Hello Goodbye
Hello Goodbye was one of my songs. There are Geminian influences here I think: the twins. It's such a deep theme in the universe, duality – man woman, black white, ebony ivory, high low, right wrong, up down, hello goodbye – that it was a very easy song to write. It's just a song of duality, with me advocating the more positive. "You say goodbye, I say hello…You say stop, I say go." I was advocating the more positive side of the duality, and I still do to this day. Paul McCartney Many Years From Now
One evening in August 1967, Paul McCartney had Brian Epstein’s personal assistant Alistair Taylor over for drinks at his Cavendish Avenue home. Paul explained to him that it was quite easy to write a song. To demonstrate, Paul asked him to sit down at the old hand-carved harmoniim he had in his dining room. Paul was seated at the bass end and Alistair Taylor at the treble end. Paul said "What I want you to do is hit any note, any note at all. Don't worry about what ones; just hit notes with both hands, as you feel like it. I'll do the same this end, and I'm going to shout out a word, and I want you to shout out the opposite word. That's all, and then we'll write a song." Paul shouted "black" and Alistair shouted "white." "Come." "Go." "Hello." Goodbye." "There you go," said Paul, "we've got a song!"
On 2 October 1967, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two at 10:00 PM to begin recording Paul’s new composition Hello Goodbye. After first creating a mono mix of their previously recorded song Your Mother Should Know, they began recording the rhythm track for this new composition which was named Hello Hello at this point. The rhythm track consisted of Paul on piano, John on organ, Ringo on drums and George on tambourine...
Fourteen attempts were made of the rhythm track, the final take (Take 14) being deemed the best. The arrangement was fully decided upon right from the beginning, especially evident by the presence of the reprise ending, nicknamed the “Maori Finale,” even on the first take. The session ended at 2:30 AM.
Vocal and instrumental overdubs were done on 19 October beginning at 7:00 PM and ending at 3:30 AM. Viola overdubs were added on 20 October. Paul overdubbed his bass guitar on 25 October and final tape reductions were made on 1 November. The song was renamed Hello Goodbye on that day too...
Paul McCartney - Lead Vocals, Piano (Hamburg Steinway Baby Grand), Bass (1964 Rickenbacker 4001 S), conga drums
John Lennon - Organ (Hammond B-3), Piano (Hamburg Steinway Baby Grand), Background Vocals, handclaps
George Harrison - Lead Guitar (1961 Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster), tambourine, Background Vocals, handclaps
Ringo Starr - Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl), maracas
Ken Essex - Viola
Leo Birnbaum - Viola
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Topic: Song Of The Week - Hello Goodbye (Read 20833 times)