Friday 10 August 1973 | John Lennon, Studio
On 10 August 1973, the first overdub session for John Lennon’s fourth solo album Mind Games took place at Studio B, Record Plant, New York City.
| Studio | Studio B, Record Plant, New York City |
| Producer | John Lennon |
| Engineers | Roy Cicala, Dan Barbiero |
The session
With the backing tracks for Mind Games complete, 10 August 1973 marked the beginning of the overdub phase. Several instruments were delivered to the studio earlier in the day, including a Mellotron, Fender Rhodes electric piano, congas, and chimes.
During the session, a reel of Mellotron — titled ‘Mellotron Magic’ — was recorded. The overdub sessions continued until 20 August 1973, after which the Mind Games songs were mixed and edited.
John Lennon — officially licensed merch
John Lennon: World Peace Unisex T-Shirt (Navy Blue).
Mind Games
Mind Games was John Lennon’s fourth solo studio album, released on 2 November 1973 on Apple Records. It was produced by Lennon himself and recorded at the Record Plant in New York City during the summer of 1973.
The album was recorded during a turbulent period in Lennon’s life. He was in the midst of his ‘Lost Weekend’ — an 18-month separation from Yoko Ono during which he lived in Los Angeles with May Pang, Yoko’s personal assistant. He had also been engaged in a lengthy legal battle with the US Immigration and Naturalisation Service, which had been attempting to deport him since 1972.
The title track, ‘Mind Games’, reached number 18 in the UK and number 18 in the US. The album featured contributions from a large ensemble of session musicians and was notable for its lush, orchestrated sound — a contrast to the stark minimalism of Plastic Ono Band (1970) and the political directness of Some Time in New York City (1972).
The album’s other notable tracks included ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)’, ‘One Day (At a Time)’, ‘Intuition’, and ‘Out the Blue’.
John Lennon — officially licensed merch
John Lennon: Imagine Peace Ladies T-Shirt (Black).
The Record Plant, New York City
The Record Plant, 321 West 44th Street, New York City — where John Lennon recorded the overdubs for Mind Games from 10 to 20 August 1973.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Mind Games by John Lennon recorded?
The backing tracks for Mind Games were recorded in summer 1973. The overdub sessions began on 10 August 1973 and continued until 20 August, after which the album was mixed and edited. Mind Games was released on 2 November 1973.
Where was Mind Games recorded?
Mind Games was recorded at Studio B, Record Plant, New York City. The engineers were Roy Cicala and Dan Barbiero, with John Lennon producing.
What instruments were used on the Mind Games overdub sessions?
Instruments delivered for the 10 August 1973 session included a Mellotron, Fender Rhodes electric piano, congas and chimes. A reel of Mellotron titled 'Mellotron Magic' was recorded during the session.
What was John Lennon's situation when he recorded Mind Games?
Lennon was in the midst of his 'Lost Weekend' — an 18-month separation from Yoko Ono — and was fighting a US deportation order from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service.
How did Mind Games perform in the charts?
The title track 'Mind Games' reached number 18 in both the UK and US charts. The album was Lennon's fourth solo studio album.
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