On 1 May 1969, The Beatles continued work on Oh! Darling with a dedicated stereo mixing session at EMI Studios, Abbey Road. The work was carried out in the control room, under producer Chris Thomas and engineer Jeff Jarratt.

This session formed part of the ongoing development of the Abbey Road album, with the song still undergoing refinement following earlier recording and overdub sessions.

Mixing session

Three stereo mixes of Oh! Darling were created during the session, numbered takes 2 through 4. The work took place between 2:30pm and 7:00pm.

These mixes were based on the most recent version of the track, which had been augmented with additional overdubs on 26 April 1969.

Despite the focused effort, none of the mixes produced on this day were ultimately selected for release.

Recording background

The song had originally been recorded on 20 April 1969, during which an initial rough mix was also prepared.

Oh! Darling is notable for its demanding vocal performance, leading Paul McCartney to repeatedly revisit and re-record his lead vocal in subsequent sessions in pursuit of the desired tone and intensity.

Production context

The session reflects the meticulous and iterative production process that characterised the Abbey Road recordings, with multiple mixes and vocal takes explored before finalising a master version.

Chris Thomas, who assisted George Martin during this period, played a key role in overseeing several sessions while Martin was intermittently absent.

Location

Studio Two (control room), EMI Studios (Abbey Road), London, England

FAQ

How many mixes were made on this day?

Three stereo mixes (numbered 2–4) were created.

Were these mixes used in the final version?

No, none of them were selected for release.

Why was the song revisited later?

Paul McCartney continued re-recording the lead vocal to achieve the desired performance quality.

When did recording begin?

Initial recording took place on 20 April 1969.