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The Beatles - Rubber Soul Recording Sessions Reconstructed

Track listing:
Volume 1
  1. Rfyl Take 1 Studio Chat 0:38
  2. Rfyl Basic Farl 2:18
  3. Rfyl - Take 5 Pc 1:24
  4. Rfyl Lv Lg Darem Str 2:19
  5. Rfyl Bvs Midl 2:18
  6. Nw Anth Tk1 Lr 1:59
  7. Nw Plus Tk1 C 2:00
  8. Nw Plus Tk1 R 2:00
  9. Nw Anth Tk1 1:59
  10. Dmc Basic Da Cvl 2:31
  11. Drive Lv C 2:29
  12. Drive Altc2 First Guitar 2:29
  13. Drive Piano R 2:29
  14. Dt Yd Tk1 Corr 2:05
  15. Dt Yd Tk2 1:05
  16. Dt Tk3 Lisos+backtrack Edit 3:05
  17. Lv Dt Dc5 R Edit 2:49
  18. Lv Lg Dt Dc5 L Edit 2:49
  19. Iins Basic Red Cvl 2:25
  20. Iins Vocals Right 2:23
  21. Iins Vocals Left 2:23
  22. Iml Basic 2:27
  23. Iml Lvs Farr 2:27
  24. Iml Lvs Midr 2:27
  25. Iml Tamb No Solo Yet 2:27
  26. Wcwio Yd Tk1 2:03
  27. Wcwio Yd Tk2 L 2:30
  28. Wcwio Yd R Organ 2:30
  29. Wcwio Flfr L And C Vocal Comp 2:14
Volume 2
  1. Nw Tk2 Basic 2:32
  2. Nw Tk2 Lv Sitar 2:32
  3. Nw Tk2 2nd Sitar 2:32
  4. Nw Tk4 Basic Back C 2:33
  5. Nw Tk4 Bass Back L 2:33
  6. Nw Tk4 Sitar Back R 2:33
  7. Nw Tk4 Tamb Farr 2:05
  8. Iml Organ 1:03
  9. Iml Piano 1:29
  10. Nm Basic Midl 2:44
  11. Nm 2nd Guitar 2:44
  12. Nm Vocalsr 2:44
  13. Nm Vocalsl 2:44
  14. Ilty Tk1 Basic Backl 3:11
  15. Ilty Tk1 Backr 3:11
  16. Ilty Tk1 Lv1 0:51
  17. Ilty Tk1 Lv2 0:51
  18. Ilty Tk1 Lvs 3:11
  19. Ilty Anth Tk1 2:53
  20. Dmc Mono Mix 2:32
  21. Iml Mono Mix 2:29
  22. Iins Mono Mix 2:25
  23. Nw Mono Mix 2:07
  24. Nm Mono Mix 2:45
  25. Dmc Stereo Darem 2:31
  26. Dt Stereo Mix Y&T 2:50
  27. Iml Stereo Darem 2:28
  28. Iins Stereo Darem 2:24
  29. Nw Stereo Darem 2:07
  30. Nm Stereo Darem 2:45
Volume 3
  1. Wcwio Tk2 Rough Mix Pc 2:17
  2. Wcwio Flfr R 2nd Lv 2:12
  3. Wcwio Mono Mix 2:15
  4. Dt Mono Mix 2:50
  5. Michelle Darem R 2:45
  6. Michelle 6266 L+cvl 2:42
  7. Wgo Lv Da Lch 2:49
  8. Wgo Guitars-Bvs Da Rch 2:49
  9. Twelve Bar Jam 1:49
  10. Twelve Bar Tk1&2 7:22
  11. Think For Yourself - Session Chat 18:54
  12. Tfy 1st Vocal Da Cvl 2:20
  13. Tfy 2nd Vocal Tfy18r R 2:19
  14. Tfy Fuzz Bass 18r C 2:19
  15. Michelle Usmono Rm1 2:44
  16. Wgo Mono Mix 2:51
  17. Rfyl Mono Mix 2:22
  18. Tfy Mono Mix 2:22
  19. Tfy Stereo Darem 2:20
  20. Michelle Stereo Darem 2:45
  21. Wgo Stereo Darem 2:49
  22. Rfyl Stereo Darem 2:19
  23. Wcwio Usstereo 2:14
Volume 4
  1. Word Basic Uscvl 2:47
  2. Word 1st Vocal Darem Cvl 2:46
  3. Word 2nd Vocal + Inst Overdub Darem Cvr 2:46
  4. Ilty Basic Da Cvl + Asp Lch 2:48
  5. Ilty Bass-Tamb 2:49
  6. Word Ap Mono Mix 2:44
  7. Word Us Stereo Mix Rs1 2:46
  8. Ywsm Basic Farl 3:22
  9. Ywsm 1st Voc Midr 3:22
  10. Ywsm 2nd Voc Farr 3:22
  11. Ywsm Bass-Perc-Jgvocs-Organ Midl 3:22
  12. Girl Da Cvl 2:32
  13. Girl 1st Vocal Midr 2:33
  14. Girl Stereo Vocals 2:33
  15. Wait Help-Version In Mono 2:16
  16. Wait Rs Overdubs Farr 2:16
  17. Ilty 1st Vocal Farr 2:27
  18. Ilty 2nd Vocal Midr 2:27
  19. Ilty Ap Mono Mix 2:29
  20. Ywsm Ap Mono Mix 3:24
  21. Girl Ap Mono Mix 2:30
  22. Wait Ap Mono Mix 2:13
  23. Wait Stereo Darem 2:16
  24. Ilty Stereo Darem 2:28
  25. Ywsm Stereo Darem 3:23
  26. Girl Stereo Darem 2:32
  27. Word Stereo Rs2 Darem 2:46
  28. Michelle Ap Mono Mix Rm2 2:37

Notes

Rubber Soul Recording Sessions Reconstructed

Disc 1

Oct 12th 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-7:00pm

1. Run For Your Life – Take 1
Some pre-song chat from the first session for the new album.

2. Run For Your Life – Take 5
The basic take consisted of the full band lineup, probably on track 1. Vocals are leakage from the second vocal overdub on track 3.

3. Run For Your Life – SI onto take 5
An incomplete early vocal run-through.

4. Run For Your Life – SI onto take 5
The next two tracks are filled with lead guitars on track 2 and vocals on track 4. The twin lead guitars are present on the early vocal run-through, indicating they were recorded prior to any of the vocals.

5. Run For Your Life – SI onto take 5
Second vocal overdub.

Oct 12th 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00-11:30pm

6. Norwegian Wood – Take 1
The basic take consisted of John’s 12-string guitar on one track and percussion on another track.

7. Norwegian Wood – SI onto take 1
John’s lead vocal backed by Paul.

8. Norwegian Wood – SI onto take 1
Overdub of George’s sitar, Paul’s bass, a second John vocal and Ringo on percussion.

9. Norwegian Wood – Take 1 complete

Oct 13th 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00pm-12:15am

10. Drive My Car – Take 4
The basic take had George on guitar and Paul on bass, playing the same riff, with Ringo on drums. Backing vocals and percussion are from the last vocal overdub.

11. Drive My Car – SI onto take 4
Paul and John’s lead vocals.

12. Drive My Car – SI onto take 4
An early lead guitar part is evident on the vocal track as it plays back through the monitor during the vocal performance. This lead guitar part was replaced but can still be heard faintly on the record, here enhanced a bit.

13. Drive My Car – SI onto take 4
Overdubs of piano, cowbell and a new lead guitar part. Paul has been credited with playing both the lead guitar and piano, however both parts appear to be playing on the same track simultaneously in the outro. The other three tracks are already present and accounted for (first track basic rhythm - left, second track lead vocals – right of center, third track John vocal and beep-beep backing vocals – left) so the guitar and piano can only be on the fourth track together (mixed far right), being played at the same time, or so it would appear. It doesn’t seem likely that either the piano or guitar was punched in anywhere on this track, since the cowbell is continuous throughout the playing of both the piano and lead guitar parts. On the mono mix it sounds like the outro has no piano yet retains the guitar, a bit puzzling until closer inspection of the mono mix reveals that the piano/cowbell track is faded in and out throughout the whole mono mix, apparently in an effort to remove as much cowbell as possible. The track is faded back in at the end for the three bent notes on the guitar, and it’s possible that at this point the piano and cowbell are mixed low enough not to be able to hear them very well at the end of the fade. After all that… probably George on guitar.

Oct 16th 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-7:00pm

14. Day Tripper – Take 1
Drums and bass recorded to track 1, guitars recorded to track 2. Speed-corrected.

15. Day Tripper – Take 2
Take 2 quickly breaks down. Speed-corrected.

16. Day Tripper – Take 3
The complete best take. The ambient vocal leakage is reduced somewhat by mixing to mono. The extended ending is edited on from Backtrack.

Oct 16th 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00pm-12:00am

17. Day Tripper – SI onto take 3
Overdub of John and Paul lead vocals, George on lead guitar and Ringo on tambourine. The extended ending is edited on from one of the boots.

18. Day Tripper – SI onto take 3
John and Paul double the lead vocals. The flub towards the end (early “day tripper yeah”) likely means this is the second vocal performance. The extended ending is edited on from one of the boots.

19. If I Needed Someone – Take 1
The basic take from the stereo left channel, it also includes George and Ringo’s guitar and tambourine overdubs onto another track, which pan right during the solo and outro.

Oct 18th 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-5:45pm

20. If I Needed Someone – SI onto take 1
The first vocal overdub, with the panned-over guitar and tambourine during the solo section and outro.

21. If I Needed Someone – SI onto take 1
The second vocal overdub. Lewisohn says George is on track 3 while John and Paul are on track 4, but that can’t be the case since George is double-tracked all the way through, as are John and Paul in the verses.

22. In My Life – Take 3
The basic take of two guitars, bass and drums, all recorded to track 1. Some vocal leakage (pretend it isn’t there).

23. In My Life – SI onto take 3
First vocal overdub.

24. In My Life – SI onto take 3
Second vocal overdub.

25. In My Life – SI onto take 3
The tambourine is on the fourth track, along with the piano solo which was punched in later. The last ringing tone of an erased instrument (probably guitar – also heard on the outtake with organ) can be heard underneath the first tambourine hit following the punched-in solo.

Oct 20th 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-6:30pm

26. We Can Work It Out – Take 1
“I know how it goes, it’s when it comes.” –John
John on guitar, Paul on bass, Ringo on drums and George on tambourine.

27. We Can Work It Out – Take 2
From the YD boot left channel, with some vocal leakage.

28. We Can Work It Out – SI onto take 2
Organ overdub in the choruses and middle 8.

Oct 20th 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00-11:45pm

29. We Can Work It Out – SI onto take 2
Lead vocal overdub, a comp from the DVD 5.1 FLFR left and center isolations.

Disc 2

Oct 21st 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-7:00pm

1. Norwegian Wood – Take 2
The basic take with acoustic guitar, bass and drums.

2. Norwegian Wood – SI onto take 2
All of the leakage makes it sound like the vocals and sitar may have been recorded simultaneously with the rhythm on another track, but it might be just the low quality of the booted outtake.

3. Norwegian Wood – SI onto take 2
A second sitar part on a third track.

4. Norwegian Wood – Take 4
John plays and sings, Paul sings harmony.

5. Norwegian Wood – SI onto take 4
Bass and second guitar, possibly played simultaneously with the previous track, in which case it would be George on guitar.

6. Norwegian Wood – SI onto take 4
George overdubs sitar.

7. Norwegian Wood – SI onto take 4
The tambourine is on the fourth track, isolated from the 62-66 cd. Probably played along with the basic take but recorded to a different track.

Oct 21st 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00-12:00pm

Nowhere Man – Takes 1-2
No audio available.

Oct 22nd 1965 – Studio Two, 10:30-11:30am

8. In My Life – SI onto take 3
Excerpt with the first attempt organ solo from Vinyl to the Core.

9. In My Life – SI onto take 3
The piano solo punched in and recorded at half-speed onto the tambourine track. This excerpt is slowed to half-speed as it was originally recorded.

Oct 22nd 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-7:00pm

10. Nowhere Man – Take 4
This session was spent perfecting the rhythm track in takes 3-5. Take 4 was the best.

11. Nowhere Man – SI onto take 4
John and George overdub the lead guitars with their blue Stratocasters.

Oct 22nd 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00-11:30pm

12. Nowhere Man – SI onto take 4
First vocal overdub.

13. Nowhere Man – SI onto take 4
Second vocal overdub.

Oct 24th 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-7:00pm

14. I’m Looking Through You – Take 1
The basic take from the left channel of the Backtrack version.

15. I’m Looking Through You – SI onto take 1
Overdub of guitar, handclaps and percussion. Backtrack right ch. Paul on guitar?

Oct 24th 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00-11:30pm

16. I’m Looking Through You – SI onto take 1
Partial first lead vocal overdub.

17. I’m Looking Through You – SI onto take 1
Partial second lead vocal overdub.

18. I’m Looking Through You – SI onto take 1
Both lead vocals, complete, with lead guitar (George?) and organ (John?).

19. I’m Looking Through You – Take 1 complete
From Anthology 2.

Oct 25th 1965 – Studio Two, 10:00am-1:00pm

20. Drive My Car – Mono mix
The piano/cowbell track is faded down consistently throughout.

21. In My Life – Mono mix

22. If I Needed Someone – Mono mix

23. Norwegian Wood – Mono mix
George bumps into a chair at 0:38 and says “sounds good…” at 1:19.

24. Nowhere Man – Mono mix

Oct 26th 1965 – Studio Two, 10:00am-12:30pm

25. Drive My Car – Stereo mix

26. Day Tripper – US stereo mix.

27. In My Life – Stereo mix

28. If I Needed Someone – Stereo mix

29. Norwegian Wood – Stereo mix

30. Nowhere Man – Stereo mix

Disc 3

Oct 28th 1965 – Studio Two, 5:00-5:30pm

1. We Can Work It Out – RM1 from take 2
From the Revolution cd, a rough remix intended for them to mime to on The Music of Lennon and McCartney.

Oct 29th 1965 – Studio Two, 2:00-4:00pm

2. We Can Work It Out – SI onto take 2
Second vocal and harmonium overdub, from the extracted right channel of the 5.1 DVD FLFR stereo mix.

Oct 29th 1965 – Studio Two, 4:00-5:00pm

3. We Can Work It Out – Mono mix, from the CD singles set

4. Day Tripper – Mono mix, from the CD singles set.

Nov 3rd 1965 – Studio Two, 2:30-7:00pm

5. Michelle – Take 1
Paul’s guitar and Ringo’s drums on one track, Paul’s lead vocal on another.

6. Michelle – SI’s onto takes 1 and 2
Bass and two guitars were recorded to the last two available tracks, after which a reduction mix was made to free up a track for the backing vocals.

Nov 4th 1965 – Studio Two, 11:00pm-3:30am

7. What Goes On – Take 1
Rhythm section with Ringo’s overdubbed lead vocal.

8. What Goes On – SI onto take 1
Guitars plus overdubbed backing vocals.

9. 12 Bar Original – Rehearsal

10. 12 Bar Original – Takes 1 and 2

Nov 6th 1965 – Studio Two, 7:00pm-1:00am

I’m Looking Through You – Takes 2 and 3
No audio available.

Nov 8th 1965 – Studio Two, 9:00pm-3:00am

11. Beatle Speech – Take 1
Rehearsals for Think For Yourself

12. Think For Yourself – Take 1 and SI onto take 1
Basic rhythm track with first vocal overdub. No leakage of the fuzz bass track onto the vocals indicates the vocals were recorded first.

13. Think For Yourself – SI onto take 1
Second vocal overdub.

14. Think For Yourself – SI onto take 1
Paul on fuzz bass, John on organ, Ringo and George (?) on percussion.

Nov 9th 1965 – Room 65, 2:30-5:30pm

15. Michelle – First mono mix, from the US album.

16. What Goes On – Mono mix
George’s guitar is missing from the ending, which is curious because it should be on track 2 with John’s guitar. How could they remove one without the other?

17. Run For Your Life – Mono mix

18. Think For Yourself – Mono mix

19. Think For Yourself – Stereo mix

20. Michelle – Stereo mix

21. What Goes On – Stereo mix

Nov 10th 1965 – Room 65, 2:30-5:30pm

22. Run For Your Life – Stereo mix

23. We Can Work It Out – US stereo mix

Disc 4

Nov 10th 1965 – Studio Two, 9:00pm-4:00am

1. The Word – Take 3
The basic take had Paul on piano. Percussion, bass and high harmony are from the last overdub. From the US stereo mix.

2. The Word – SI onto take 3
First vocal overdub. The middle 8 sections were ducked out on the UK stereo mix.

3. The Word – SI onto take 3
The last two tracks were filled first with double-tracked vocals, then on the last vacant track with Paul on bass and high harmony, George doubles his guitar part, GM on harmonium, Ringo (and John?) on percussion.

4. I’m Looking Through You – Take 4
The basic take most likely had Paul on guitar and Ringo on drums.

5. I’m Looking Through You – SI onto take 4
Paul overdubs bass with Ringo on percussion.

Nov 11th 1965 – Room 65, 4:00-5:30pm

6. The Word – Mono mix

7. The Word – Stereo mix RS1 from the US album

Nov 11th 1965 – Studio Two, 6:00pm-7:00am

8. You Won’t See Me – Take 2
The basic take had Paul on piano.

9. You Won’t See Me – SI onto take 2
First vocal overdub.

10. You Won’t See Me – SI onto take 2
Second vocal overdub, Paul sings harmony on the chorus and middle 8.

11. You Won’t See Me – SI onto take 2
Paul on bass, Ringo on hi-hat, John and George on vocals, and Mal on organ, plus what appears to be a double-tracked piano at the end.

12. Girl – Take 2
The lead guitar at the end is from the last overdub, possibly George and John playing in unison.

13. Girl – SI onto take 2
John’s first lead vocal plus lead guitar from George.

14. Girl – SI onto take 2
A stereo vocal track with first vocal on the left and backing vocals on the right as well as George doubling his guitar part.

15. Wait – Take 4
This is how the song sounded when it was left unfinished during the Help sessions.

16. Wait – SI onto take 4
John and Paul add vocals, George on guitar, Ringo on tambourine and someone on maracas.

17. I’m Looking Through You – SI onto take 4
Paul’s first lead vocal accompanied on one line by John, George on guitar, Ringo on Hammond.

18. I’m Looking Through You – SI onto take 4
Paul and John double their vocals, Ringo plays another Hammond part (filling in a missed chord at 1:34 and doubling the outro part), and percussion by George(?).

Nov 16th 1965 – Studio One, 2:30-5:30pm

19. I’m Looking Through You – Mono mix

20. You Won’t See Me – Mono mix

21. Girl – Mono mix

22. Wait – Mono mix

23. Wait – Stereo mix

24. I’m Looking Through You – Stereo mix

25. You Won’t See Me – Stereo mix

26. Girl – Stereo mix

27. The Word – Stereo mix RS2

28. Michelle – Mono mix RM2

Sources used: Rubber Soul cd, Canadian cd, ’62-’66 cd, Anthology cd, Anthology dvd, Anthology Director’s Cut dvd, Backtrack, Another Sessions Plus, Purple Chick Deluxe, MR Red Wax transfer, Studio 2 Sessions At Abbey Road, Revolution, Vinyl To The Core, CD Singles set.

Album mono mixes are from the Another Phase set. Stereo mixes from a remaster of the Canadian Disque Americ cd.