One after 909 And Its Incredible Recording process Revealed

Although “The One After 909,” as it was officially titled early on, had been performed by The Beatles under whatever name they called themselves from 1957 through 1959, it wasn't until 1960 that it rolled on tape for the first time. It appears to have been around Paul's 18th birthday, June 18th, that he and John, along with Stuart Sutcliffe and possibly George, recorded a forty-seven-minute tape of songs that they had been performing and writing, including six “Lennon / McCartney” originals.

As recounted in Mark Lewisohn's book “Tune In,” Paul recalls: “Sometimes I'd borrow a tape recorder – a Grundig with a little green eye – (or) John would manage to borrow one, and we'd go around my house and try to record things...They were very much home demos, very bad sound quality.” Both John and Paul played guitar and sang while early Beatles' member Stu played bass, George's presence on guitar being barely heard if at all. As Mark Lewisohn remarks, “'One After 909' is clearly a diamond in the rough, polished by John and Paul's attractive harmonizing.” There were only two other songs included on this 1960 tape that were eventually officially recorded by The Beatles, these being “Matchbox” (which was here sung by John) and an early rough rendition of Paul's “I'll Follow The Sun.”

The next time “The One After 909” was recorded took place during an afternoon rehearsal at The Cavern Club in Liverpool on Monday, September 3rd, 1962, just days after Brian recruited Ringo as The Beatles' new drummer. They planned to record their first single at EMI Studios the following day. Because Ringo was a new recruit, this rehearsal day was arranged by manager Brian Epstein to go over what potential songs they would record the next morning. This rehearsal was primitively recorded as well.

Along with John's newly written “Please Please Me,” Paul's “Tip Of My Tongue,” “How Do You Do It” (as suggested by George Martin), and undoubtedly “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You,” John's “The One After 909” was still considered a contender. All of these songs were taped at The Cavern on this day, while only “How Do You Do It” and “Love Me Do” rolled at EMI during the three-hour evening session the following day. Nonetheless, the demo Cavern recording of “The One After 909” shows the group in fine form, Ringo pounding away with enthusiasm and skill on a song that he had possibly just become acquainted with the arrangement.

During the sessions for their second single, John's “Please Please Me” and Paul's “Tip Of My Tongue” had thoughts for consideration, but John's “The One After 909” was passed over. The same can be said during the recording sessions for the “Please Please Me” album, newer “Lennon / McCartney” compositions, such as “Do You Want To Know A Secret?” and “There's A Place,” taking precedence. But when the time came for recording their third single on March 5th, 1963, “The One After 909” was remembered.

The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two for a late afternoon three-hour session on March 5th, 1963, George Martin approving “From Me To You” and “Thank You Little Girl” (aka “Thank You Girl”) as the next Beatles single, and both of these songs were completed within the 7 to 10 pm session booked for this evening. A third song that could have usurp either the A- or B-side of the single,  included “The One After 909.”

The problem here, unfortunately, was that the group was tired and had become a little punchy and irritated as this evening recording session progressed. They had just returned from a performance at the Plaza Ballroom in St. Helens just outside Liverpool the previous evening, their first 100-pound booking, and they had just traveled 200 miles for this scheduled recording session. Then, just after having recorded two excellent new songs, they set off to record a third, one which they thought they knew like the back of their hands by now.

However, tempers began to flare as they were understandably irritable. 'Take one' fell apart during the second verse, Paul's bass playing being hampered by him not having a plectrum (or pick), something he didn't need for the two songs they recorded earlier in the day. “What are you doing?” John says to Paul as he stops the song, “dum, dum, dum, dum,” he demonstrates to his bassist as what his playing should duplicate.

With a detectable irritating vocal from John, 'take two' made it all the way through the song, although George's ad-lib guitar solo featured a noticeable amount of missed strings and flubbed notes toward the end. “What kind of solo is that?” John remarked afterward, the obvious conclusion being that they would need to try again.

'Take three' made it through most of the bridge before it was apparent that Paul was struggling to play the song without his plectrum. John once again stops the song by saying, “What are you doing?” to which Paul replies, “It's murder, I can't do it, I can't keep it up.” When John asks why he isn't using a plectrum, he exclaims, “I haven't got one!” “But your clothes have been brought hours ago,” John confirms. “I wonder where the cases are,” Paul adds, which prompts road manager Neil Aspinall to chime in with, “I said to you before, Paul...I said, 'do you want me to bring your case in,' and you just walked away!”

Paul carried on without his plectrum for 'take four,' which made it through most of George's guitar solo, this being performed with more skill this time around. However, John came in with his lead vocals twelve measures into the guitar solo instead of waiting for the standard sixteen measures that were needed. John then says to Paul, “What the hell, I told you,” to which Paul replies, “It's you, it's you!...you came in at the wrong, halfway through the solo.” “What was it, a twelve-bar?” John sincerely inquires, to which George Martin corrects him.

Since the first half of 'take four' performs quite well, a decision was made to start 'take five' just before the guitar solo and finish through to the end of the song so that the exhausted Beatles could finally retire for the evening. The intention was for George Martin to edit the first half of 'take four' with 'take five' during the mixing stage at a later date, something that never materialized due to “From Me To You” and “Thank You Girl” won their third single after all. As for this recording of “The One After 909,” it was deemed inadequate for any release at all during their career. Interestingly, another early “Lennon / McCartney” composition entitled “What Goes On?” was also considered for this session but, since they struggled with “The One After 909” for so long, the other song had to wait. And wait it did, until November of 1965 for the British “Rubber Soul” album.

The Beatles, of course, went on to much bigger and better things in the next five years,  while “One After 909” got pushed so far back in their memories as to be virtually forgotten. Then in January of 1969, when Paul enacted a new filmed rehearsal and live performance project, a new album's worth of material needed to be composed and recorded. They had all just poured their souls out for over five months in recording the 30-track “White Album,” released toward the end of November of 1968. Nonetheless, they needed to quickly put their nose to the grindstone once again to compose and record another album.

Paul was up to the task at hand; his songwriting skills always being ready for any challenge. George had a good amount of new ideas as well, Ringo even offering up a couple of song ideas. John, however, found himself deeply engrossed in his new relationship with Yoko, not to mention his unfortunate addiction to heroin. He worked up a few song ideas but found himself a bit lacking in inspiration. Because of “lack of material,” as he stated in his 1980 Playboy interview, he decided to reacquaint his band-mates with “One After 909.”

They took to it fondly, their first rehearsal of the song occurring on January 3rd, 1969, at Twickenham Film Studios with the cameras rolling, enacting a more rollicking swing beat to make it sound more fun. They ran through the song a total of three times on this day, George playing his lead guitar through a wah-wah pedal.

On the next day of rehearsals, January 6th, 1969, they ran through “One After 909” three more times, the first two being taken at a slower tempo while the third being a more rocking spirited version. On January 7th, 1969, four performances of the song show it becoming the fun rocker that would eventually grace the “Let It Be” album, Paul and Ringo providing a solid backing while George provided guitar passages that filled the gaps in-between lyrical phrases. The main focus of their January 8th session was working through 41 renditions of George's “I Me Mine.” Still, this enthusiastic and high spirited rehearsal saw them run through “One After 909” once as well, just to make sure they had the arrangement down reasonably well, which they did.

The next day, January 9th, 1969, witnessed them rehearsing the song four times, George still playing his lead guitar through his wah-wah pedal. Footage from two of these edited together versions are featured in the “Let It Be” movie, prefaced by Paul explaining how he and John would “sag off every school day” to write songs at his house in the early days.

All of the January rehearsals mentioned above occurred at Twickenham Film Studios but, because of George temporarily quitting The Beatles on January 10th, 1969, one of the conditions of his return was that they discontinue their rehearsals at this location. Instead, they resumed this project's sessions in their new basement studio at Apple Headquarters on Savile Row in London. After a few rehearsals there, they decided that “One After 909” should be gone over again on January 28th in preparation for the concert they were to perform, although they hadn't decided where that would be yet.

It was apparent that they were genuinely enjoying themselves on this day, Billy Preston joining in on the fun on electric piano. George had decided by this time that he didn't want to use his wah-wah pedal, electing instead to play straight electric guitar while concocting a compelling introduction to the song.

On one of these versions, Paul encourages his returned lead guitarist with “yeah, rock 'n' roll” during the guitar solo. During the bridge that follows, John decides to sing each line very quickly, Paul repeating each line back to him. However, at the half-way point, John mistakenly begins to sing the verse. When he catches himself, he sings, “Oh, I did it again, oh yeah...railman...Oh God!...wrong location.”

It was on the following day, January 29th, 1969, that they decided the Apple Headquarters roof would present the ideal place for their concert, scheduled the following day. Therefore, they decided to rehearse the five songs for this concert, including “One After 909.” They went over this song three times on this day, the first before Billy Preston arrived and with slightly subdued vocals in order to save their voices for the following day. Interestingly, John sang, “I begged her not to leave” instead of “go,” something he habitually did throughout this month's rehearsals, Paul repeating “leave” afterward as if to correct either himself or John.

The second version of the day has John still singing “begged her not to leave,” while humorously singing “oh, hit me now!” as the first bridge goes into the verse that follows. Then, after he sings “one after 909,” he continues with “ten, eleven, twelve,” Paul then introducing the guitar solo with “oh, you're cool,” which is followed by John singing “sheekidy-bah” and “bobidy-boo” during the drum breaks that appear in this instrumental section. John once again mistakenly begins the final verse midway through the second bridge, Paul vocally getting him back on track.

After Billy Preston arrived, they went through “One After 909” one last time, this being the final rehearsal before the next day's live rooftop performance of the song. John once again sings “begged her not to leave,” while Paul sings the complete first bridge with John as if to make sure he doesn't inadvertently move too quickly into the next verse as he had been doing. During the solo, Paul recites the lyrics of the first verse, apparently just to humor himself. All the while, George experiments with playing his guitar through a Leslie speaker, an effect that wasn't practical for the rooftop performance because of having to lug this big piece of equipment to the roof.

Next came that fateful day, January 30th, 1969, when The Beatles and Billy Preston played atop their Apple offices to whoever happened to gather below in the street. Of course, it was filmed and professionally recorded to preserve the event for posterity. While three of the five songs they performed repeated, after a brief partial run-through of “One After 909,” they only needed to play one full version of the song to nail it successfully. This, therefore, became the 'take' that was featured on the resulting “Let It Be” album.

The performance was virtually flawless, John recalling his lyrics properly and not coming in early after the bridges as he had been prone to do in rehearsals. George's impromptu lead guitar work came across appropriately as well without any botching or sour notes. After the song concludes, in the knowledge that they pulled it off without a hitch, John celebrates the event by singing, “Oh, Danny Boy / the old Savannah calling,” Paul quietly joining in as well. While the correct lyrics to the classic Irish folk song “Danny Boy” are “Oh, Danny boy / the pipes, the pipes are calling,” John is known to purposely mess around with lyrics of songs during rehearsals and recording sessions.

With the prospect of an immediately releasable live Beatles performance at hand, Glyn Johns and engineer Alan Parsons (and possibly George Martin) met in the control room of Apple Studios on February 5th, 1969, to create stereo mixes of the five songs recorded on the roof on January 30th. The format of how this was to be released to the public hadn't been formalized yet but, when it was, these mixes would prove themselves to be ready. To preserve the “as nature intended” format, The Beatles wanted for the entire project, a few seconds of extraneous rooftop sounds were preserved at the beginning of this mix, including a piano chord from Billy Preston, some stray guitar notes from George, a member of the film crew shouting “All cameras four!” (indicating 'take 4'), the sound of the clapperboard, and John's count-in for the song. After the song concludes, this stereo mix also included John and Paul's spontaneous “Danny Boy” vocals, as detailed above.

Once Glyn Johns was dispatched in March 1969 to assemble a “Get Back” album, the above-mentioned stereo mix of “One After 909” was included therein. When he and George Martin met with engineer Steve Vaughan in Studio one of Olympic Sound Studios on May 28th, 1969 (with George Harrison possibly in attendance as well) to create the master tape banding and compilation of this proposed “Get Back” album, “The One After 909” (as it was titled on the tape box) was featured as the opening song of side one.

After the “Danny Boy” vocalizations that conclude this mix, we witness a bit of Beatles rooftop chatter that was prepared at Olympic Sound Studios as an insert on either May 7th or 9th by the same engineering team. At the very conclusion of the 42-minute rooftop performance, Paul states, “Thanks, Mo” in response to Ringo's wife Maureen Starkey clapping and cheering the loudest. After this, John concludes the day's events by saying, “I'd like to say 'thank you' on behalf of the group and ourselves., and I hope we passed the audition!” Therefore, while Beatles fans have gotten used to this dialog after the song “Get Back” at the conclusion of the “Let It Be” soundtrack album, it was originally inserted to appear after the opening song on the proposed “Get Back” album, this being “One After 909.”

This “Get Back” album, as history bares out, was rejected by The Beatles and didn't get released in the summer of 1969 as intended. When a second “Get Back” album was banded and compiled by Glyn Johns at Olympic Sound Studios on January 5th, 1970, this same stereo mix of “The One After 909” was once again featured as the opening track of the album. This album met rejection as well, unable to agree whether they liked it or not. John, in particular, was against it due to Glyn Johns wanting a producer's credit for the album.

Legendary producer Phil Spector was then brought in to salvage what staff referred to as the “Let It Be” album. On March 23rd, 1970, his first day working on the project, Phil Spector created three new stereo mixes of the rooftop performance of “One After 909” in Room 4 of EMI Studios with engineers Peter Bown and Roger Ferris. The third stereo mix was deemed worthy of inclusion on the resulting soundtrack album, this being a straightforward and excellent live performance. Omitting the extraneous opening sounds of Glyn John's mix, he made sure Billy Preston's keyboard performance volume increased adequately. Spector did decide to include the “Danny Boy” vocalizations at the song's conclusion, wanting to preserve a degree of the spontaneous element of the sessions as Glyn Johns had done.

Sometime in 1995, George Martin and Geoff Emerick returned to the March 5th, 1963 session tapes at Abbey Road Studios to get a bird's eye view of the original stressful “One After 909” recording session for inclusion on the “Anthology 1” album. They first faded in the aborted 'take three,' which ends with John's dissatisfaction with Paul's bass playing, resulting in the above-detailed dialog between John, Paul, and assistant Neil Aspinall. 'Take four' is then faded up midway through to reveal John mistakenly coming in too early on vocals during George's guitar solo, this resulting in some mild bickering between the vocalists. This is immediately followed by the onset of “take five,' which in itself was intended as an edit piece of the song that began with George's solo. George Martin and Geoff Emerick then performed the edit of 'take 4' and 'take 5' as originally intended but not followed through with back in 1963.

Then sometime in 2003, the engineering team of Paul Hicks, Guy Massey, and Allan Rouse convened at Abbey Road Studios to create a vibrant new stereo mix of the January 30th, 1969 rooftop performance of “One After 909” for inclusion on the album “Let It Be...Naked.” One noticeable difference in this mix, other than the omission of the “Danny Boy” conclusion, was Paul's exclamation “Yes I did!” after the line “begged her on my bended knee,” this being barely discernible in any other mixes up to this point. This engineering team also included a bit of the conclusion of “One After 909” as rehearsed at Twickenham Film Studios on January 3rd, 1969, for their “Fly On The Wall” bonus disc that came with the “Let It Be...Naked” album. This was followed by the band's discussion whether they should include the song in the “Let It Be” project.

Song Structure and Style

Known as the first John Lennon composition, it follows a standard structure as found in popular skiffle and early rock-and-roll songs of 1957, something the composer subconsciously picked up on. The structure of “One After 909” consists of 'verse/ verse/ bridge/ verse/ verse (instrumental)/ bridge/ verse' (or aabaaba). This format continued to be used and developed throughout the band's career.

George's introductory guitar phrase is the first element t heard, appearing in an anticipatory measure during John's count off to the song. A six-measure introduction is then played by all five musicians, John's rhythm guitar, Paul's bass, Ringo's plodding 4/4 swing-style beat on open hi-hats and Billy Preston's lead electric piano work addsto George's introductory guitar phrase, which he plays three more times to fill out the song's intro.

The first sixteen-measure verse then begins, all instrumentation continuing throughout as in the introduction. John and Paul harmonize their way through the entire verse, John taking his most common Beatles role as lead vocalist while Paul provides the higher harmony. Billy Preston plays lead lines on electric piano to fill in the gaps left in between vocal lines, George relaxing into a rhythm guitar mode until measures 15 and 16 where he delivers a fragrant lead guitar passage. In measures nine and ten, the flow of the swing-style beat is interrupted to accommodate the "move over once / move over twice" lyrics. Everyone performs two standard "Beatles breaks," each on the downbeat of these measures, the tenth measure ending with a suitable piano thumb roll from Billy. Ringo performs a snare drum flam in both the ninth and tenth measures during these breaks as a useful tool to accentuate the rhythm.

The second verse is nearly identical to the first but with different lyrics in the first eight measures. George takes on more of a lead guitarist role this time around, playing lead lines throughout to fill in the gaps. A sixteen-measure bridge then appears, the same instrumentation continuing as usual. John sings solo lead vocals here as George plays subtle lead guitar fills in the gaps of the lyrics as he is prone to do throughout his entire Beatles career. Ringo deviates subtly with snare and hi-hat accents in the fifteenth and sixteenth measures to act as a segue into the next verse while Paul finally joins in on harmonies in the final measure on the word "Well..."

A complete repeat of the first verse enters as the third verse, lyrics and all. George is much more adventurous as lead guitarist this time around, filling in the lyric gaps with much more enthusiasm to accentuate Billy Preston, who does the same. John's encouraging exclamation "Yeah!" in the sixteenth measure spurs George on to greatness in the solo that follows, while Ringo plays three snare drum triplets as a fill to usher in the solo verse that follows.

A sixteen-measure instrumental verse then follows, George gains the primary focus. The lead guitarist flourishes with an equal exuberance as he had done during his formative years at the Cavern and in Hamburg, with the worldly experience of Clapton thrown in. Billy Preston can't help but add in some lead piano chops as well, Paul exemplifying the excitement with an excited "Whooooa-hoooh" after the second "Beatles break" in the tenth measure to give his approval.

A repeat of the bridge appears next, which is a virtual repeat of the first bridge, but with Paul's periodic vocal interjections, undoubtedly spurred on by George's excellently performed guitar solo. Next comes another repeat of the first verse, George scaling down his lead guitar work somewhat, which allows Billy Preston's piano work to shine a little more. This final verse is 20 measures in length this time, due to their repeating the final vocal line "said she's traveling on the one after 90..." three times to conclude the song in a stereotypical 50's fashion, not unlike "Roll Over Beethoven." After Ringo's final cymbal crash, John leads Paul through an ad-lib "Danny Boy" recitation, as described above.

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