Recording: The Fool On The Hill

Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Engineer: Ken Scott

Although they had begun recording ‘The Fool On The Hill’ during the previous day’s session, on this evening The Beatles started afresh by recording a new backing track.

This remake was called take five, and had Paul McCartney’s piano on one track, Ringo Starr’s drums and cymbals on another, and acoustic guitar and maracas on a third. Track four featured overdubs of celeste, more piano and a recorder.

These were then treated to a reduction mix, known as take six, onto which McCartney added double-tracked lead vocals and a recorder solo. John Lennon and George Harrison filled track four with bass harmonicas. A tape loop featuring a flourish of slowed-down guitars was also added to the fourth track; this can be heard immediately after the final line: “And the eyes in his head see the world spinning round”.

‘The Fool On The Hill’ was completed on 20 October 1967 with the addition of three flute parts. They were recorded onto a separate tape, and mixed with two machines running in sync.

Producer George Martin was unavailable for this session, so his role was filled by balance engineer Ken Scott.