Written by: Starkey
Recorded: 26, 29 April; 17, 18 July 1969
Producers: George Martin, Chris Thomas
Engineers: Jeff Jarratt, Phil McDonald
Released: 26 September 1969 (UK), 1 October 1969 (US)
Ringo Starr: vocals, drums, percussion, effects
John Lennon: guitar
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass, piano
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar, synthesiser
Available on:
Abbey Road
Anthology 3
Love
Ringo Starr's second composition for The Beatles was written in Sardinia. On 22 August 1968 he temporarily walked out of sessions for the White Album after becoming disenchanted with the increasing tensions within the group. He took his family abroad for a boating holiday, returning to Abbey Road on 5 September.
I wrote Octopus's Garden in Sardinia. Peter Sellers had lent us his yacht and we went out for the day... I stayed out on deck with [the captain] and we talked about octopuses. He told me that they hang out in their caves and they go around the seabed finding shiny stones and tin cans and bottles to put in front of their cave like a garden. I thought this was fabulous, because at the time I just wanted to be under the sea too. A couple of tokes later with the guitar - and we had Octopus's Garden!
Anthology
The song was first worked on by Starr and George Harrison during the Get Back sessions in January 1969; perhaps Harrison felt a sense of solidarity after feeling that his own compositions were being dismissed as second-rate by Lennon and McCartney.
Octopus's Garden is Ringo's song. It's only the second song Ringo wrote, and it's lovely. Ringo gets bored playing the drums, and at home he plays a bit of piano, but he only knows about three chords. He knows about the same on guitar. I think it's a really great song, because on the surface, it just like a daft kids' song, but the lyrics are great. For me, you know, I find very deep meaning in the lyrics, which Ringo probably doesn't see, but all the thing like 'resting our head on the sea bed' and 'We'll be warm beneath the storm' which is really great, you know. Because it's like this level is a storm, and if you get sort of deep in your consciousness, it's very peaceful. So Ringo's writing his cosmic songs without noticing.
A composite version of Octopus's Garden, opening with Ringo's vocals superimposed onto the orchestral backing from Good Night, was included on 2006's Love album.
In the studio
Although The Beatles temporarily considered Octopus's Garden as Ringo's vocal spot on what would become the Let It Be album, it wasn't recorded properly until the Abbey Road sessions. On 26 April they recorded 32 takes of the rhythm track, with Starr on drums and guide vocals, McCartney on bass, and Harrison and Lennon on guitars.
The arrangement was in place early on, including the opening guitar runs played by Harrison. Take two of the song, including Ringo's guide vocal, was included on Anthology 3 in 1996.
On 29 April Starr overdubbed his lead vocals, though these were later re-recorded. The song was then left until 17 July, when McCartney added a bass part, he and Harrison contributed backing vocals, and various sound effects were added - including the sound of Starr blowing bubbles into a glass of water.
The song was completed the following day, 18 July, when Ringo finally recorded his lead vocals.
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Harrison's opening guitar run is a highlight of this song. It sounds like two guitar are playing. Did he overdub or did McCartney play the second guitar?
It's not doubled. George Harrison played his guitar through a Leslie speaker cabinet. It's working with rotating speakers to create 'Doppler effect based' vibrato, tremolo and chorus effects. Leslie speakers were originally built for Hammond organs and look like cupboards without doors and drawers. On 'Tomorrow Never Knows' John's vocal was put through a Leslie speaker cabinet.
Is Harrison's opening just notes on the pentatonic?
The lead guitar is some of the best Harrison work ever. The song was co-written by Starr & Harrison. It's one of the best on Abbey Road. Something is the best.
"Octopus's Garden is Ringo's song."
Whatever Harrison did to help Ringo get the song into shape, he didn't co-write it.
Harrison helped Starr with the composition, but wanted it to be "Ringo's song," so he didn't give himself true credit for it.
I'd presume that Harrison's main contribution was the guitar flourishes and fills and whatnot. The basic tune's only four chords, so there's no reason Ringo couldn't have come up with that and most of the words on his own.
What guitar was George playing, it sounds like a Casino, but I don't think he used it in the Abbey Road Sessions.
I believe John was playing a Casino. George played a Fender Strat through a Leslie speaker
if you watch the Let it Be movie you can see George helping Ringo out on this song, playing some chords on the piano
The Octopus's Garden segment in Let It Be is very short and it just seems as though George is helping Ringo sort the song out.
The evolution of this song is one I'd love to know more about - especially the middle section ("I'd ask my friends to come and see . . ") which sounds very John.
Hearing it on the remasters shows what an incredible song this really is - never getting it's due honor.
What it shows me overall was that during Abbey Road every one gave 100% to every song.
Octopus' sonic textures are nothing short of amazing.
Again, George didn't play synthesiser on this.
I believe George played the Moog synthesizer
No, he didn´t.
If you listen to the Love remix,during the solo, you can hear the drum part from the Polythene Pam solo
it was George's synth so he may have played it, i think he and Ringo played it
I don't hear any Moog per se in this song, but maybe those warbling vocals (during the guitar solo/bubbling bit) were processed through its filters?
The current Guitar World Magazine article on the Beatles. It states the bubbling effect was achieved by running the track through a compressor triggered by a pulsing signal from the Moog low-frequency oscillator. The magazine had some interesting other observations on other Beatles songs on how they were recorded
Are you sure john doesn't sing backup vocals? I could swear that I hear him singing.
I agree. I hear John too. The backing vocals are very John. By the way, don't you just every second of George's playing on this song.
I could swear I heard an old interview with John Lennon where he stated that he sang on Octopus' Garden. He said something along the lines of "you can tell who wrote or helped develop a Beatle song by listening to who sings on it; we all sing on Octupus' Garden,..so" - giving an impression that they all helped Ringo write the song, and therefore all sang. Is this accurate?
Right, it wouldn't really make sense that John wouldn't sing on this song.
George's guitar playing is absolutely gorgeous.
Excellent Ringo's vocal work. Amazing.
Ringo's second composition on record and, once again, it ISN'T the weakest song on the album! Who'd of thought? (the weakest song on the White Album being "Wild Honey Pie" and on Abbey Road "Maxwell's Silver Hammer").