cxx. BEATLES, THE: Penny Lane

cxx. BEATLES, THE

Penny Lane (1966-67)
Paul McCartney, vocals, bass, keyboards
John Lennon, rhythm guitar, backing vocal, harmonium, piano, hand claps, congas
George Harrison: backing vocal, percussion
Ringo Starr, drums, tambourine, tubular bell, percussion
George Martin, piano, hand claps
David Mason, piccolo trumpet
P. Goody, flutes, piccolo
Ray Swinfield, flutes, piccolo
Dennis Walton, flutes, piccolo
Manny Winters, flutes, piccolo
Leon Calvert, trumpets, flugelhorns
Duncan Campbell, trumpets, flugelhorns
Freddy Clayton, trumpets, flugelhorns
Bert Courtley, trumpets, flugelhorns
Dick Morgan, oboes, English Horn
Mike Winfield, oboes, English Horn
Frank Clarke: double bass
(3:06)

It took nine takes over six sessions in December 1966 to January 1967, but Paul got it in the can. Paul and John had the super-friendly kind of competive relationship where, when one of them wrote a masterpiece, the other would try to follow it up.

In this case, Paul is matching childhood memories with John (Strawberry Fields Forever, composed around the same time period).

Martin's arrangement was already written when Paul heard David Mason performing Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2 on the telly.

He sang the part he heard in his head to Martin, who transcribed it, and brought in Mason to record it.

Of course, Mason nailed it on the first take -- but Paul kept insisting on a second one. Mason, of course, flatly refused -- knowing he had nailed it and there was no need. He did record the additional stuff you hear at the end of the song ...

**

The music and lyrics are brilliant, of course. It starts in the nice, bright key of B Major, but modulates to A Major for the chorus.

Also, notice how Paul's use of triplets (often tied from the third note) makes the flow of the song so magical. Here's the main part: