Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 19, 20 January; 3, 10, 22 February 1967
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Released: 1 June 1967 (UK), 2 June 1967 (US)
Available on:
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Anthology 2
Love
Contents
Personnel
John Lennon: vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, bass
George Harrison: maracas
Ringo Starr: drums, bongos
George Martin: harmonium
Mal Evans: piano, vocals, alarm clock
Erich Gruenberg, Granville Jones, Bill Monro, Jurgen Hess, Hans Geiger, D Bradley, Lionel Bentley, David McCallum, Donald Weekes, Henry Datyner, Sidney Sax, Ernest Scott: violins
John Underwood, Gwynne Edwards, Bernard Davis, John Meek: violas
Francisco Gabarro, Dennis Vigay, Alan Dalziel, Alex Nifosi: cellos
Cyril MacArthur, Gordon Pearce: double basses
John Marston: harp
Basil Tschaikov, Jack Brymer: clarinets
Roger Lord: oboe
N Fawcett, Alfred Waters: bassoons
Clifford Seville, David Sanderman: flutes
Alan Civil, Neil Sanders: French horns
David Mason, Monty Montgomery, Harold Jackson: trumpets
Raymond Brown, Raymond Premru, T Moore: trombones
Michael Barnes: tubas
Tristan Fry: timpani, percussion
Marijke Koger: tambourine
The climax of their masterpiece Sgt Pepper, ‘A Day In The Life’ found The Beatles at the peak of their creative powers, an astonishing artistic statement that saw them fearless, breaking boundaries and enthralling generations of listeners with the timeless quality of their music.
‘A Day In The Life’ – that was something. I dug it. It was a good piece of work between Paul and me. I had the ‘I read the news today’ bit, and it turned Paul on. Now and then we really turn each other on with a bit of song, and he just said ‘yeah’ – bang, bang, like that. It just sort of happened beautifully.
Rolling Stone
The lyrics
A detached, dispassionate glimpse through the looking glass at the everyday life he was content to let pass him by, ‘A Day In The Life’ was inspired by a series of disconnected events that entered John Lennon’s consciousness: the death of millionaire socialite Tara Browne, his own appearance in Richard Lester’s film How I Won The War, and a council survey that found 4,000 holes in the roads of Blackburn, Lancashire.
Just as it sounds: I was reading the paper one day and noticed two stories. One was about the Guinness heir who killed himself in a car. That was the main headline story. He died in London in a car crash. On the next page was a story about four thousand potholes in the streets of Blackburn, Lancashire, that needed to be filled. Paul’s contribution was the beautiful little lick in the song, ‘I’d love to turn you on,’ that he’d had floating around in his head and couldn’t use. I thought it was a damn good piece of work.
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
The 17 January 1967 edition of the newspaper reported the coroner’s verdict into the death of Tara Browne, an Irish friend of The Beatles who on 18 December 1966 had driven his Lotus Elan at high speed through a red light in South Kensington, London and into a stationary van.
Browne was the great grandson of the brewer Edward Cecil Guinness and the son of Lord and Lady Oranmore and Browne. He was in line to inherit a £1m fortune upon his 25th birthday, but died at the age of 21.
I was writing ‘A Day In The Life’ with the Daily Mail propped in front of me on the piano. I had it open at their News in Brief, or Far and Near, whatever they call it.
Anthology
In Hunter Davies’ authorised biography of The Beatles, John Lennon explained how the words of the song were indirectly inspired by the events.
I didn’t copy the accident. Tara didn’t blow his mind out. But it was in my mind when I was writing that verse.
The Beatles, Hunter Davies
In his authorised biography Many Years From Now, Paul McCartney suggested that the Browne story featured to a lesser extent.
The verse about the politician blowing his mind out in a car we wrote together. It has been attributed to Tara Browne, the Guinness heir, which I don’t believe is the case, certainly as we were writing it, I was not attributing it to Tara in my head. In John’s head it might have been. In my head I was imagining a politician bombed out on drugs who’d stopped at some traffic lights and didn’t notice that the lights had changed. The ‘blew his mind’ was purely a drugs reference, nothing to do with a car crash.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
Filmed in Spain and Germany in autumn 1966, How I Won The War was John Lennon’s only non-Beatles film role. The lyrics of ‘A Day In The Life’ also alluded to the novel on which the film was based, written by Patrick Ryan and first published in 1963.
The middle section (“Woke up, fell out of bed”) was an unfinished song fragment written by Paul McCartney, its practical earthiness providing a perfect counterpoint to Lennon’s languorous daydreaming.
It was another song altogether but it happened to fit. It was just me remembering what it was like to run up the road to catch a bus to school, having a smoke and going into class. It was a reflection of my schooldays. I would have a Woodbine, somebody would speak and I’d go into a dream.
The final verse was also taken from the Daily Mail’s Far and Near column. “There are 4,000 holes in the road in Blackburn, Lancashire,” it read, “or one twenty-sixth of a hole per person, according to a council survey.”
There was still one word missing in that verse when we came to record. I knew the line had to go ‘Now they know how many holes it takes to… something, the Albert Hall.’ It was a nonsense verse really, but for some reason I couldn’t think of the verb. What did the holes do to the Albert Hall?It was Terry [Doran, a former car dealer and friend of Brian Epstein’s who later became head of Apple Music] who said ‘fill’ the Albert Hall. And that was it. Perhaps I was looking for that word all the time, but couldn’t put my tongue on it. Other people don’t necessarily give you a word or a line, they just throw in the word you’re looking for anyway.
Anthology
My Aunt gave me a copy of Sgt Pepper when I was 7 and I got to know it inside out during my formative years as a gifted air guitarist. I was always fascinated how the album ended with this song, it was so jarring. Like the ending of the Planet of the Apes (1968). A few years later I was a paperboy and delivered the news of Lennon’s assassination. For several days I listened to this song and stared at his picture on the cover, and read over the lyrics in disbelief.
Awesome album/song, like EVERY album/song The Beatles wrote. RIP John and George !!
George plays guitar, at least on the first take. You can clearly hear John Lennon say, “my maracas” in the Anthology version. Geoff Emerick is known to overlook George’s contribution to the Beatles’ songs.
Geoff Emerick says in an interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5caf6mAACA that it is John who siings the “Ahhhhhhhh, ahhhhh, ah-ah-ahhhhhh;…” melody that links the middle section back to the last verse, but it is obvious to me when I listen to it that it is Paul´s voice.
Giles Martin says the basic track reveals John sings the main melody and Paul does a falsetto harmony. So they are both on it.
PLEASE give me a direct Giles Martin-quote and a source of that, James, because that would surprise me a LOT.
It would also cost GM a LOT of credibility, but I don’t expect it to be true, anyway.
James, I found a long interview with Giles Martin and he says it’s PAUL doing the “aaaahs” (Sorry, this is the German version):
“Pauls Main-Vocal-Spur ist stereo, weil wir ihr mit dem Waves S1 Stereo Imaging Plug-in etwas Spannweite gegeben haben, daher klingt sie anders als Johns Lead-Stimme. Wir haben auch zwei kleine Stückchen abgespalten, um die Möglichkeit zu haben, sie links und rechts zu pannen. Seine vierte Vocal-Spur ist die ›Aaah‹-Sektion, und darunter ist eine ›Aaah‹-Delay-Aux-Spur.«
Source: https://www.soundandrecording.de/stories/neu-gemischt-beatles-meisterwerk-sgt-peppers-lonely-hearts-club-band/
I used to think that was Paul too but although this section of the song hasn’t been discussed much it really is Johns handiwork. Albeit with some distortion.
sounds like john to me
per: Thanks for that video. I just WISH someone had played Geoff the actual record right there – so instead of repeating his (fabricated) story from the book he’d heard Paul singing! That would have made him scratch his head! 😉
Everyone believing that Geoff – God bless him, great man! – actually did remember all these little details about the sessions told in “his” book should check that infamous interview of his from several decades earlier where he remembered less than Jon Snow!
That bit is 100% John! C’mon, John’s voice-sound is unmistakeable! A great part of an amazing track!
It sounds like John. But it’s Paul. It’s the distortion that confuses.
It COULD be both though.
Surprisingly this is subject of the most heated discussions, especially here, so I’m surprised your comment passed the moderation…
Sadly Paul missed the chance to put an end to it when he failed to give a definitive answer on REDDIT. Instead he said “I seem to remember we all did it”. It IS correct, though, since there are four voices: Paul’s lead aah, John’s unmistakable falsetto, George’s lower oooh and maybe Ringo doing the low octave of the aaah at some point.
Indeed most historians confirm that they recorded the vocals for bridge and transition in one take on February 3rd, meaning Paul must be the lead singer.
That’s supported by the fact that there is NO CUT between the “dream” and the aah, proving Emerick’s story about a non-existing punch-in to be false.
Giles Martin said it was John several times – but was embarrassingly contradicted by his own mixer Sam Okell, who explained in detail how it’s one of Paul’s vocal tracks.
John’s typically nasal falsetto is clearly audible in the background in the isolated vocal track, so it’s impossible for him to do the lead at the same time (it’s on the same track).
It’s also still Paul’s part, it’s his dream, why would John sing lead here?
Funny enough, despite most of the evidence pointing towards Paul there’s still a great number of people who are simply fooled by the echo-effect into believing it’s John.
Rational discussions about this prove to be quite difficult – so I’m not sure if my comment will be posted.
But since that other comment was made public I think it’s fair to hear both sides.
Sgt. Pepper is the Beatles evolutionary breakthrough LP. There music and sound changed so much between 1963 and 1967. There ability to play so many different instruments were amazing. They practically altered the musical direction of Rock and Roll in those few short years.
I could actually hear the dog whistle, the 15 kilocycle tone after the E chord on piano faded out, when I was younger.
I could too, very clearly, and always wondered why people referred to it as only audible to dogs (and other animals). Now I’m 41, and my hearing’s not as sharp, and I can’t hear it unless I crank up the volume (plus my tinnitus gives me a constant high-pitched ringing anyway!).
A whistling dog, that´s quite someting.
The “Ahhhhhhhh, ahhhhh, ah-ah-ahhhhhh;…” it is John. I wasn’t there, but it sounds like him. No doubt about it.
Correct!! Definitely John
I agree it sounds like John. But it’s Paul.
its paul.
Finally the drumming sound of Ringo is maybe the most incredible thing on this track !
When I was in college, during the school year from ’72 to ’73 my two roommates and I would play Sgt. Peppers every day at 4:30. It never got old (and hasn’t yet!) There were, of course, endless discussions about ADITL (including some of the PID variety.) And, as was mentioned above, about why ADITL ended the album instead of the SPLHCB reprise. Why didn’t SPLHCB and the reprise bookend the album?, etc. Of course, with no internet and none of the books having been written yet there were a lot of “facts” that later proved wrong. Although I do remember one friend who knew somebody that was associated with Abbey Road studio who told him the bit about how John was referring to a$$holes with the line “holes to fill the Albert Hall.” Anyway, thank you to everyone for the links, book mentions, and tidbits to listen for.
I’ve just learned about this gem of a historical document — the response by the chief executive of the Royal Albert Hall to the allegation that their venue was afflicted with 4,000 holes!
That was an April Fools post, but nicely done by the RAH. Check the publication date.
Ah well… and as a professional historian, I shouldn’t have been so gullible! A masterful hoax, though, one I imagine John would have enjoyed. (Although — and this should have been the tip-off — his own response would surely have reached greater heights of wit and hilarity!)
Geoge did nothing more than shake maracas? Seriously?
I don’t think George’s mind was on the album at that time because he was still pining for India, which he had visited the previous autumn. George admitted in Anthology that he had few memories of the making of SPLHCB.
Other than contributing one great solo song, George barely seems to feature on the album.
Perhaps the conspiracy theorists got it wrong, and rather than Paul dying in 1966 it was actually George that died, and he was replaces by Forge LOL
I have read somewhere that Paul’s part in the song, «made the bus in seconds flat. Found my way upstairs and had a smoke» also could be a drug reference. This song was written in 1967, and at that time smoking was legal on the upper deck on double decker buses in the UK.
I always thought “had a smoke” referred to lighting up a joint, because he then “went into a dream”.
‘ John and I gave each other a knowing look: ‘Uh-huh, it’s a drug song. You know that, don’t you?’
Then later:
” It’s about a crash and its victim. How can anyone read drugs into it is beyond me. ”
So, were you lying before, or were you lying after?
Just stop. Geez….
You want a list of the times John contradicted himself? Or Ringo? Or anybody recounting a past experience from years ago at several years-separated junctures? With quotes taken out of context?
Just stop being silly (I’m being kind here).
Geez, it’s MikeP- the Paul policeman bullying Beatle fans yet again from freely speculating on inconsistencies that might portray the almighty Macca in a bad light. You are just an angry biased defender of all things Paul ( and I’m being kind here). All bow to MikeP and beware of speaking your mind about a rock n roll band in his presence; for he may not like it and rain Paul McCartney down on your head.
Oh, untwist your panties and get over it. I’m allowed MY opinions and the right to say them.
Putting your own biases and unfounded twists on your “opinion” makes it not opinion, but your own fantasy. I will always point that out if I wish. Get over it.
Does it really have to be like this? There are just as many, probably a good deal more, pro-John and pro-George sentiments found in sites and forums such as this. If people want to bat in Paul’s corner then they’re allowed to, aren’t they? Lighten up and just enjoy the song in question. It’s one of the best.
” It’s about a crash and its victim. How can anyone read drugs into it is beyond me. ”
That’s actually John’s quote.
Yes, several sources site this as John’s. Shows why all the “John vs. Paul” people might just stop all the sillyness. The Beatles ended 50 years ago….the story has been told, mis-told, interpreted, and reinterpreted hundreds of times.
The track gets better + better with age, after starting off very good when I first heard it as a 12 year old… Paul’s sprightly-presence part in the middle there only enhances the strength and strange-depth-solidity of John’s main role and presence…
All these are excellent: the sound of the acoustic -and also of John’s voice, Paul’s bass, Ringo’s drumming, and the arrangement of the song…
Then,,,: the aliveness and amazing-ability-of-brining-you-in of Paul’s bit, his voice -contrastingly – wholly without reverb – with excellent bass (again) and piano sound/chords (some jazzy), and then John with so much echo makes that vocal sound for the subsequent bit…
And of course the brass and strings crescendos, both of them…
It is the joint-top of my Fave Beatles’ songs; it HAS to be!
George was with the vibe of the whole album, even if he apparently did not feature much on the music of most tracks… As Eppie said apparently in 1963 ‘George is the Soul (of the Beatles)
Julian, I was 12 years old when this came out, too and I agree with your assessment of it. I always liked how the Reprise was like the end of the show and the it fades into this fantastic encore. I remember how my mother (still with us at age 100!) remarked how the only good lyric was Paul dragging a comb across his head ?. A Day In The Life definitely ranks up there as one of the best.