12-Bar Original

Last updated
"12-Bar Original"
Instrumental by the Beatles
from the album Anthology 2
Released18 March 1996 (UK)
19 March 1996 (US)
Recorded4 November 1965
Studio EMI, London
Genre Blues
Length2:54
Label Apple
Songwriter(s) John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Richard Starkey
Producer(s) George Martin

"12-Bar Original" is an instrumental 12-bar blues by the Beatles. It was recorded in 1965, but was not commercially available until 1996 when an edited version of take 2 of the song was included on the Anthology 2 album. Prior to editing, the length of take 2 was 6:36. [1]

Contents

It is one of the few songs credited to Lennon/​ McCartney/​ Harrison/​ Starkey [2] and published by Lenono Music, Inc., MPL Communications Ltd, Harrisongs Ltd., and Startling Music Ltd. [3] Other songs credited to all four Beatles include "Flying" from Magical Mystery Tour , "Dig It" from Let It Be and "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)", the B-side to the 1995 single "Free as a Bird".

Of the Beatles, only John Lennon and Ringo Starr ever commented on the song. During some US radio interviews, Lennon was asked if there were any unissued Beatles recordings, he replied that all he could recall was "some lousy 12 bar". Starr told journalist Peter Palmiere that "we all wrote the track and I have an acetate of one of the versions". The quote was later used by Palmiere in a Ringo Starr cover interview/story in DISCoveries magazine in 1993 and by Jim Berkenstadt and Belmo in their book Black Market Beatles.

"12-Bar Original" was the Beatles' first instrumental after signing for EMI, and was produced by George Martin at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, London. Four other instrumentals by the group are the aforementioned "Flying", an outtake version of that song called "Aerial Tour Instrumental", "Cayenne" and "Cry for a Shadow".

Composition and recording

"12-Bar Original" was recorded on 4 November 1965, the same day as "What Goes On". [4] Beginning with a count-in by McCartney, the track consists of 17 twelve-bar choruses in the key of E major, recorded without overdubs, with drums, bass, guitar and harmonium, clocking in at 6:42. [5] For the track's release on Anthology 2, Martin edited together certain choruses: #1–2 (0:00–0:46), #9–10 (3:04–3:50),#14 (4:59–5:22) and #16–17 (5:46–6:38). [5] The track was the first instrumental the group recorded since "Cry for a Shadow". [5]

Personnel

Personnel per Ian MacDonald [6]

Notes

  1. ↑ Anthology 2 (booklet). The Beatles. London: Apple Records. 1994. p. 18. 31796.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ↑ "12 Bar Original, BMI Work #4263229". BMI. Archived from the original on 2006-12-08. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  3. ↑ Anthology 2 (booklet). The Beatles. London: Apple Records. 1994. p. 46. 31796.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ Everett 2001, p. 308.
  5. 1 2 3 Everett 2001, p. 330.
  6. ↑ MacDonald (2005), p. 177

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">While My Guitar Gently Weeps</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written by George Harrison, the band's lead guitarist. Harrison wrote "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" as an exercise in randomness inspired by the Chinese I Ching. The song conveys his dismay at the world's unrealised potential for universal love, which he refers to as "the love there that's sleeping".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Me Do</span> 1962 single by the Beatles

"Love Me Do" is the debut single by the English rock band the Beatles, backed by "P.S. I Love You". When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1962, it peaked at number 17. It was released in the United States in 1964 and topped the nation's song chart. Re-released in 1982 as part of EMI's Beatles 20th anniversary, it re-entered the UK charts and peaked at number 4. "Love Me Do" also topped the charts in Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Goes On (Beatles song)</span> 1965 single by the Beatles

"What Goes On" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, featured as the eighth track on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. The song was later released as the B-side of the US single "Nowhere Man", and then as the tenth track on the North America-only album Yesterday and Today. It is the only song by the band credited to Lennon–McCartney–Starkey and the only song on Rubber Soul that features Ringo Starr on lead vocals. The song reached number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For You Blue</span> 1970 single by the Beatles

"For You Blue" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album Let It Be. The track was written by George Harrison as a love song to his wife, Pattie Boyd. It was also the B-side to the "Long and Winding Road" single, issued in many countries, but not Britain, and was listed with that song when the single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canada's national chart in June 1970. On the Cash Box Top 100 chart, which measured the US performance of single sides individually, "For You Blue" peaked at number 71.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yer Blues</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Yer Blues" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1968 double album The Beatles. Though credited to Lennon–McCartney, the song was written and composed by John Lennon during the Beatles' retreat in Rishikesh, India. The song is a parody of blues music, specifically English imitators of blues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Word (song)</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"The Word" is a song by English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded with Lennon on lead vocals. It was first released on their 1965 album Rubber Soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Boy</span> 1963 single by the Beatles

"This Boy" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney). It was released in November 1963 as the B-side of the band's Parlophone single "I Want to Hold Your Hand". In the United States, it was issued in January 1964 on Meet the Beatles! which was Capitol Records' reconfigured version of the With the Beatles album. The Beatles performed the song live on 16 February 1964 for their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. An instrumental easy listening arrangement by George Martin, re-titled "Ringo's Theme (This Boy)", was featured in the film A Hard Day's Night and the United Artists soundtrack album. This version was also issued as a single, reaching number 53 in the US and number one in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Never Give Me Your Money</span> 1969 song by the Beatles

"You Never Give Me Your Money" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was written by Paul McCartney, and thematically documents the personal difficulties that were facing the band. The song is the first part of the medley on side two of their 1969 album Abbey Road and was recorded in stages between May and August that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Why Don't We Do It in the Road?</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, released on their 1968 double album The Beatles. Short and simple, it was written and sung by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon–McCartney. At 1:42, "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" comprises 34 bars of a twelve-bar blues idiom. It begins with three different percussion elements and features McCartney's increasingly raucous vocal repeating a simple lyric with only two different lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cry Baby Cry</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Cry Baby Cry" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The coda of the song is a short segment referred to as "Can You Take Me Back", written by Paul McCartney, which was actually an outtake from the "I Will" session.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (song)</span> 1967 song by the Beatles

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is a song written by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon–McCartney, released in 1967 on the album of the same name by the Beatles. The song appears twice on the album: as the opening track, and as "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)", the penultimate track. As the title song, the lyrics introduce the fictional band that performs on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Looking Through You</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"I'm Looking Through You" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album Rubber Soul. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. McCartney wrote the song about English actress Jane Asher, his girlfriend for much of the 1960s, and her refusal to give up her stage career and focus on his needs. The line "You don't look different, but you have changed" reflects his dissatisfaction with their relationship. The lyrics also refer to his changing emotional state: "Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're Going to Lose That Girl</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"You're Going to Lose That Girl" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album and film Help! Credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership, the song was mostly written by John Lennon with contributions from Paul McCartney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What You're Doing</span> 1964 song by the Beatles

"What You're Doing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their album Beatles for Sale, released in December 1964. It was written by Paul McCartney, although credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song was one of eight original compositions on Beatles for Sale. In North America, where Capitol Records typically altered the content of the band's albums, "What You're Doing" instead appeared on the 1965 US release Beatles VI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Child</span> 1963 song by the Beatles

"Little Child" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1963 UK album With the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for Ringo Starr, but Starr was instead given "I Wanna Be Your Man" as his album song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Night (Beatles song)</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Good Night" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The lead vocalist on the recording is Ringo Starr, who was the only Beatle to appear on the track. The music was provided by an orchestra arranged and conducted by George Martin. Written for Lennon's five-year-old son Julian, "Good Night" is the final song on the White Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free as a Bird</span> 1995 single by the Beatles

"Free as a Bird" is a single released in December 1995 by English rock band the Beatles. The song was originally written and recorded in 1977 as a home demo by John Lennon. In 1995, 25 years after their break-up and 15 years after Lennon's murder, his then surviving bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr released a studio version incorporating the demo.

"If You've Got Trouble" is a song written by Lennon–McCartney and recorded by the Beatles on 18 February 1965 with Ringo Starr singing the lead vocal. The song was intended to be Starr's vocal appearance on the Help! album and the Help! film, but the Beatles were not happy with the recording and later chose to record "Act Naturally" instead. "If You've Got Trouble" remained unreleased until Anthology 2 in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Only Love</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"It's Only Love" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first released in 1965 on the Help! album in the United Kingdom and on the Rubber Soul album in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas Time (Is Here Again)</span> 1967 song by the Beatles

"Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" is a Christmas song by the English rock band the Beatles, originally recorded for their fifth fan club Christmas record, Christmas Time Is Here Again! (1967). One of the few Beatles songs credited to all four members of the band, it consists of a blues based backing track as well as double-tracked vocals sung by them, George Martin and Victor Spinetti. The lyrics are mostly made up of the song's title refrain, repeated across nine verses.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.