12-Bar Original
November 4, 1996
12 - Bar Original is an instrumental song by British band The Beatles in 1965, which remained unpublished until 1996.
Background
12 - Bar Original is the first instrumental piece, collected by the Beatles, since they stood at EMI under contract. It is one of the very few songs that the band wrote together and loosely based on the song Green Onions by Booker T. & the MG's from the year 1962. The song was recorded during the work on the album Rubber Soul, and after the dissolution of the Beatles (1970 ) there were rumors that originally on the album Rubber Soul, a title -giving instrumental song should be included, which is likely to be 12 - bar original. Musically, the song is an attempt by the Beatles to play a blues.
Another reason for the recording could have been that the Beatles were running late with the recordings for Rubber Soul and wanted to fill with this improvised song the album.
Occupation
- George Harrison: lead guitar
- John Lennon: Solo Guitar
- Paul McCartney: Bass
- Ringo Starr: Drums
- George Martin: harmonium
Recording
12 - Bar Original was recorded in London's Abbey Road Studios on November 4, 1965. It was produced by George Martin, who also plays a harmonium on the recording. He assisted Norman Smith. The band rehearsed the song first and then took two takes, one of which she broke off the first. The second take was unusually long with 6 minutes and 42 seconds. Overdubs were not added to the recording.
Since the song was never mixed during further work on the album Rubber Soul, it was not meant for publication. Only three days before the album's release, the song was mixed in mono and pressed for the private collections of the Beatles on Azetatplatten.
Publication
Only in 1996 appeared 12 - Bar Original in a newly manufactured stereo version on the album Anthology 2 This version has been significantly reduced to 2 minutes 55 seconds. Previously it was - to be found on countless bootlegs of the Beatles - even in an unabridged version.