RECORDING “HEY BULLDOG”

ByBeatles Magazine

Sep 11, 2023 #The Beatles

Sunday 11 February
Studio Three: 4.00pm-2.00am. Recording: `Hey Bulldog’ (takes 1-10). Mono mixing: `Hey Bulldog’ (remixes 1 and 2, from take 10).

Producer: George Martin. Enginner: Geoff Emerick. Enginner 2: Phil McDonald.

The Beatles went to EMI’s Studio Three on 11 February 1968 to record a promotional film for “Lady Madonna”,but decided upon arrival to record a new song instead. John suggested his half-completed idea “Hey Bullfrog”, which he and Paul finished while in the studio.

The clip to be given to television stations worldwide to promote `Lady Madonna’. But once inside the studio the Beatles decided to record, the result being `Hey Bulldog’, started, finished and mixed for mono in ten hours, and recorded on straight four-track, without any reduction mixes.

The cameras whirred for the `Lady Madonna’ film and John led the Beatles through ten takes of `Hey Bulldog’, following the general instruction he gave to George Martin in the control room at the start of the session, and captured on the original tape.

After the band had recorded ten takes, the last attempt was marked “best”. The camera crew left as the band continued working on the song with various overdubs onto take ten, including off-beat drums from Ringo Starr, a distorted Gibson SG from George Harrison for the song’s intro, double tracked vocals from Lennon and a harmony vocal from McCartney.Borrowing Harrison’s SG, Lennon recorded a lead guitar solo.

Apple released Yellow Submarine in the US on 13 January 1969, with “Hey Bulldog” sequenced as the fourth track. Release in the UK followed four days later. The song was used in a segment of the animated film Yellow Submarine.