Recording: Here Comes The Sun

Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Phil McDonald

George Harrison’s second song for Abbey Road, ‘Here Comes The Sun’, was begun during this 2.30-11.45pm recording session.

The session took place without John Lennon, who was recuperating from a car accident in Scotland. The other three members of The Beatles recorded 13 takes of the backing track of ‘Here Comes The Sun’, on what was also Ringo Starr’s 29th birthday.

Take 13 – announced as “take 12 and a half” for superstitious reasons – was judged to be the best attempt, and featured Harrison on a Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar and guide vocals, Paul McCartney on Rickenbacker bass guitar, and Starr on drums. In the final hour of the session Harrison taped an additional guitar part using the same J-200.

Take nine from the same session was included on some formats of the 50th anniversary reissue of Abbey Road.

Work on ‘Here Comes The Sun’ continued on the following day.