Saturday 4 August 1973 | Record Plant, New York City
On 4 August 1973, John Lennon held the fourth recording session for his fourth solo album Mind Games at the Record Plant in New York City. Three songs were worked on during the session: ‘Mind Games’, ‘Out The Blue’, and the outtake ‘Rock And Roll People’. The previous day’s session on 3 August 1973 had covered You Are Here, Meat City and Only People.
The session was produced by John Lennon, with engineers Roy Cicala and Dan Barbiero. The core band for the backing tracks comprised Lennon, David Spinozza (guitar), Ken Ascher (piano, organ), Gordon Edwards (bass guitar), and Jim Keltner (drums, percussion).
Recording ‘Mind Games’
The title track was the first song recorded on 4 August. Two tape reels were used. The first contained three takes, though the first was incomplete and broke down during the first verse. Take 2 was the master, and featured Lennon’s Clavinet and guide vocals, Spinozza’s electric guitar, Ascher’s piano on two tracks, Edwards’ bass guitar, and Keltner’s drums on three tracks.
The second tape reel contained four additional takes, numbered 4–7, not all of which were complete. Take 7 — featuring vocals, Clavinet, guitar, piano, bass guitar, and drums — was included in the expanded 2024 Mind Games reissue.
Lennon later reflected on the track in 1980:
“That was a fun track because the voice is in stereo and the seeming orchestra on it is just me playing three notes with slide guitar. And the middle eight is reggae. Trying again to explain to American musicians what reggae was in 1973 was pretty hard, but it’s basically a reggae middle-eight if you listen to it.”
— John Lennon, 1980
John Lennon — officially licensed solo era merch
John Lennon Self Portrait Full Colour T-Shirt in navy blue.
Recording ‘Out The Blue’
The second song recorded on 4 August was ‘Out The Blue’, then known as ‘You Came To Me’. Eight tape reels were used across an extended recording process:
- Reel 1 (shared with ‘Mind Games’): Takes 1–2 — both incomplete
- Reel 2: Takes 3–10 — only take 6 complete
- Reel 3: Takes 11–15 — take 15 included in the 2024 expanded reissue
- Reel 4: Takes 16–20 — take 18 temporarily marked best; first complete take with the final arrangement
- Reel 5: Takes 21–27 — only take 24 complete
- Reel 6: Takes 28–30
- Reel 7: Take 31 complete, followed by two false starts; take 34 was the master
- Reel 8: Takes 35–38 — takes 36 and 38 complete; overdubs subsequently added to take 34
Recording ‘Rock And Roll People’
The final song recorded on 4 August 1973 was ‘Rock And Roll People’, an outtake that did not appear on Mind Games. It remained unreleased until 1986’s Menlove Ave, issued six years after Lennon’s death. The album version was a composite edit of takes six and seven from this session.
John Lennon — officially licensed merch
John Lennon Self Portrait T-Shirt in navy blue.
Key Facts
| Date | Saturday 4 August 1973 |
| Studio | Record Plant, New York City |
| Session number | Fourth recording session for Mind Games |
| Producer | John Lennon |
| Engineers | Roy Cicala, Dan Barbiero |
| Musicians | John Lennon, David Spinozza (guitar), Ken Ascher (piano, organ), Gordon Edwards (bass guitar), Jim Keltner (drums, percussion) |
| Songs recorded | Mind Games (master: take 2); Out The Blue (master: take 34); Rock And Roll People (outtake; album version: composite of takes 6 and 7) |
| Sessions ran until | 20 August 1973, after which songs were mixed and edited |
The Record Plant, New York City — where John Lennon recorded Mind Games throughout August 1973.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Mind Games by John Lennon recorded?
Mind Games was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City during the summer of 1973. The recording sessions ran from late July until 20 August 1973, after which the songs were mixed and edited. The album was released in November 1973.
What is Rock And Roll People by John Lennon?
Rock And Roll People is a John Lennon outtake recorded during the Mind Games sessions on 4 August 1973. It was not included on the album and remained unreleased until 1986, when it appeared on Menlove Ave — a posthumous collection issued six years after Lennon’s death. The album version is a composite edit of takes six and seven from the 4 August session.
What did John Lennon say about the Mind Games title track?
In 1980, Lennon said: “That was a fun track because the voice is in stereo and the seeming orchestra on it is just me playing three notes with slide guitar. And the middle eight is reggae. Trying again to explain to American musicians what reggae was in 1973 was pretty hard, but it’s basically a reggae middle-eight if you listen to it.”
What was Out The Blue originally called?
Out The Blue was known as ‘You Came To Me’ during the recording sessions. The master version was take 34, recorded on the seventh tape reel after an extensive series of takes across eight reels.
→ Recording: You Are Here, Meat City, Only People by John Lennon – 3 August 1973
→ August in Beatles History
→ On This Day in Beatles History
→ John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
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