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The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions: The Official Story of the Abbey Road Years 1962-1970
One of the most important and successful rock 'n' roll books ever published is now available in paperback. This is the definitive guide to every recording session done by the Beatles at EMI's Abbey Road recording studio. 150 full-color, 100 duotone, and 100 black-and-white photographs.
204 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1988
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3599 people want to read
About the author
Mark Lewisohn
41 books273 followersMark Lewisohn is the acknowledged world authority on the Beatles. Before embarking on The Beatles: All These Years his books included the bestselling and influential The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions and The Complete Beatles Chronicle. He was a consultant and researcher on all aspects—TV, DVDs, CDs and book—of the Beatles own Anthology and has been involved in numerous additional projects for them. Married with two children, he lives in England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
December 31, 2018
Really an excellent book. Chock full of interesting information and insight. A must read for all Beatles fans! Yea, yea, yea, yea! ☺️
September 8, 2012
Still my favorite Beatles book. If you want the Beatles as a story, then Shout! will do very well. I tend to like the oral history approach--Anthology is great but unwieldy, so I prefer Beatles Off the Record, however unreliable. For pictures and side issues, Mojo magazine did a great Beatles book published by DK. And then there's Yesterday: The Beatles Once Upon a Time, featuring fantastic and fun early pictures of the Beatles and Liverpool by Astrid Kirchherr and Max Scheler.
This book, however, concentrates on the music to an obsessive degree, which so do I. I think you get a fantastic sense of the creativity and vitality (and humanity) of the Beatles by seeing how the records get made, how they worked with the engineers and other musicians, how they got along and didn't, and all the minutiae. I could wish that sometimes who plays what when was better delineated (Paul played a number of the best guitar solos), but I'm obsessive, as I mentioned. Just the story of the invention of "flanging" makes me happy.
This book, however, concentrates on the music to an obsessive degree, which so do I. I think you get a fantastic sense of the creativity and vitality (and humanity) of the Beatles by seeing how the records get made, how they worked with the engineers and other musicians, how they got along and didn't, and all the minutiae. I could wish that sometimes who plays what when was better delineated (Paul played a number of the best guitar solos), but I'm obsessive, as I mentioned. Just the story of the invention of "flanging" makes me happy.
November 4, 2007
This is a day by day diary of what the fabs did in the studio at Abbey Road. I would redirect you to a very different book, "Revoluntion in the Head" by Ian MacDonald - that one is absolutely essential.
June 9, 2018
A really valuable resource of a book if you are interested in The Beatles.
January 19, 2013
This book is a must read for die-hard Beatles fans and musicians. To get the best experience, I recommend the following while reading this book:
1. When reading about a particular song, it’s interesting to go back and listen. A lot of the time I found little things that I hadn’t heard before, such as different instruments, the mono/stereo contrasts, and the result of different recording techniques.
2. The Beatles Anthology CD set includes a lot of the early takes and mixes that the author refers to that were not publicly available at the time of writing. Some of the most interesting items are early versions of Strawberry Fields Forever, A Day in the Life, and Tomorrow Never Knows. It’s amazing to listen to the early versions and refer to Lewishon’s books as a guide through the various takes, etc and then hear the final album version. It allows for a direct view into the Beatles’ creative process and what each member contributed to the overall sound.
In addition to Beatles-specific material, it’s also a great historical account of the early recording industry and really reveals exactly how much of the modern recording techniques and innovations came about because of the Beatles. They really changed the way music was created and recorded, and inspired a lot of new techniques (flanging, double-double-tracking vocals, distortion to name a few). This is a great addition to the library for musicians, music producers, engineers, and devoted fans.
1. When reading about a particular song, it’s interesting to go back and listen. A lot of the time I found little things that I hadn’t heard before, such as different instruments, the mono/stereo contrasts, and the result of different recording techniques.
2. The Beatles Anthology CD set includes a lot of the early takes and mixes that the author refers to that were not publicly available at the time of writing. Some of the most interesting items are early versions of Strawberry Fields Forever, A Day in the Life, and Tomorrow Never Knows. It’s amazing to listen to the early versions and refer to Lewishon’s books as a guide through the various takes, etc and then hear the final album version. It allows for a direct view into the Beatles’ creative process and what each member contributed to the overall sound.
In addition to Beatles-specific material, it’s also a great historical account of the early recording industry and really reveals exactly how much of the modern recording techniques and innovations came about because of the Beatles. They really changed the way music was created and recorded, and inspired a lot of new techniques (flanging, double-double-tracking vocals, distortion to name a few). This is a great addition to the library for musicians, music producers, engineers, and devoted fans.
September 27, 2017
Man, I used to pore over this book when I was in high school, reading entry after entry for hours and loving it. Not just for Beatles nerds, it's an immensely inspiring read for any artist (or person!) who loves the dirty details and false starts of a creative process as much as the polished outcome. I still take out my copy fairly regularly and jump around between entries marveling at these brilliant bastards. I also like to use the anecdotes I learned from it to impress my wary and patient daughters when a song comes on the radio. "Did you know Paul experimented with an old skiffle riff on this before scrapping it for an orchestral bassoon arrangement?" "Yes, Dad." "Amazing!"
January 13, 2010
An absolute must for any serious Beatles fan. Also a must for anyone interested in the creation of recorded music, and how one band changed the methodology for recording within the course of fewer than eight years. Lewisohn takes you behind the scenes and meticulously describes each step of the multitrack recording sessions that created some of the most enduring rock music of the twentieth century. He also tells some wonderful anecdotes along the way.
The primary sources are informative and entertaining. Again, a must.
The primary sources are informative and entertaining. Again, a must.
September 27, 2010
Paul McCartney has referred to this as "The Bible", and that about sums it up. Lewisohn was given every Beatle-maniacs dream job: going through the vast Abbey Road tape library and cataloging every studio recording done by the band.
Taking a day by day approach, Lewisohn details what was record when, who mixed what, how many takes of each song occurred, etc. It's fascinating and indespensible as a reference tool.
Taking a day by day approach, Lewisohn details what was record when, who mixed what, how many takes of each song occurred, etc. It's fascinating and indespensible as a reference tool.
September 8, 2007
This is definitely one of my "desert island" books. It analyzes — not too technically — every recording session the Beatles ever did at Abbey Road Studios, which accounted for about 99.9% of the band's output. Every read reveals another nuance or another story. Awesome.
January 21, 2021
Reads more like a historical textbook in the best of ways. Not sure if the book itself is a masterpiece, but I had a very memorable time reading.
While I would read each studio session for each song/album, I would listen to the earliest demo recordings of the song in question, and work my way along with them with each progression. The second or third time they'd revisit the song, I'd listen to the next demo, and so forth (mostly from their 'Anthology' demo compilation boxset. Then, when they'd finished and release the album, I'd put the book down and listen to the final album in full. Hearing the songs take shape through trial and error, take after take and session after session, to the songs they never truly released as well, made for an overall awesome book/music experience. Highly recommend to read it this way - I'd look at the clock and three hours had gone by each night, with a few albums listened to as well.
While I would read each studio session for each song/album, I would listen to the earliest demo recordings of the song in question, and work my way along with them with each progression. The second or third time they'd revisit the song, I'd listen to the next demo, and so forth (mostly from their 'Anthology' demo compilation boxset. Then, when they'd finished and release the album, I'd put the book down and listen to the final album in full. Hearing the songs take shape through trial and error, take after take and session after session, to the songs they never truly released as well, made for an overall awesome book/music experience. Highly recommend to read it this way - I'd look at the clock and three hours had gone by each night, with a few albums listened to as well.
October 11, 2009
Based on the picture of the cover listed here, I think I have a slightly newer or slightly older edition of this book. It doesn't really matter, though. This is an invaluable book for Beatlemaniacs like myself who are also interested in things like which band members sang or played instruments on a certain song; what recording techniques were used (The Beatles practically invented some of the more modern recording techniques and studio practices); or what other musicians they had play with them (two examples: Billy Preston's organ playing throughout the "Let It Be" album, or Eric Clapton's guitar solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from "The Beatles" -- aka "The White Album"). It's written by a guy who followed the band extensively while they were together, and who essentially became the Beatles' de facto historian. The book can be read cover to cover, but given that it's a reference book, it's probably best read in chunks according to what the reader wants to know about a particular subject. Either way, it's fascinating read.
August 19, 2010
An amazing achievement, and a must for serious Beatles fans with a bent toward learning just how each album was made. This is not an easy read; it is arranged, quite logically, in journal fashion, with each day in the studio receiving its own unique entry. A good decision, but it felt like a bit of a slog at times, depending on what was going on. Also, the length of 200+ pages is deceptive; it feels like a much longer.
But I digress - this is an invaluable resource for music historians, which, happily, I understand the author has continued to build upon. For me, the most invaluable thing was the insights I got into how the Beatles did what they did; talent, preparation, a fiendish determination to experiment and a willingness to embrace happy accidents, and most of all, just plain hard, hard work.
All in all, a triumph.
But I digress - this is an invaluable resource for music historians, which, happily, I understand the author has continued to build upon. For me, the most invaluable thing was the insights I got into how the Beatles did what they did; talent, preparation, a fiendish determination to experiment and a willingness to embrace happy accidents, and most of all, just plain hard, hard work.
All in all, a triumph.
August 9, 2016
Content, Writing, Presentation: 5 stars.
Subject matter: 10 stars.
To paraphrase a Beatles’ lyric: You think you know their songs, but you haven’t got a clue.
Chris Thomas (producer, filling in for George Martin): “...what [Martin] said to me...‘There will be one Beatle there, fine. Two Beatles, great. Three Beatles, fantastic. But the minute the four of them are there that is when the inexplicable charismatic thing happens, the special magic no one has been able to explain. It will be very friendly between you and them but you’ll be aware of this inexplicable presence.’ Sure enough, that’s exactly the way it happened. I’ve never felt it in any other circumstances, it was the special chemistry of the four of them which nobody since has ever had.”
Not before. Not since. Never again. This marvelous book helps you understand why.
July 4, 2012
For Beatles fans I highly recommend this book. While it gets exhaustively tedious (as Lewisohn meticulously documents every Abbey Road recording record he can find), the anecdotes and background information are fascinating. To this day I still get chills reading about the entry of the single day the Beatles recorded the "Please Please Me" album and how they did "Twist and Shout" literally at the end of a long day of recording; the famous version you always hear is a first take, their attempt to try to do one last recording before calling it a day - and in so doing recording arguably one of the great rock and roll songs set to record. It's little tidbits like this that make this book such a guilty pleasure.
August 5, 2013
I can't believe I've had this book for so long and not read it much until now. Nearly every other page contains some great story or detail that's funny or interesting, with lots of details about the studio experimentation that went on to make the Beatles' recordings sound as they did. Unfortunately it makes me want to spend more time and money acquiring all the non-album takes that I haven't heard but that this book makes out to be quite something to hear as well.
UPDATE: After reading Geoff Emerick's "Here, There and Everywhere," I think I've had enough of the Beatles for now, but I'll probably go back and finish this someday.
UPDATE: After reading Geoff Emerick's "Here, There and Everywhere," I think I've had enough of the Beatles for now, but I'll probably go back and finish this someday.
November 5, 2014
Leave this home if you're going to the beach or the doctor's office. You won't be reading it straight through since it's pretty much a reference book with annotation. As such, though, it's a real prize for those of us who savor the music of the Beatles and are interested in how it came together (an unintended pun, but I'm proud of it just the same). It could have been dry if it had been only a listing of the recording sessions but the annotation and photos flesh it out nicely. It'll help to have the album tracks fresh in your mind when reading.
Love it!
Love it!
August 29, 2012
More of a reference shelf item than a book to read per se, unless you're an unreconstructed Beatles nut, like me and quite a few other people I know. Twenty-four years on it's easy to overlook what an incredible eye-opener this was, crushing old myths (and rumored outtakes), shedding detailed light on where the Beatles did their best work, and how they went about it. It's still the essential reference for their recording career.
October 12, 2013
I managed to find a used reissue on Amazon for a few dollars but original prints of this book can go for a hundred dollars or more. I finished this book quite some time ago but forgot to mark it Read. If you are a Beatles fan, this book is indispensable to understand how the Beatles worked in the studio and wrote some of the most beloved music of the 20th century in just 8 years of recording. It is a book that I will reference over and over again I am sure.
March 21, 2007
Well documented - comprehensive - exhaustive tome that covers everything printed by The Beatles from days alpha to omega. Was pretty much the bible and is now the companion piece (old testament) to Recording The Beatles (I'm shouting out here - please... someone... remember my birthday!)
This book follows me around the house - or vice versa.
This book follows me around the house - or vice versa.
July 15, 2007
One of the best Beatles books ever. It goes over every single session that any of them went to in the years they were together. I'm probably one of the few people who actually read the whole thing cover to cover. (Hey, I was young and didn't have much to do...and I was a dork.)
Amazing stuff, but you better be obsessed.
Amazing stuff, but you better be obsessed.
Read
August 16, 2009pure inspiration, cover to cover... 65 takes just to record the basic guitar track for "across the universe"... no drums, vocals, bass... the very first layer of the song.... and they settled on take #53... they spent 24 hours straight in the studio once playing catch-up, moments before an album was due!
August 23, 2013
This is one of the best Beatles books I have ever read (and I have read MANY). If you have never read a book about the Beatles, this would probably NOT be a very good place to start. This is a day by day account of their activities in the recording studio. I have read this book cover to cover, but it is also one I can pick up and read starting anywhere, and it is always intriguing.
September 5, 2013
Exhaustive, encyclopedic... a must-have for any serious Beatles fan. I read it cover-to-cover once, and since then have referred to it many times to answer a question, decide a bet, etc. Lewisohn had unprecedented access to the Beatles' tapes at Abbey Road Studios and catalogs recording studio happenings day-by-day, year-by-year.
March 20, 2008
This book is a great introduction to the art of recording music. It outlines the day-to-day activities of The Beatles as they recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Definitely a must read for any Beatles fan who has an interest in how the music was made.
March 2, 2013
Being a retired musician and current garage band practicioner, the book answered a lot of questions I had about how the Beatles shaped each song. The book explained how tedious each recording session was, and how the varied sounds were achieved. Its a great book. If you can find it buy it!
April 5, 2014
amazingly well researched and a fascinating insight into the day to day recording lives of the Beatles, their working and personal relation ships and how they recorded their music. A must read for any serious Beatles fan.
November 14, 2014
Yes it's pretty geeky, with recording session technical info throughout. But it's also a day-to-day, year to year portrait of creative growth, and with The Beatles Anthology 3-Disc set, makes for a real portrait of musical genius, of the two-man-team kind.
January 27, 2015
There is no better source for understanding HOW the Beatles composed their songs. It's invaluable. I still have my original first run version from the late 1980s, dog-eared and bent all to hell. It's a classic.
June 29, 2016
Absolutely love this book, if I could give it 10 stars I would. I love lists and detail and being a Beatles nut have devoured this book ever since I got it . With the releases of Anthology 1 to 3 and the early sessions cd s it becomes clear Mark did his mob well .
August 29, 2008
the best book i ever read on the beatles, especially as a musician. the day to day details in the studio, with the backdrop of their lives, is really interesting for Beatles and music fans alike.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews