Ascot Sound Studios
Producers: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Phil Spector
Engineers: Phil McDonald, Eddie Klein
The eighth recording session for John Lennon’s second solo album Imagine took place on 28 May 1971.
The main album sessions were held at Ascot Sound Studios, Lennon’s recording studio at his Tittenhurst Park home. Two songs were worked on during this session: ‘Oh My Love’ and ‘Gimme Some Truth’.
A three-man film crew were also present in the studio on this day. They were working on a project with the working title Your Show, which was intended for release with Lennon and Yoko Ono’s forthcoming albums.
‘Oh My Love’ was recorded in 20 takes, the last of which became the master. Take 13 was interrupted by cameraman Nic Knowland, prompting Lennon to tersely tell him: “Keep still or get out!”
Track 1 of the multitrack tape had Klaus Voormann’s bass guitar, and on track 2 Alan White played Tibetan cymbals on takes 1-5, before it was decided that they shouldn’t be played live. The cymbals were overdubbed onto the final version.
Tracks 3 and 4 had George Harrison’s electric guitar and Nicky Hopkins’ electric piano respectively, while Lennon’s acoustic piano was on 5.
Lennon recorded his lead vocals on tracks 6 and 7, and track 8 contained the Tibetan cymbal overdub by White.
Attention then turned to ‘Gimme Some Truth’, the backing track of which had been recorded on 25 May.
Lennon’s final vocals and Harrison’s slide guitar solo were recorded in this session, replacing Lennon’s original vocals on track 8. ‘Gimme Some Truth’ was completed on with a bass guitar overdub, taped on 4 July 1971 by Voormann at New York’s Record Plant.
This was the final day that backing tracks for Imagine were recorded. The remaining sessions were for overdubs and mixing.