Recording: overdubs for The Beatles At Shea Stadium

CTS Studios, London
Producer: George Martin

Following their record breaking concert at New York’s Shea Stadium on 15 August 1965, it was decided that extra recordings would be needed if the footage was to be released to the public.

The Beatles at Shea Stadium, 15 August 1965

The concert performance suffered for The Beatles’ problems hearing themselves against the screams of 55,600 fans, and the mobile recording facilities had left the sound quality of the recordings below standard.

A secret booking was made for The Beatles to re-record some of the instrument parts on this day. The session took place at CTS (Cine Tele Sound) Studios at 49-53 Kensington Gardens Square in London.

Poster for The Beatles at Shea Stadium, 23 August 1966

Paul McCartney overdubbed new bass parts onto ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, ‘Baby’s In Black’ and ‘I’m Down’. The latter song – the finale to the concert – also featured a new organ track from John Lennon.

The Beatles then made entirely new recordings for ‘I Feel Fine’ and ‘Help!’, as the quality of the concert recordings couldn’t be salvaged. The songs were taped quickly, as they required the necessary live feel, although care was taken to match the on-screen images to the music.

The group also recorded overdubs for ‘Ticket To Ride’. For ‘Act Naturally’, however, the EMI studio recording was used.

Although George Martin wished to have a new version of ‘Twist And Shout’, there was no time to record one. Instead, the recording of The Beatles’ 30 August 1965 version from their third and final Hollywood Bowl concert was used to enhance the sound.

No work was done on ‘She’s A Woman’ and ‘Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby’, which were omitted from the final production.

The concert film was first broadcast in black and white on BBC 1 on 1 March 1966, as The Beatles At Shea Stadium.

Last updated: 2 June 2020
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