Drive My Car
Paul’s song. It has a Motown bass line. He got this ‘drive my car’ thing and the ‘beep beep beep’ in the studio. I think we just threw it in. John Lennon 1980 Playboy Interview
I arrived at the studio with this fairly good tune, but it had crappy lyrics 'I can give you diamond rings, I can give you golden rings, I can give you anything,' and John said , 'Oh!' he didn't like ithem and we had a deep sad moment. So, I said to him, 'I'll tell you what, let's have a cup of tea and a ciggie and we’ll just relax for a minute.' After that we just jollied up and I said 'I'll tell you what then, how about this girl in LA who wants a chauffeur?' And suddenly it came: 'Wait a minute: "Drive My Car!"' Then we got into the fun of that scenario: 'Oh, you can drive my car.' What is it? What's he doing? Is he offering a job as a chauffeur, or what? And then it became much more ambiguous, which we liked, instead of golden rings, which was a bit poofy. 'Golden rings' became 'beep beep, yeah.' We both came up with that. Suddenly we were in LA: cars, chauffeurs, open-top Cadillacs, and it was a whole other thing. The Beatles: Off the Record by Keith Badman
On 13 October 1965, the second recording session for Rubber Soul, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two at 7:00 PM and started working out the arrangement for Drive My Car.
We laid the track because, what Paul would (usually) do, if he had written a song, he'd learn all the parts for himself and then come in the studio and say, 'Do this.' He'd never give you the opportunity to come out with something. But, on 'Drive My Car,' I just played the line, which is really like a lick off 'Respect,' you know, the Otis Redding version. I played that line on the guitar and Paul laid that with me on bass. We laid the track down like that. The Beatles: Off the Record by Keith Badman
http://youtu.be/fvlrLYumeSYAfter they perfected the arrangement, four takes of the rhythm track were attempted before they got it right, the fourth attempt being the only one that made it all the way through to the end of the song. The instruments used on the rhythm track included George on electric guitar, Paul on bass (both basically playing the same part) and Ringo on drums. John sat out this rhythm track as well as the rest of the entire song. His only contribution to Drive My Car was his lead and background vocals which were overdubbed later.
http://youtu.be/Ca0tJ6V1Fj4Overdubs were numerous and include two tambourines from Ringo , a lead vocal track from John and Paul simultaneously, Paul on piano during the choruses, Ringo on cowbell throughout most of the song, three part harmonies from John, Paul and George during the "beep, beep" portions of the song, and Paul on lead guitar using a slide. At least two attempts at this lead guitar solo was made since a different take of this solo can faintly be heard in the background in all of the mixes that were released. This is best heard in the final two measures of the solo where Paul's slide work is noticeably different. Also noticeable is John's overdubbed "and maybe I'll love you" lines at the end of each chorus, which were probably done during the three-part harmony overdub. By 12:15 AM the next day the song was complete.
http://youtu.be/2TZRn0zNIbYPaul McCartney - Lead and Harmony Vocals, Bass Guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1), Lead Guitar (1962 Epiphone Casino ES-230TD), Piano (1964 Challen upright)
George Harrison – Rhythm Guitar (1961 Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster), Harmony Vocals
John Lennon - Lead and Harmony Vocals
Ringo Starr – Drums (1965 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl), tambourine, cowbell
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Topic: Song Of The Week - Drive My Car (Read 12021 times)