Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Page

Here, in the order in which the recording were tackled, is a guide to the way the album was made.

When I'm Sixty-Four. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on December 6 1966. Album version mixed from take four. Writer: Paul. Lead vocal: Paul. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Phil McDonald.
A Day in the Life. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on January 19 1967. Working title 'In the Life Of...'. Album version mixed from takes six and seven. Writers: John, with Paul. Lead vocal: John, with Paul. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineers: Richard Lush, Phil McDonald.
Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on February 1 1967. Album version mixed from take ten. Writer: Paul. Lead vocal : Paul. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.
Good Morning Good Morning. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on February 8 1967. Album version mixed from take 11. Writer: John. Lead vocal: John. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.
Being for the benefit of Mr. Kite!. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on February 17 1967. Album version mixed from take nine. Writer: John.Lead vocal: John. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.
Fixing a Hole. Recording commenced at Regent Sound Studio, Tottenham Court Road, London, on February 21 1967 and later completed at Abbey Road. Album version mixed from take three. Writer: Paul. Lead vocal: Paul. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineers: Adrian Ibbetson (Regent Sound), Geoff Emerick (Abbey Road). Second engineer: Richard Lush.

Lovely Rita. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on February 23 1967. Album version mixed from take 11. Writer: Paul. Lead vocal: Paul. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on March 1 1967. Album version mixed from take eight. Writer: John. Lead vocal: John. Producer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.
Getting Better. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on March 9 1967. Album version mixed from take 15. Writer: Paul. Lead vocal: Paul. Producer George Martin. Recording engineers Malcolm Addey, Ken Townsend, Geoff Emerick, Peter Vince. Second engineers: Graham Kirkby, Richard Lush, Keith Slaughter.
She's Leaving Home. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on March 17 1967. Album version mixed from take nine. Writer: Paul, with John. Lead vocal: Paul. Producer: George Martin. Score: Mike Leander. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineers: Richard Lush, Keith Slaughter.
Within You Without You. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on March 22 1967. Album version mixed from take two. Writer: George. Lead vocal: George. Producer; George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.
With a Little Help From My Friends. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on March 29 1967. Working title 'Bad Finger Boogie'. Album version mixed from take 11. Writers: John and Paul. Lead vocal: Ringo. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.
Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise). Recording commenced in studio one at Abbey Road on April 1 1967. Album version mixed from take nine. Writer: Paul. Lead vocal: John, Paul and George. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.

Three other songs were recorded during the sessions. The first two were taken for release as a single, the third didn't surface until the Yellow Submarine film soundtrack album.
'Strawberry Fields Forever'. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on November 24 1966.
'Penny Lane'. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on December 29 1966.
'It's Only a Northern Song'. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on February 13 1967.

The sequence of songs on Pepper is famous in itself, being - on the vinyl version - two continuous sides of music, without pauses between songs, or 'banding', to use recording parlance. But the line-up of side one, as first conceived, was different to how it finally evolved, and was as follows: 'Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'; 'With a Little Help From My Friends'; 'Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite!'; 'Fixing a Hole'; 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'; 'Getting Better'; 'She's Leaving Home'.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Page

Extracted from The Beatles at Abbey Road, by Mark Lewisohn, 1987.