This has always been in my 'Top 10' of Beatle tracks, I loved it the first time I heard it. It sounds like a really good band.
Like other Beatle tracks, (like say Oh Darling) it sounds simple, till you try to arrange it and play it in a band situation, then you realize theres a lot to it in terms of time signatures and arrangements, not just some simple blues here. The song opens up with a sinister riff in D minor in 6/8 time !! but ends up in 4/4.
It is one of the last songs that the Beatles mixed as a group, on 20 August 1969.
I love Johns lead playing on this , his best imo and shows (like with Paul) that he could handle lead, in fact he puts a lot of soul into his playing on that break, I like how he plays exactly what he sings on the verses.
Of course Pauls Bass line throughout is monumental, he was in fine form in this period.
The final master lasted 8:04, but Lennon decided on a surprise ending. During the final edit with the guitars, drums and white noise climaxing to no end, he told recording engineer Geoff Emerick to "cut it right there" at the 7:44 mark, bringing the song to an abrupt end.
I once heard Robert Fripp say it was a big influence on his guitar textures and repeated riffs in King Crimson, I always thought like 'Red' by Crimson it could be played as an instrumental, these guys (although not King Crimson standard) do a fine instrumental version to show what I was thinking.
PersonnelJohn Lennon – lead and harmony vocals, lead guitar, Moog synthesizer
Paul McCartney – harmony vocals, bass guitar
George Harrison – harmony vocals, lead guitar
Ringo Starr – drums, congas, wind machine
Billy Preston – Hammond organ
PS, I really dig the Wind Machine !!