ‘Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox)’
- ‘Scared’
- ‘Old Dirt Road’
- ‘Bless You’
- ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’
- ‘Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down And Out)’
Walls And Bridges was released on 26 September 1974 and reached number one in the United States. ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’, recorded with Elton John, became Lennon’s first solo US number one single. Elton John had bet Lennon that if the song reached number one, Lennon would have to perform with him live — a bet Lennon lost, leading to his famous appearance at Madison Square Garden on 28 November 1974, which turned out to be his last ever concert performance.
John Lennon in 1974
July 1974 fell during Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’ — the 18-month period from October 1973 to early 1975 during which he separated from Yoko Ono and lived in Los Angeles and New York with May Pang, Yoko’s personal assistant, who had been encouraged by Yoko to become Lennon’s companion. Despite the personal turbulence, the period was musically productive: Lennon completed Rock ‘N’ Roll and recorded Walls And Bridges, his most commercially successful solo album.
The Record Plant, New York
Shop John Lennon Merch
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did John Lennon record on 13 July 1974?
- On 13 July 1974, Lennon mixed ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ for the Rock ‘N’ Roll album at the Record Plant, New York, then held the first rehearsal session for the Walls And Bridges album in Studio C.
- What is the Rock ‘N’ Roll album?
- Rock ‘N’ Roll is a covers album released by John Lennon on 17 February 1975, featuring classic rock and roll songs from his youth. The backing tracks were originally recorded with Phil Spector in October–November 1973, though the sessions were troubled and Lennon completed the album himself in 1974.
- What happened during the Phil Spector sessions for Rock ‘N’ Roll?
- The sessions at A&M Studios in Los Angeles in October–November 1973 descended into chaos due to Spector’s erratic behaviour. Spector then disappeared with the master tapes, which Lennon spent months recovering before completing the album himself.
- What is the Walls And Bridges album?
- Walls And Bridges was released on 26 September 1974 and reached number one in the US. It produced Lennon’s first solo US number one single, ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’, recorded with Elton John.
- What was the Lost Weekend?
- The ‘Lost Weekend’ was the 18-month period from October 1973 to early 1975 during which John Lennon separated from Yoko Ono and lived in Los Angeles and New York with May Pang. Despite the personal turbulence, it was a productive period musically.
- What was John Lennon’s last concert?
- John Lennon’s last concert performance was at Madison Square Garden on 28 November 1974, when he joined Elton John on stage to honour a bet — Elton had wagered that if ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ reached number one, Lennon would perform with him live.
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