Backmasking examples in Beatles/Solo Beatles music | Fab forum

Happy Nat said:

MrBig said:

Happy Nat said:

Backmasking (also known as backward masking) is a

recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backward

onto a track that is meant to be played forward. Backmasking is a

deliberate process, whereas a message found through phonetic reversal

may be unintentional.

 

We all know it was done first with John's B-side tune Rain.

 

I have another example where 'fuck a pig' is said (details here). Revolution 9's 'turn me on dead man' might be an example (yet I've read that one might have been some sort of incredible coincidence).

 

There's more. If anyone knows any, post 'em here.

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The Sgt. Pepper reprisal says "It was a fake moustache" backwards

 

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Do you believe that one was intentional?

I can't think of ANY confirmed actual deliberate examples – in the Beatles' or anybody's catalog – of a recording that sounds discernible both backwards and forwards. But in the present-day age of Windows Sound Recorder, it's possible. Record yourself saying "Buy more Beatles records" or whatever, and play it backwards, over and over again, until you "hear" the gibberish transform itself into a somewhat understandable (although possibly idiotic) phrase, like "Stir salt tea, or I'm…" (I'm guessing.) Then, write and record a song that manages to include that phrase in the lyrics (good luck!) and Presto! you've got is a song that'll subliminally get listeners to want to buy more Beatles records, without their knowing why. Or, at least that's what a lot of religious blowhard nutbags tried to convince us of, way back in the '80s. I think it's a lot of hogwash myself – there's no way we can be responsible for/receptive to anything we hear or say that might sound "like" something else backwards. On my hard drive, I've got a backwards recording of a Jimmy Swaggart hymn (he was one of the biggest of those '80s TV preacher clowns, for those unaware) in which he "clearly" sings, among other things, "I'm in Satan's army!" and "He is my light" and "Heat my soul" – pretty disturbing stuff! Except that, of course, it really isn't that easy to hear without my calling your attention to it beforehand.

With all that, as far as the Beatles are concerned – nope, I don't believe for a second that they did anything like that, ever…(except for possibly one time…) I've never heard that "fake moustache" thing myself (I'll give it a listen tonight!), but there's no way to predetermine what a track will sound like forwards and backwards at the same time, it's impossible. Either the Beatles intended to sing the phrase "We're Sgt. Pepper's…etc", OR they intended to sing something that sounded vaguely like "It was a fake moustache" when played forwards. Is it possible they had this "fake moustache" lyric in mind and were so determined to include it on the album – backwards – that they wrote, sang, and recorded a song called "Sgt. Pepper's…" with that very goal in mind?  After first going through the complicated record/reverse/interpret procedure in the previous paragraph. Sure, it's *possible*. Is it very likely? Hardly.

"Number Nine"/"Turn me on dead man" – Not intentional in any way, obviously, since they didn't have anything to do with the original tape.

Sgt Pepper Inner Groove – This is the one, maybe. Played forwards, it does kind of sound like "Never could be any other"; and backwards it indeed sounds kinda like "We'll fuck you like a Superman!"  There's a lot of gibberish audible – the recording was done in two takes, I believe, and both were mixed together to sound noisier – so I can't tell whether the recording was backwards or forwards – or perhaps BOTH at the same time. Normally, you'll hear telltale sonic details (like "P"'s popping in reverse) that identify the sound as backwards or forwards.  I can't detect any either way. So, if any Beatle recording features true backward masking, it can only be this one.

As for plain-old actual backward-recorded vocals…there aren't too many of them are there, really?  Aside from "Rain" and some difficult-to-hear bits in "Blue Jay Way", I'm not sure if there are any others. I'm pretty sure "Strawberry Fields Forever" has no backwards vocals; I can't remember any in "Revolution 9" either…