MOTHER NATURE’S SON AND ITS INCREDIBLE RECORDING PROCESS.

Paul recorded his demo of "Mother Nature's Son" on May 29th, 1968 at "Kinfauns," George's home in Esher, Surrey.  The Beatles met on this and the previous day to make demo recordings of songs they would officially record in EMI Studios for their next album.  This extensive recorded list of demos occurred on George's Ampex four-track machine, the results of these sessions surfacing on bootleg recordings.

This charming demo features Paul double-tracked on acoustic guitar as well as double-tracked vocals, harmonizing with himself quite effectively during later moments of the song (this idea dropped for the official recording).  The lyrics and structure of the song were complete at this stage, the intro and conclusion not being finalized until it was brought into the studio

Paul first debuted "Mother Nature's Son" in EMI Studio Two as a rehearsal only on June 11th, 1968, during the recording of the similar sounding track "Blackbird." John was working on his song "Revolution 9" in EMI Studio Three on the same day but happened to stop into the control room of Studio Two to witness Paul's rehearsal of "Mother Nature's Son."  Over the talkback microphone, John suggested something for the arrangement.  "A little bit of brass band, you know.  A very nice little bit of brass band."  Paul then replied, "Yes, that would be lovely."  John then adds, "A little bit of Nilsson's brass band," Harry Nilsson being John's newly found favorite artist of the time. Coincidentally, he recorded a version of "Mother Nature's Son" for his 1969 album "Harry," although he utilized strings instead of brass.

The day “Mother Nature's Son” was brought into the studio for official recording was August 9th, 1968.  The session began around 7:30 pm in EMI Studio Two, the first order of business being further work on George's track “Not Guilty,” a song which went through extensive work but later dropped from the album's line up.  This session was due to end at 10 pm but, after the other Beatles left, Paul stuck around to start work on “Mother Nature's Son” with just himself on acoustic guitar and vocals, this extending the session to 2 am the following morning.

Paul plowed through 25 'takes' of the song with just live acoustic guitar and vocals, tapping his feet to keep the beat similar to what he had done when recording "Blackbird" nearly two months earlier. The majority of the takes were complete and could have lingered as a basis for the completed song, but Paul was experimenting with subtle ideas throughout the takes, hoping to stumble upon something that worked best.  For instance, the original instrumental guitar introduction lulled at twice the length of what he ended up with on the finished recording. The complete 'take 2' is featured on the compilation album “Anthology 3,” beginning with Paul's request to the engineering team: “Can you take this thing off my voice; I've got like this speaker...I can hear. Uh, thank you...OK, leave it on, then. Good.”  The conclusion of the song on this take was an adlib idea he quickly dropped, which changed the tempo and time signature for the final few measures.  After the finished take, he stated: “Next item on this evening's agenda, I'd like to give you my version of 'London Derriere!'"  Another take ended after the line "I'm sitting, singing songs for everyone," which Paul followed with "...and this is one of them!”

Paul was quite fond of 'take 24' but recorded one more just to be on the safe side, deciding afterward that 'take 24' would be the keeper.  Because of the lateness of the hour, they left off further work on the song for another day. John's suggestion of "brass band," as mentioned above, was remembered and George Martin welcomed the task of putting together a score for brass, undoubtedly with Paul's input, and hiring musicians for an upcoming session. George received a payment of 25 pounds for this arrangement designed for two trumpets and two trombones.

That upcoming session turned out to be August 20th, 1968. George Harrison was not present because of taking a quick trip to Greece, and John and Ringo took to putting the finishing touches onto John's previously recorded track “Yer Blues” in EMI Studio Three from 5 to 5:30 pm that day.  However, in EMI Studio Two, Paul began a solo session at 8 pm to complete “Mother Nature's Son,” one of three McCartney songs on the “White Album” to not feature any other Beatle (the others being “Blackbird” and “Martha My Dear”).

Before the brass instrumentalists were due to arrive, Paul took to adding some overdubs himself.  One overdub was drums, detailed by Alan Brown, technical engineer on this day: “Paul wanted an open effect of his drums (to give a bongos sound), and we ended up leaving the studio itself and putting the drums in the corridor, halfway down, with mikes at the far end.  It wasn't carpeted then, and it gave an interesting staccato effect.”  Engineer Ken Scott also remembers an experiment Paul wanted to use for recording the drums, this recollection possibly being instituted on this day: “Right at the back of the building, there's a staircase that goes from the basement up to the top floor.  Paul suggested we use that as a natural echo chamber, with a speaker at the bottom and a microphone about half-way up, for the bass drum sound.”

Other overdubs Paul recorded were a timpani and a second acoustic guitar track to accentuate certain portions of the original recording.  It was no doubt during this guitar overdub that engineer Alan Brown recalls when he details the following on this day: “It was quite late at night, the whole building was quiet, and there was Paul playing this enchanting song.  I love the phrase 'sitting in my field of grass (sic).'  It has a completeness about it.  It isn't just any old field; it's a field of grass.  We were all moved by it. Simultaneous to this recording session, Russia was invading Czechoslovakia.  Of course, we didn't know it at that moment, but it did seem such a contrast of events.”

Since all four tracks of the master had tape filled, a reduction mix was made to open up tracks for the brass overdub, this taking 'take 24' into 'take 26.'  Then, sometime during the late hours of the evening, the two trumpet and trombone musicians arrived, their identity now unknown.  “Paul was downstairs (on the studio floor) going through the arrangement with George (Martin) and the brass players,” Ken Scott recalls, “Everything was great; everyone was in great spirits.  It felt really good.  Suddenly, halfway through, John and Ringo walked in, and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife!  An instant change.  It was like that for ten minutes and then as soon as they left it felt great again.  It was very bizarre.”  Such were the tensions in the band at the time.

After the brass musicians recorded their parts, which seemingly extended into the early hours of the next morning, eight attempts of a mono mix of “Mother Nature's Son” followed, although improved mixes took place at a later date.  With Paul's juices flowing, however, Paul decided to record two more songs.  The first was a simple acoustic guitar and vocal song he called “Etcetera,” with only one take put to tape, then taken away by Paul at the end of the day and never seen nor heard again.  This was trailed by a semi-experimental track called “Wild Honey Pie” which was overdubbed upon and mixed on this day, the song actually appearing on the finished “White Album” three months later.  Finally, at 4 am, the session ended.

On August 23rd, 1968, four sets of tape copies settled of five recently recorded tracks, "Mother Nature's Son" included, all of which were signed for and taken away by Mal Evans, no doubt given to each Beatle for review.

Both the stereo and mono mix of “Mother Nature's Son” were made on October 12th, 1968 in the control room of EMI Studio Two by producer George Martin and engineers Ken Scott and John Smith.  It appears that The Beatles were present and influential in creating these mixes, as Ken Scott recalls, “The Beatles would go to extremes with the 'White Album.'  Like when it came to mixing they would say, 'Right, let's add full top (treble) and full bass to everything.'  Some of the time it would sound good, sometimes it wouldn't. When it did they would say, 'OK, let's do it like that.'  Most people just used top and bass where necessary, trying to keep the sound as natural as possible.  The Beatles weren't necessarily after a natural sound.”

Sometime in 1993, Paul recorded a new version of “Mother Nature's Son” as a soundcheck during his “New World Tour” of that year.  The results, which feature Paul on guitar and Paul “Wix” Wickens on keyboards, ended up being broadcast on his June 19th, 1995 radio show “Oobu Joobu” as well as on a limited edition CD release entitled “Oobu Joobu Ecology.”

Also, sometime between April 1st and May 18th, 2002, a live rendition of the song was made by Paul and his band, this appearing on both the albums “Back In The U.S.” and “Back In The World.”  The structure is quite straightforward, consisting of 'verse/ verse/ refrain/ verse/ refrain/ verse' (or aababa) with a simple introduction thrown in. What's unique here is the refrain which surprisingly has no lyrics whatsoever other than "doo, doo, doo" sung to a distinctive melody line.

The introduction actually consists of two parts, the first being a somewhat nondescript slowly played acoustic guitar piece of no fixed meter, one that Paul developed in the studio on the day of recording. There are seven single guitar notes plucked in succession followed by an awkward sounding thumping on the bass drum as an overdub.  The second part begins the 4/4 meter, four measures in length, consisting of only Paul on acoustic guitar playing the fingerpicking style heard throughout most of the song while his foot tapping to keep the beat bleeds through the microphone.

The first verse then begins, which is ten measures in length, the first eight measures consisting entirely of Paul playing his acoustic guitar, foot tapping and vocals as recorded on the initial rhythm track. A single note of brass playing is heard stretching throughout measures nine and ten as Paul repeats his fingerpicking style from measures seven and eight.

Verse two is only eight measures long this time while adding various elements, such as a delicate brass arrangement throughout and, in measures five through eight, Paul's overdubbed bongo-like drums playing eighth-note beats. Also noteworthy is Paul interrupting his fingerpicking style in the fourth measure to play an impressive ascending guitar run, this mimicked by the brass.

This is followed by the first eight measure refrain which is also entirely in 4/4 time except for measure four which is in 2/4 time.  In addition to Paul's guitar work and “doo, doo, doo” singing, he continues the bongo-like drum work but adds bass drum beats in quarter-note rhythm for the first four measures and then a half-note rhythm for the final four measures. The brass accentuates Paul's melody line nicely, harmonizing with it most of the way.

Verse three is next which, except for different lyrics, is a virtual repeat of verse two minus the bongo-like drumming. A repeat of the refrain then appears, the only difference here is an interesting counter-melody played by the brass section and some rhythmic differences in Paul's drum work, especially in the final three measures. Paul also adds the vocalization “yeah, yeah, yeah” at the end of measure six, just to add a little “She Loves You” throwback for those who may notice.

One final ten-measure verse is thrown in to complete the song, the first eight measures stripping away all brass and drum overdubs to reveal only Paul's acoustic guitar along with him humming and “ooh” ing the melody line. One overdub is heard here though, this being an additional acoustic guitar that adds some tasty and complimentary frills. Paul's ascending guitar run of the second and third verse is heard here also, this time being thickened by Paul double-tracking it with the overdubbed guitar. The final two measures bring the brass section back in for a simple ending arrangement with a final “blue-note” to add an unexpected anticipatory chord to hang in the air while Paul repeats the song's title for the last time.

The song appears to have been somewhat difficult for Paul to play, some near misses and fret buzzing heard even in the finished master. Nonetheless, the imperfect but relaxing effect of the song is more than suitable, the intended feel for the song achieved nicely for the listener to close his eyes and enjoy.  George Martin's brass arrangement is just busy enough to be impressive without smothering the delicate nature of the piece. While Ringo probably could have put in an appropriate performance to fit the song's mood (undoubtedly better than Paul's drum work here), John and George aren't necessarily missed. The fractured comradery of The Beatles at this time indeed disguised nicely by Paul on this track, his masterful display on vocals and guitar propelling the album well as a segue for John's rousing next track.

Stop by my blog next week and discover the intricate details showcased upon “Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey.”

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