Recording, mixing: Run For Your Life, We Can Work It Out, The Word, I’m Looking Through You

Room 65, Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith

In the afternoon, most likely without The Beatles being present, George Martin created stereo mixes of two recently-recorded songs. It was followed by an evening session in which the group completed two other songs.

The stereo mixes of ‘Run For Your Life’ and ‘We Can Work It Out’ were made in Abbey Road’s Room 65 between 2.30 and 5.30pm. The latter, however, was scrapped on 9 August 1966 and replaced by a new mix made on 10 November 1966 for the UK compilation A Collection Of Beatles Oldies.

The Beatles began recording at 9pm and finished at 4am the following morning. The first song to be worked on was ‘The Word’, the rhythm track of which was completed in three takes. It featured Paul McCartney on Steinway grand piano, Ringo Starr on drums, and John Lennon playing a staccato rhythm part on a Fender Stratocaster.

Onto track two Lennon added his lead vocals, with backing from McCartney and George Harrison. Track three contained a double-tracked lead vocal, with more backing vocals, as well as maracas by Starr and harmonium by George Martin.

The song was completed with the addition of a bass guitar part and falsetto vocals, both by McCartney, Harrison’s lead guitar, and more maracas.

McCartney’s ‘I’m Looking Through You’ was also recorded during this session, which concluded at 4am. The song had been attempted during sessions on 24 October and 6 November, but neither had yielded satisfactory versions.

This final remake was laid down in a single attempt, numbered take four. The rhythm track contained bass guitar, drums, Lennon’s Gibson Jumbo acoustic guitar, and Harrison on tambourine. Starr then added some Hammond organ, and Harrison performed a distorted Epiphone Casino guitar part.

I’m Looking Through You was completed during the following night’s session. McCartney added lead vocals, and he and Lennon added backing vocals and handclaps.