Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 28 June; 2, 22 July 1968
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Peter Bown, Ken Scott
Released: 22 November 1968 (UK), 25 November 1968 (US)
Ringo Starr: vocals
George Martin: celesta
Ingrid Thomas, Pat Whitmore, Val Stockwell, Irene King, Ross Gilmour, Mike Redway, Ken Barrie, Fred Lucas: backing vocals
Uncredited: 12 violins, three violas, three cellos, three flutes, clarinet, horn, vibraphone, double bass, harp
Available on:
The Beatles (White Album)
Anthology 3
The tender closing song on the White Album was written by John Lennon as a lullaby for his son Julian, and sung by Ringo Starr.
After ending their previous two albums with the monumental Tomorrow Never Knows and A Day In The Life, the White Album too was brought to a close by another Lennon song. Good Night, however, couldn't have been more different. With its almost-schmaltzy arrangement, it served as a necessary antidote to Revolution 9.
Everybody thinks Paul wrote Good Night for me to sing, but it was John who wrote it for me. He's got a lot of soul, John has.
No members of The Beatles other than Starr appear on the recording. Instead, a lavish orchestral arrangement was scored by George Martin, transporting listeners back to the golden age of Hollywood.
Good Night was written for Julian the way Beautiful Boy was written for Sean, but given to Ringo and possibly overlush.
Good Night featured twice on the 2006 album Love, firstly as a transition between Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and Octopus's Garden. The song reappears at the end of the album, after All You Need Is Love, accompanied by a snippet of dialogue from The Beatles' 1965 Christmas fan club recording.
In the studio
The group began work on Good Night on the night of 28 June 1968. Five takes were recorded, with Starr on vocals and Lennon playing guitar.
I think John felt it might not be good for his image for him to sing it but it was fabulous to hear him do it, he sang it great. We heard him sing it in order to teach it to Ringo and he sang it very tenderly. John rarely showed his tender side, but my key memories of John are when he was tender, that's what has remained with me; those moments where he showed himself to be a very generous, loving person. I always cite that song as an example of the John beneath the surface that we only saw occasionally... I don't think John's version was ever recorded.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
According to Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn, each of these early takes opened with a spontaneous spoken preamble from Starr, "along the lines of 'Come on children! It's time to toddle off to bed. We've had a lovely day at the park and now it's time for sleep.' Or, 'Put all those toys away. Yes, Daddy will sing a song for you!' Or, 'Cover yourself up, Charlie. Pull those covers up and off you go to dreamland!'"
A rehearsal of Good Night with Lennon on piano was also recorded during the 28 June session. It was later released on Anthology 3, augmented with part of George Martin's score.
Ringo Starr re-recorded his vocals on 2 July, and harmony backing vocals were also added. Following this George Martin made a copy of the tape and began work on his orchestral score.
All previous recordings for Good Night were discarded on 22 July, and recording began afresh. First to be taped was the orchestra, which took 12 takes to perfect.
Following this, the choir - four men and four women from the Mike Sammes Singers - added their parts. The last element to be taped was Ringo's lead vocals, which were recorded between 11.50pm and 1.40am.
I sang John's song Good Night. I've just heard it for the first time in years and it's not bad at all, although I think I sound very nervous. It was something for me to do.
Anthology
Related articles:
- Recording: Good Night
- If You've Got Trouble
- Don't Pass Me By
- Recording: Good Morning Good Morning, Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite!, With A Little Help From My Friends
- Recording: A Beginning, Good Night
I don't think the Anthology version features John at the piano. The piano playing is quite good, in a way that even Paul couldn't play. I bet it's George Martin.
Hmmm.... if you could please cite the factual source for your comments, where it says John's piano skills weren't good enough so it had to be George Martin? In the same breath you also claim Paul couldn't have played it well enough. (Hint: the only instrument George Martin played was CELESTA on the final version.)
Listen to the anthology version (link below.) Good piano but also quite simple and distinct. To my ear the style sounds similar to John's piano on Imagine. Or would you claim John didn't really play piano on Imagine, either? Then also listen to Martha My Dear or Lady Madonna. Complex piano work quite distinctive to Paul. So, regardless of style either John or Paul could easily have played Good Night. These guys were experienced, if self taught, musicians. Disrepecting them is uncalled for.
Good Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM40IzExGG8
Imagine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw
Martha
Jesus, Thomas, I'm sorry if I offended you!
Firstly, I'm a huge Beatles fan and I know all of their songs.
If you pay attention, you will see that Paul was a better pianist than John. Martha My Dear is really the best example. So, I guess he could play that part in Good Night.
Actually, playing that part is something that even George (Harrison) could do. Just not that well.
John's style is more rude, he would hit all the notes, but it wouldn't sound as delicate as this recording.
He was a great musician, no doubt about that, and he was also a great guitarrist, but his piano was really basic, just that right left right left pattern and simple chords (like Imagine).
In Good Night, the pianist plays a very simple accompaniment, but he adds some dissonances, does some octave leaps and has a beautifull sound.
If it really is John (wich is not impossible) it would be a happy surprise for me.
If it is Paul, he was really inspired.
But the most natural choice is still George Martin.
PS. I can't cite a factual source for this. Actually I read somewhere that it was Ringo, who admittedly could play only three chords by then.
No need to swear, I can hear you
Of course what I heard implied was neither john nor paul could have played this (and so maybe I jumped to conclusions on why you thought this.)
While I now see the reasoning behind your doubt, maybe John just practiced and worked at Good Night? Certainly John was a better guitar player than on piano, but even Paul admitted Martha was difficult for him and that he really worked hard on it, but he nevertheless played it.
Anyway I'm not offended.
I'm not a piano player nor a musician, but piano in "Imagine" (by Lennon) and "Sexy Sadie" (by McCartney) are very amazingly magical to me. I've never heard any other musicians done that regardless how skillful or complicated the piano part they have.
I don't understand this discussion. There is no doubt that John played the piano. It's a very simple piano accompaniment. I'm really sure that John played it. He is the composer. It's his song. There is no reason why Paul should have played it.
And: John was a good pianist. He composed most of his songs on the piano. Listen to "Jealous Guy". Very complex piano introduction. I don't believe Paul was a better pianist. He just played the piano so often because he wanted to.
I'm sure that on 28 June session Lennon played electric, rather than acoustic guitar. The photos from this day can clearly show John with his Epiphone Casino. Also on the Anthology DVD in the ,,White Album" medley of outtakes, when Ringo is saying his preamble, the guitar sound in the background is more electric.
If you listen the song "Oh My Love" from Imagine you can hear two pianos, one electric played by Nicky Hopkins and one acoustic played by John Lennon, The one played by John Lennon is very delicate and very similar to the Goodnight piano.
The piano from Jealous Guy is played by Nicky Hopkins.