Golden Slumbers (The Beatles song)
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| "Golden Slumbers" | ||
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| Song by The Beatles | ||
| from the album Abbey Road | ||
| Released | 26 September 1969 | |
| Recorded | 2 July-15 August 1969 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 1:31 | |
| Label | Apple Records | |
| Writer(s) | Lennon/McCartney | |
| Producer(s) | George Martin | |
| Abbey Road track listing | ||
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"Golden Slumbers" is a song by The Beatles, part of the climactic medley on their 1969 album Abbey Road. The song begins the progression that leads to the end of the album and is followed by "Carry That Weight." The two songs were recorded together as a single piece,[1] and both were written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney).[2][3]
"Golden Slumbers" is based on a poem by Thomas Dekker and written in a lullaby style. McCartney saw the sheet music for Dekker's lullaby at his father's home in Liverpool, left on a piano by his stepsister Ruth McCartney. McCartney can not read music and was unable to read the score, and so he created his own melody and arrangement.[1][2]
McCartney was the lead vocalist. He begins the song in a soft tone appropriate for a lullaby, with piano, bass guitar, and string section accompaniment. Beginning with the line "Golden slumbers fill your eyes...", the drums come in and McCartney switches to a stronger tone, both of which emphasize the switch to the refrain. McCartney said, "I remember trying to get a very strong vocal on it, because it was such a gentle theme, so I worked on the strength of the vocal on it, and ended up quite pleased with it."[2]
The main recording session for "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight" was on 2 July 1969.[1] John Lennon was not present. He was injured in a motor vehicle accident in Scotland on 1 July 1969 and was hospitalized there until 6 July.[4]
Additional vocals were added in an overdub session on 30 July 1969, the same day the first trial edit of the side two medley was created.[5] On 15 August, orchestral overdubs were made to "Golden Slumbers" and 5 other songs on Abbey Road.[6]
[edit] Credits
- Paul McCartney – vocals and piano
- George Harrison – bass guitar
- Ringo Starr – drums
[edit] Other versions
- In 1991 it was recorded as a duet between Jackson Browne and Jennifer Warnes for the Disney benefit album For Our Children: To Benefit the Pediatrics AIDS Foundation.
- In 1998, it was covered by Phil Collins on the In My Life: Tribute to George Martin.
- In 2003 a version by Ben Folds appeared on the I Am Sam soundtrack.
- It was also covered by Claudine Longet.
- In 2006 it was covered by k.d. lang in a mashup with The End in the movie Happy Feet.
- A cover version of the song, entitled "Golden Blumbers" appears on cult and popular Argentian singer/songwriter Andrés Calamaro's 5-disc album "El Salmon". The album was recorded partly while diagnosed insane by numerous psychologists. After the album was finished, Calamaro spent 6 months in a rehabilitation home.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c Mark Lewisohn (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books, 178. ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
- ^ a b c Barry Miles (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt & Company, 557. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
- ^ David Sheff (2000). All We Are Saying. New York: St. Martin's Press, 203. ISBN 0-312-25464-4.
- ^ Mark Lewisohn. The Beatles Recording Sessions, 177.
- ^ Mark Lewisohn. The Beatles Recording Sessions, 183.
- ^ Mark Lewisohn. The Beatles Recording Sessions, 184.
