Recording: Day Tripper, If I Needed Someone

Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith

The Beatles worked on two songs on this day. The first, ‘Day Tripper’, appeared on their final single of 1965 along with ‘We Can Work It Out’. They also recorded the rhythm track for ‘If I Needed Someone’, George Harrison’s first composition for the Rubber Soul album.

Two separate sessions were booked at Studio Two. The first took place from 2.30-7pm, and resulted in the recording of three takes of ‘Day Tripper’. Only the last of these was a complete version.

The performance was recorded onto two tracks of the four-track tape. The first had bass guitar and drums, and the second contained John Lennon and George Harrison’s electric guitars. Although these parts were recorded onto two separate tracks, they were performed simultaneously in the studio.

The second session began at 7pm and concluded at midnight. John Lennon and Paul McCartney overdubbed vocals onto ‘Day Tripper’, with Harrison joining them during the verses. The final track of the tape was filled with tambourine by Ringo Starr, and more guitar parts by Lennon and Harrison.

With ‘Day Tripper’ complete, The Beatles began work on Harrison’s ‘If I Needed Someone’. They recorded the backing track in a single take, featuring bass, drums and Lennon’s Fender Stratocaster. Vocals and more instrumentation were added on 18 October 1965.