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Recording, mixing: Because, Something, Here Comes The Sun

Studios Two and Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Phil McDonald

Three days after the backing track for ‘Because’ was recorded, The Beatles added the song’s distinctive vocal harmonies.

Having done the backing track, John, Paul and George sang the harmony. Then we overlaid it twice more, making nine-part harmony altogether, three voices recorded three times. I was literally telling them what notes to sing.
George Martin
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, Mark Lewisohn

John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison had overdubbed one track of three-part harmonies on 1 August. During this session they added two more, to give a total of nine voices on the tape.

John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for Because

On ‘Because’, for example, very much a John song, it needed the combined singing of the three men. So obviously it became a joint effort…

The three boys sang together in harmony, the whole song. And then we overlaid another three voices, and another three voices, so we had nine-part harmony all the way through. And that was ‘Because’.

George Martin
Interview with Richard Buskin, 3 March 1987

The vocal recording session took place in Studio Two from 2.30-9pm. The new vocals were recorded on tracks seven and eight of the eight-track tape.

From 7.15-8.45pm a brief mixing session was held in the control room of Studio Three. Harrison oversaw the creation of rough stereo mixes of ‘Something’ and ‘Here Comes The Sun’, to allow Martin to prepare orchestral scores.

Last updated: 22 June 2023
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