Beatles history - 1968 July
Previous / Next month
Date Event
1
Monday
Studio 2. 5.00pm-3.00am. Recording: `Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey' (overdub onto take 8, tape reduction take 8 into takes 9, 10, overdub onto take 10). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
1
Monday
Robert Fraser Gallery, 69 Duke Street, Mayfair, London. Opening of John's art exhibition `You Are Here (To Yoko From John Lennon, With Love'). Before: launch ceremony, releasing 365 helium-filled white balloons.
2
Tuesday
Studio 2. 6.00pm-12.15am. Recording: `Good Night' (overdub onto take 5, takes 6-15). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Peter Bown; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
2
Tuesday
Lazard Brothers & Co., merchant bankers, London. Paul and Sir Joseph Lockwood lunch in the dining-room with Lord Poole of Lazard's, discussing Apple matters.
3
Wednesday
Studio 2. 8.00pm-3.15am. Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (takes 1-7, overdub onto take 3, overdub onto take 7). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
4
Thursday
Studio 2. 7.00pm-2.15am. Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (overdub onto take 4, tape reduction take 4 into take 5, overdub onto take 5). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
5
Friday
Studio 2. 5.00pm-1.30am. Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (overdub onto take 5). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Recording of saxophones and piccolo for `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da'.
6
Saturday
A piece of the `Yellow Submarine' film is screened in advance on BBC-TV's `Release'.
8
Monday
Studio 2. 3.00pm-3.00am. Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' [re-make] (takes 1-12, tape reduction take 12 into take 13, overdub onto take 13). Mono mixing: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (unnumbered rough remix, from take 13). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. 1st time that a recording with outside musicians is rejected. Re-make with piano intro. Mix for Paul.
8
Monday
Press preview of `Yellow Submarine' at the Bowater House Cinema. Paul, George and Ringo attend, and pose for photographers with a life-sized cardboard cut-out of their `Yellow Submarine' persona.
9
Tuesday
Ringo arrives early for the evening recording session at Abbey Road, popped into a Solomon King session, adding handclapping to one song for the single `A Hundred Years Or More'. Ringo on backing vocals for recording of `Somewhere In The Crowd', by Solomon King. [Both data taken from different sources. Do `A Hundred Years Or More' and `Somewhere In The Crowd' belong to the same Solomon King single?]
9
Tuesday
Studio 3. 4.00-9.00pm. Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' [re-re-make]. Studio 3. 10.00pm-3.30am. Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' [re-make] (takes 20, 21). Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (overdub onto take 13, tape reduction take 13 into take 22, overdub onto take 22); `Revolution' (rehearsal only). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Recording of laughters and other bits for `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da'.
10
Wednesday
Art exhibition sponsored by John: `You Are Here'.
10
Wednesday
Studio 3. 7.00pm-1.30am. Recording: `Revolution' (takes 1-10, tape reduction take 10 into takes 11-13, overdub onto take 13, tape reduction take 13 into takes 14, 15). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
11
Thursday
Midday. St Sophia's Church, London. Marriage of John Alexis Mardas and Eufrosyne Doxiades. John, Yoko, George and Pattie attend.
11
Thursday
Studio 3. 4.00-7.00pm. Recording: `Revolution' (take 15). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Studio 3. 7.00pm-3.45am. Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (overdub onto take 22); `Revolution' (tape reduction take 15 into take 16, overdub onto take 16); `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (tape reduction take 22 into takes 23, 24, overdub onto take 23). Mono mixing: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (remixes 1, 2, from take 23). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Phil McDonald. Recording of electric piano for `Revolution' and saxes for `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da'.
12
Friday
Studio 2. 3.00-11.00pm. Recording: `Don't Pass Me By' (overdub onto take 7). Mono mixing: `Don't Pass Me By' (remixes 1-4, from take 7); `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (remixes 10, 11, from take 23). Studio 2. 12.00pm-4.00am. Recording: `Revolution' (overdub onto take 16). Mono mixing: `Revolution' (remixes 10-13, from take 16). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Recording of violin solo for `Don't Pass Me By'. John and Paul take home remixes of `Ob-La=Di, Ob-La-Da' and `Revolution'.
12
Friday
John puts his house up to sale, for 96,000 pounds.
15
Monday
Studio 2. 3.30-8.00pm. Mono mixing: `Revolution' (remixes 20, 21, from take 16). Recording: `Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (overdub onto take 23). Mono mixing: `Revolution' (remixes 12-21, from take 23). Studio 2. 9.00pm-3.00am. Recording: `Cry Baby Cry' (approximately 30 unnumbered takes). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
15
Monday
The Apple staff moves in 3 Savile Row. Some departments remain at 95 Wigmore Street.
16
Tuesday
Studio 2. 4.00-9.00pm. Recording: `Cry Baby Cry' (takes 1-10, tape reduction take 10 into takes 11, 12). 10.00pm-2.00am. Recording: `Cry Baby Cry' (overdub onto take 12). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Last day of Geoff Emerick's work as Beatles engineer. He will not be back until the `Abbey Road' sessions.
17
Wednesday
London Pavilion. `Yellow Submarine' premiere. Ringo, Maureen, Paul, John, Yoko and George attend. After the premiere, party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, which named its new discoteque `Yellow Submarine' for the event.
18
Thursday
Studio 2. 2.30-9.30pm. Recording: `Cry Baby Cry' (overdub onto take 12). Studio 2. 10.30pm-3.30am. Recording: `Helter Skelter' (takes 1-3). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Take 3 of `Helter Skelter' lasted 27'11'', the longest Beatle recording ever. (It was not used for the released version.)
19
Friday
Studio 2. 7.30pm-4.00am. Recording: `Sexy Sadie' (takes 1-21). Producer: George Martin; Enginer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. During the session, John improvises a satyric song about Brian and Clive.
19
Friday
BBC-TV's `How It Is' screens a part of `Yellow Submarine'.
20
Saturday
Jane Asher announces through the BBC the end of her engagement with Paul.
22
Monday
Studio 1. 7.00pm-1.40am. Recording: `Don't Pass Me By' (edit pieces takes 1-4); `Good Night' (takes 23-34, overdub onto take 34). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Recording of intro for `Don't Pass Me By' and of `A Beginning'. 7.00-10.30pm. Recording: `Good Night' (orchestra). 10.30-11.50pm. Recording: `Good Night' (choir). 11.50pm-1.40am. Recording: `Good Night' (lead vocal).
23
Tuesday
Studio 2.. 7.00pm-2.30am. Recording: `Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey' (overdub onto take 10, tape reduction take 10 into takes 11, 12, overdub onto take 12). Mono mixing: `Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey' (remixes 1-5, from take 12); `Good Night' (remixes 1-6, from take 34). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
24
Wednesday
Studio 2. 7.00pm-2.30am. Recording: `Sexy Sadie' [re-make] (takes 25-47); `Untitled' (one unnumbered take of sound effects). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
25
Thursday
Studio 2. 7.00pm-3.15am. Recording: `While My Guitar Gently Weeps' (take 1). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush. Recording of acoustic demo for `While My Guitar Gently Weeps'.
26
Friday
Night: Paul and John give the final touches to `Hey Jude', at Paul's home studio.
26
Friday
Opening party of the Vesubio Club. Paul attends and plays an advance pressing of `Hey Jude'/`Revolution'.
27
Saturday
Apple stores close.
28
Sunday
Afternoon and early evening. Various London locations. `Mad Day'. Photographic session with Don McCullin, Ronald Fitzgibbon, Stephen Goldblatt, Tony Bramwell and Mal Evans, and spectators Mal Evans's son Gary, Yoko and Francie Schwartz. 1) Thomson House. 2) Mercury Theatre, Notting Hill. The Beatles park around the corner, near the Horbury Chapel, and then wait in the dance studio. Locations: 1) Posing with parrot near one theatre's exit; 2) on stage, 1st John and then Paul as central figure; 3) change of clothes; 4) jam session; 5) 4.30pm approx. Paul and George eat at the bar; pictures of John with silvery jacket and Ringo; 6) outside the Theatre, holding a hoarding worded `International Theatre Club'. Then the Beatles drive to the Highgate location. 3) Highgate cementery. Locations: 1) Bench outside 79 Swain's Lane; 2) in front of house at 59 Swain's Lane. 4) 5.00-6.00pm. St Pancras Old Church and Gardens, London. Locations: 1) Flower display; 2) Bench; 3) Drinking fountain; 4) John Soane's mausoleum; 5) St Pancras Coroner's Court; 6) Hollyhocks; 7) Bench; 8) Church; 9) Railings. `The Beatles 1962-1966' and `The Beatles 1967-1970' gatefold sleeves photographs taken. 5) Old Street Station. 6.00pm approx. Arrival at the Old Street Station. 6) Wapping. Late afternoon. Arrival at Wapping Pier Head. Locations: 1) Corner of Wapping High Street and Sampson Street; 2) wasteland; 3) stopping concrete bed; John and Yoko go away briefly; 4) John plays dead; 5) posing on east quay; 6) posing on west quay; later, signing of autographs; 7) John laying on the ground. 7) Sunhouse at Paul's house, 7 Cavendish Avenue, St John's Woods.
29
Monday
Night: John and Yoko arrive at the Apple stores. Yoko takes various articles.
29
Monday
Studio 2. 8.30pm-4.00am. Recording: `Hey Jude' (takes 1-6). Producer: not assigned; Engineer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: John Smith.. Rehearsal of `Hey Jude'. During `Hey Jude' recording: filming for `Experiment In Television'.
30
Tuesday
Studio 2. 7.30pm-3.30am. Recording: `Hey Jude' (takes 7-23, tape reduction take 23 into takes 24, 25). Stereo mixing: `Hey Jude' (remix 1, from take 25). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Ken Scott; 2nd Engineer: John Smith. Rehearsal for `Hey Jude'. During the session, a documental for the British National Music Council is filmed.
30
Tuesday
Public announcement of Apple stores closing.
31
Wednesday
Morning. Apple boutique gives away its inventory.
31
Wednesday
Trident Studios. 2.00pm-4.00am. Recording: `Hey Jude' [re-make] (takes 1-4, overdub onto take 1). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Barry Sheffield; 2nd Engineer: unknown. Recording of rythm track for `Hey Jude'. First 8-track Beatles recording.
Category Description Link
Year by Year One or several years on a page. History includes interviews, album links.
Month by Month One month on a page. History includes pictures, interviews, album links.
Day by Day See what happend on a specific day and month in different years. History includes pictures, interviews, album links.
Help needed
If you have any questions, suggestions or events that aren't in this database please feel free to post. Your help is very appreciated!