Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 17 February 1965
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 6 August 1965 (UK), 13 August 1965 (US)
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass, lead guitar
John Lennon: harmony vocals, electric piano
George Harrison: harmony vocals, lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums, percussion
Available on:
Help!
Written mainly by Paul McCartney, The Night Before was featured in the Help! film during a scene filmed on Salisbury Plain, England.
McCartney most likely composed the song at the flat in Wimpole Street, London, owned by Jane Asher's parents.
One of the song's most notable features was the guitar solo, double tracked an octave apart, and played by McCartney and Harrison. John Lennon, meanwhile, played a Hohner Pianet electric piano, which gave the song much of its drive.
In the studio
The Beatles recorded the song in just two takes, on the afternoon of 17 February 1965 at Studio Two in EMI Studios in Abbey Road, London.
The session began at 2pm and ended at 7pm. Paul McCartney's lead vocals were double tracked. The song completed, from 7pm they turned their attention to George Harrison's You Like Me Too Much.
Related articles:
- You Like Me Too Much
- I Need You
- Recording: The Night Before, You Like Me Too Much
- Recording: If I Needed Someone, In My Life
- Recording, mixing: Ticket To Ride, Another Girl, I Need You, Yes It Is, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, The Night Before, You Like Me Too Much, If You've Got Trouble, Tell Me What You See
"One of the song's most notable features was the guitar solo, double tracked an octave apart, and played by McCartney."
That's not quite right. We have a quote from Lennon: "George and Paul are playing the same break exactly, both playing but in different octaves" (Ray Coleman: "Here we go again". Melody Maker, Feb 27 1965).
So you should name both, George an Paul, on lead guitar!
Well thanks for that! I never knew it was G&P together. Thanks for the quotation.