Friday 18 July 1969 | Studios Two and Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
On 18 July 1969, The Beatles held sessions at Studios Two and Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, recording vocals for Oh! Darling and Octopus's Garden, before mixing the latter for the Abbey Road album. The sessions were produced by George Martin and engineered by Phil McDonald.
The album recorded here β on your wall
Officially licensed Abbey Road textile poster.
Oh! Darling
The day began with Paul McCartney's second attempt at recording a lead vocal take for Oh! Darling. Studio Three was booked from 2.30pm to 8pm, although McCartney's vocals were completed in just one take. He returned to the song again on 22 July before recording a final take on 23 July 1969.
Octopus's Garden
The remainder of the session was devoted to Octopus's Garden. Ringo Starr recorded his lead vocals, which he manually double-tracked during the choruses. He also added drum fills before each chorus, which can be heard in the left channel of the final mix.
Following these overdubs the song was complete. At this stage the eight-track tape was arranged as follows:
| Track 1 | McCartney's bass guitar |
| Track 2 | Starr's drums |
| Track 3 | Bubble sound effects and βunderwaterβ backing vocals |
| Track 4 | Low notes on piano, doubled by guitar |
| Track 5 | Tom toms and backing vocals |
| Track 6 | Starr's lead vocals plus backing vocals by Harrison and McCartney |
| Track 7 | Piano and lead guitar |
| Track 8 | John Lennon's rhythm guitar |
Wear Abbey Road
Officially licensed Abbey Road unisex long sleeve T-shirt in denim blue.
The Beatles: Abbey Road Unisex Long Sleeve T-Shirt (Denim Blue) β
Mixing Octopus's Garden
From 8pm to 10.30pm, Octopus's Garden was mixed in stereo in the control room of Studio Two. Five stereo mixes, numbered 10β14, were made. Starr's vocals in the verses were treated with artificial double tracking.
Seven mono mixes were also made, for unknown purposes, as Abbey Road was never considered for mono release. Octopus's Garden was the only song on the album to be mixed in mono.
Session Details
| Date | Friday 18 July 1969 |
| Studios | Studios Two and Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London |
| Producer | George Martin |
| Engineer | Phil McDonald |
| Album | Abbey Road |
| Oh! Darling session | Studio Three, 2.30β8pm β McCartney lead vocal (one take) |
| Octopus's Garden overdubs | Starr lead vocals (manually double-tracked in choruses) + drum fills |
| Octopus's Garden mixing | 8β10.30pm β 5 stereo mixes (nos. 10β14) + 7 mono mixes |
| Next Oh! Darling session | 22 July 1969 |
EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London β where Abbey Road was recorded in 1969.
Take Abbey Road everywhere
Officially licensed Abbey Road backpack.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Paul McCartney record the vocals for Oh! Darling?
Paul McCartney recorded several lead vocal takes for Oh! Darling across multiple sessions. On 18 July 1969 he recorded one take in Studio Three at Abbey Road. He returned on 22 July and recorded a final take on 23 July 1969.
Who sang lead vocals on Octopus's Garden?
Ringo Starr sang lead vocals on Octopus's Garden. He recorded his vocals on 18 July 1969, manually double-tracking them during the choruses. Backing vocals were provided by George Harrison and Paul McCartney.
Was Octopus's Garden mixed in mono?
Yes β Octopus's Garden was the only song on Abbey Road to be mixed in mono. Seven mono mixes were made on 18 July 1969, though Abbey Road was never intended for mono release.
Who wrote Octopus's Garden?
Octopus's Garden was written by Ringo Starr. It was one of only two songs Starr wrote for The Beatles, the other being Don't Pass Me By on the White Album.
Who engineered the Abbey Road sessions?
The 18 July 1969 Abbey Road sessions were engineered by Phil McDonald, with George Martin producing.
β 18 July in Beatles History
β July in Beatles History
β John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
β The Beatles Knowledge Hub
Shop: Beatles T-shirts | Beatles merch by era | Wall art & posters | Mugs & drinkware
0 comments