John Lennon Says ‘Jokes’ Came Out of the Beatles’ Recording Sessions
The Beatles’ recording sessions were detailed by John Lennon in 1966, who said this rock band made everything from “electronic music” by clicking glasses together to “jokes.” Here’s what we learned about the “Strawberry Fields Forever” band.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote most music for the Beatles
All “Fab Four” members contributed to the Beatles’ discography, with George Harrison earning credit on “Here Comes the Sun” and Ringo Starr writing “Octopus’s Garden.” As one of history’s best-known songwriting duos, Lennon and Paul McCartney were the masterminds behind several Beatles hits.
How the Beatles recorded in the studio was further illuminated by Lennon, who said that even some jokes came out of the band’s sessions.
John Lennon said ‘electronic music’ and ‘jokes’ came out of the Beatles’ recording sessions
The Beatles wrote most of their own music — and chose which instruments to feature in their albums. When asked about what comes out of recording sessions in 1964, Lennon explained that it could be “literally anything.”
“Electronic music, jokes,” he said (via Beatles Interviews), with Lennon specifically earning a reputation for his sense of humor. “One thing’s for sure — the next LP is going to be very different.”
“We wanted to have it so that there was no space between the tracks — just continuous,” he added. “But they wouldn’t wear it. Paul and I are very keen on this electronic music.”
Lennon elaborated on the process of using unique instruments in Beatles songs. There was even an anvil used on “Maxwell’s Siver Hammer,” as seen in The Beatles: Get Back.
“You make it clinking a couple of glasses together or with bleeps from the radio,” Lennon continued, “then you loop the tape to repeat the noises at intervals. Some people build up whole symphonies from it. It would have been better than the background music we had for the last film. All those silly bands. Never again!”
As noted by IMDb, in addition to playing lead guitar, Harrison “introduced such exotic instruments” as the ukulele, Indian sitars, flutes, tabla, darbouka, and tampur drums, to his solo music and Beatles tracks.
Which Beatles album was recorded last?
This rock band officially disbanded in 1970. However, there’s still some debate regarding which Beatles album was, technically, their “last.” Abbey Road was the last they recorded — Let It Be was the last they released.
Some of the Beatles’ last songwriting efforts were seen in their Disney+ documentary. They rehearsed “Get Back” and other originals for their final live performance, also pausing to hear Harrison’s “I Me Mine.”
Even in 2022, new versions of Beatles fan-favorites are released on music services like Spotify and Apple Music. That includes Revolver (Super Deluxe). Now, music by the Beatles is available on most major streaming platforms.
