Speculation about "stereo" She Loves You

[Andrew]

Somebody created a site entirely devoted to the differences between She Loves You and Sie Liebt Dich. Includes clips of various parts of both songs (and mixes).

She Loves You vs. Sie Liebt Dich (http://www.beatletracks.com/btsly.html)

[Grant]

Do these guys even stop to enjoy music anymore?

[RetroSmith]

Ha!!

I know my pal Luke is going to dissagre (which is fine, it make things interesting)
But I still think The Beatles used an existing instro track of one of the complete takes of She Loves You to do SLD.

Of course, this is one of those things that will be argued forever!! Its fun, tho.

[lukpac]

Yep, I've got no doubt they are different recordings. I think I've told everyone why in the past.

One other thing people seem to forget - why on earth would there be 13 takes of the backing track for SLD if they just used the SLY master tape? I think all someone needs to do is listen to the session tape for SLD - if indeed there are multiple takes of the backing track, that should once and for all put this idea to rest.

[RetroSmith]

Luke, I'm almost postive the paperwork indicated 13 takes of "SLD", and does not specify "backing track".

The 13 takes could easily be The Beatles trying to cope with singing in German, a language they were familar with but certainly were not experts in.\

13 takes is really nothing if a bunch of them are false starts, coughs, talking, ect.

[lukpac]

Originally posted by Mikey:
Luke, I'm almost postive the paperwork indicated 13 takes of "SLD", and does not specify "backing track".

I don't have Lewisohn in front of me, but I'm almost certain he says 13 takes of backing track, 1 of vocals. Wait, here's the quote, right from the site you like:

For Sie Liebt Dich, the Beatles recorded a new rhythm track, the 1 July 1963 two-track tape having been scrapped once the mono master was prepared. This was done in 13 takes, onto which they overdubbed, in one take, the vocals in the rhythm left/vocals right pattern of their earlier two-track tapes.

Note that's a quote of Lewisohn.

[RetroSmith]

Luke, As a Beatle fan, I dont have to tell you how many Beatle experts disagree with ALOT of what Mark has insisted is true.

No WAY they did the German Vocals in ONE take, impossible!!! It would have taken 3-4 takes to do it in English!! Just from a recording standpoint, mic placement,level changes, ect, they would have been more than ONE take.

Mark also says that the Beatles never recorded Sweet Georgia Brown. Well, I met Pete Best over the summer here in NYC (he appeared on the same bill as my band) and I asked HIM and he said "We sure did--that guy who wrote the book wasnt there"!!

Dont take everything he says as Gospel....he wasnt there!!!!

[Sckott]

Nothing against Lewoshin, but there's quite a bit of what's in his book which isn't totally true.

Not sure if his AR book went into other printings with corrections...

Does anyone know what someone shouts out in "I want You (she's so heavy)", where John screeeches "YEeeeeeaaah!", you can faintly hear someone saying something like "what are ya madd about??"

Mark says it's "encoragement" from another Beatle.... Somehow I think it's something else...

[Pat]

..."you can faintly hear someone saying something like "what are ya madd about??"

I think he says "I buried Paul in Cranberry Sauce", but maybe I just need to go back to the Hearing Loss thread! :D

[lukpac]

Originally posted by Mikey:
No WAY they did the German Vocals in ONE take, impossible!!! It would have taken 3-4 takes to do it in English!! Just from a recording standpoint, mic placement,level changes, ect, they would have been more than ONE take.

From a *recording* standpoint, all the stuff you mention would have nothing to do with it. Look at all the "1 take" songs they cut, like Long Tall Sally, Twist And Shout (first take used), etc, etc...

From a *performance* standpoint - perhaps not. You never know, though.

The question is, did Lewisohn actually listen to the SLD master tape or was he just going by documentation? It's obvious that he listened to *some* things...

Also, it's quite possible that while multiple takes were recorded, since they were overdubs they were only listed as one take. Or were not listed as a take at all. The mystery lies in how SLD was recorded. Was it done like the earlier twin track material (bouncing from one machine to another for overdubs, with each overdub surviving and getting a new take number) or the 4-track material (each overdub would erase the previous overdub, and as such would not get a new take number)?

[Unknown]

Is George playing a Danelectro in the picture on that site? If so, when did he have it, and what did he use it on?

[David R. Modny]

The mystery lies in how SLD was recorded. Was it done like the earlier twin track material (bouncing from one machine to another for overdubs, with each overdub surviving and getting a new take number) or the 4-track material (each overdub would erase the previous overdub, and as such would not get a new take number)?


Not to mention, that the four-track machines eventually allowed the Beatles the luxury of "punching in" and out of a take. (Although, I've never seen it mentioned at what point the Beatles might have *exactly* started doing this in their careers).

I'm not saying that the Paris sessions were done this way, but it's easy to see how "one take" vocals could have been anything BUT one take. Hell, they could have recorded a vocal, line by line, strictly by punching in...or fixed mistakes by punching in and out of a track thanks to sel-sync.

At any rate, and again no disrespect is intended, I'm afraid I just see too much speculation in Mikey's argument and not a shred of concrete evidence to back it up.

[David R. Modny]

Sorry, the top four lines of my previous post are Luke's quote. Someone's gonna have to teach me how to use these damned posting tools...lol!

[RetroSmith]

David, no offense taken, but there is No concrete evidence that they DID record SLD anew!! The truth is that no one really knows how they did SLD, only that they emerged from the session with both songs sung in German.

And please, no one quote Mark Lewishon...that guy has stretched the truth so many times its ridiculous.

[lukpac]

Originally posted by Mikey:
And please, no one quote Mark Lewishon...that guy has stretched the truth so many times its ridiculous.

Why do you say that? I'll be one of the first to admit he's made some mistakes, but how has he "stretched the truth"?

Why would Lewisohn *specifically* say there were 13 takes of the backing track and 1 of the vocals? Why not just say "13 takes were recorded" if he didn't know?

Obviously some people know how the song was recorded - the answer lies right on the session tape. Listen to that tape and the question is answered.

[Dugan]

Originally posted by Patrick M:
Is George playing a Danelectro in the picture on that site? If so, when did he have it, and what did he use it on?

No. It's his Rickenbacker 425 (serial#BH 439)that he bought while visiting his sister Louise in the US in Sept.1963. It was mainly used on shows like Ready Steady Go and as a backup to the Country Gent. It is now on display in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
For more info on their equipment check out the new book "Beatles Gear" by Andy Babiuk.