Recording: I’m Only Sleeping

Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick

Although they had recorded a remake of ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ on 29 April 1966, on this day The Beatles returned to take 11 of their 27 April recording to add two guitar overdubs.

George Harrison filled up the two remaining tracks of the four-track tape by recording two backwards guitar solos, in a session which began at 9.30pm and ended at 3am the following morning.

John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for I'm Only Sleeping, 1966

The parts were worked out carefully, and appeared in at least five places during the song, although different mixes featured only some of them. None of the officially-released mixes contain all five.

The first guitar part was clean, and the second distorted. Both solos were merged into one during a reduction mix created the following day, to make way for vocal overdubs.

Listen to the section of the song containing the main solo reversed, to hear how the guitar sounded as it was recorded:

Last updated: 3 May 2018
Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones visit Dolly's nightclub, London
Recording: I'm Only Sleeping
Also on this day...

Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.

Latest Comments

  1. Amy Gdala Godiva Sunday 5 May 2019

Leave a Reply