I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Encyclopedia
"I Want You" is a song by The Beatles
, from their album Abbey Road. It was written by John Lennon
, although credited to Lennon–McCartney.
This song is an unusual Beatles' composition for a variety of reasons, namely its length (nearly eight minutes), few lyrics (basically the title is the lyric, aside from two more phrases; only 14 different words are sung), three-minute descent through repeated guitar
chord
s (a similar arpeggiated
figure appears in another Lennon contribution to the album, "Because
"), and abrupt ending. It is one of the last songs that the Beatles mixed as a group, on 20 August 1969.
sessions; the basic track and John's guide vocal (which is used in the master) were recorded at Trident Studios
on 22 February 1969, shortly after filming for the film
ended.
Lennon played the lead guitar, including the solo. As George Harrison
stated:
Lennon and Harrison overdubbed multi-tracked heavy guitars on 18 April 1969, and Billy Preston
's keyboards
and Ringo Starr
's conga drums were also added on 20 April 1969. "I Want You" received the "She's So Heavy" vocals on 11 August, and thus the title became "I Want You (She's So Heavy)".
Three takes from 22 February were edited into a master (second generation), which was overdubbed, mixed down on 18 April (third generation), and overdubbed on 18 April, 20 April and 11 August. Different overdubs were made to the second generation tape on 8 August. The mix is the third generation for 4:37 (up to "She's So") and then the second generation tape, which has white noise
(produced by the Moog synthesizer, played by Lennon) and additional drums added on 8 August. The overdub session for "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" was the last time all four Beatles worked in the studio together.
The final master lasted 8:04, but Lennon decided on a surprise ending. During the final edit with the guitars, drums and white noise climaxing to no end, he told Emerick to "cut it right there" at the 7:44 mark, bringing the song (and side one of the album) to an abrupt end. On Love
, the three-minute stretch of repeated guitar chords that ends the song intercuts with elements of "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
" and "Helter Skelter", while retaining the abrupt cut to silence at the end.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, from their album Abbey Road. It was written by John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, although credited to Lennon–McCartney.
This song is an unusual Beatles' composition for a variety of reasons, namely its length (nearly eight minutes), few lyrics (basically the title is the lyric, aside from two more phrases; only 14 different words are sung), three-minute descent through repeated guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
chord
Guitar chord
In music, a guitar chord is a chord, or collection of tones usually sounded together at once, played on a guitar. It can be composed of notes played on adjacent or separate strings or all the strings together...
s (a similar arpeggiated
Arpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
figure appears in another Lennon contribution to the album, "Because
Because (The Beatles song)
"Because" is a song written by John Lennon and recorded by The Beatles in 1969. It features a prominent three-part vocal harmony by Lennon, McCartney and George Harrison, overdubbed three times to make nine voices in all...
"), and abrupt ending. It is one of the last songs that the Beatles mixed as a group, on 20 August 1969.
Recording
The song was rehearsed several times during the Get Back/Let It BeLet It Be (album)
Let It Be is the 12th and final studio album released by the English rock band The Beatles. It was released on 8 May 1970 by the band's Apple Records label shortly after the group announced their break-up....
sessions; the basic track and John's guide vocal (which is used in the master) were recorded at Trident Studios
Trident Studios
Trident Studios was a British recording facility, originally located at 17 St. Anne's Court in London's Soho district. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield a drummer of former 1960's group The Hunters and his Brother Barry....
on 22 February 1969, shortly after filming for the film
Let It Be (film)
Let It Be is a 1970 documentary film about The Beatles rehearsing and recording songs for the album Let It Be in January 1969. The film features an unannounced rooftop concert by the group, their last performance in public...
ended.
Lennon played the lead guitar, including the solo. As George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
stated:
- "It's very heavy. John plays lead guitar and sings the same as he plays. It's really basically a bit like a blues. The riff that he sings and plays is really a very basic blues-type thing. But again, it's very original sort of John-type song."
Lennon and Harrison overdubbed multi-tracked heavy guitars on 18 April 1969, and Billy Preston
Billy Preston
William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
's keyboards
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
's conga drums were also added on 20 April 1969. "I Want You" received the "She's So Heavy" vocals on 11 August, and thus the title became "I Want You (She's So Heavy)".
Three takes from 22 February were edited into a master (second generation), which was overdubbed, mixed down on 18 April (third generation), and overdubbed on 18 April, 20 April and 11 August. Different overdubs were made to the second generation tape on 8 August. The mix is the third generation for 4:37 (up to "She's So") and then the second generation tape, which has white noise
White noise
White noise is a random signal with a flat power spectral density. In other words, the signal contains equal power within a fixed bandwidth at any center frequency...
(produced by the Moog synthesizer, played by Lennon) and additional drums added on 8 August. The overdub session for "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" was the last time all four Beatles worked in the studio together.
The final master lasted 8:04, but Lennon decided on a surprise ending. During the final edit with the guitars, drums and white noise climaxing to no end, he told Emerick to "cut it right there" at the 7:44 mark, bringing the song (and side one of the album) to an abrupt end. On Love
Love (The Beatles album)
Love is a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack remix album of music recorded by The Beatles, released in November 2006. It features music compiled and remixed as a mashup for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name...
, the three-minute stretch of repeated guitar chords that ends the song intercuts with elements of "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" is a song from the 1967 album by The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was composed by John Lennon...
" and "Helter Skelter", while retaining the abrupt cut to silence at the end.
Personnel
- John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– leadLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
and harmony vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, Moog synthesizerMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled... - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– harmony vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– harmony vocals, lead guitar - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s - Billy PrestonBilly PrestonWilliam Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
– Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
- Personnel per Ian MacDonaldIan MacDonaldIan MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
Covers
Numerous bands and solo artists have covered "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" in live performances. The following artists have released recordings of the song:- Eddie HazelEddie HazelEdward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
on his solo debut Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs. - George BensonGeorge BensonGeorge Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
on his 1969 album The Other Side of Abbey RoadThe Other Side of Abbey RoadThe Other Side of Abbey Road is a 1970 studio album by American guitarist George Benson of songs from The Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road....
. - CoronerCoroner (band)Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal/progressive metal band from Zurich. They garnered relatively little attention outside of Europe. Formed in 1983, the band broke up in 1996, but decided to reform 14 years later. The band will perform at multiple live venues and festivals around the world in 2011,...
on their 1991 Mental VortexMental VortexMental Vortex is the fourth album of the Swiss thrash metal trio Coroner. It is probably their most progressive and mature achievement and marks an improvement in the production compared to their first three albums...
album. - Alvin LeeAlvin LeeAlvin Lee is an English rock guitarist and singer. He began playing guitar at the age of 13, and with Leo Lyons formed the core of the band Ten Years After in 1960...
on his album 1994, accompanied by Harrison on slide guitar. - Type O NegativeType O NegativeType O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
on the album World Coming DownWorld Coming DownWorld Coming Down is the fifth album by Brooklyn band Type O Negative. Even though the band has often expressed dark themes through their music, the lyrical content of this album is markedly morbid.-Overview:...
as part of a medley with "Day TripperDay Tripper"Day Tripper" is a song by The Beatles, released as a double A-side single with "We Can Work It Out". Both songs were recorded during the sessions for the Rubber Soul album...
" and "If I Needed SomeoneIf I Needed Someone"If I Needed Someone" is a song written by George Harrison. Versions by The Beatles and by The Hollies appeared simultaneously, both being released in the United Kingdom on 3 December 1965. The Hollies version appeared on a single. Most of the Hollies previous singles had been big top ten hits...
." - Booker T. and the MGs on their 1969 album McLemore AvenueMcLemore AvenueMcLemore Avenue is a 1970 album by Booker T. & the MGs consisting entirely of mostly instrumental covers of songs from the Beatles' album Abbey Road...
, the cover of which also mimicked the Abbey Road album cover. - Noir DésirNoir DésirNoir Désir was a French rock band from Bordeaux. They were active during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and have had two albums certified double platinum in France and three certified gold. They have been an influence on numerous French musicians including Cali, Louise Attaque and Miossec...
on the live album Dies Irae (Days of Wrath). - BeatallicaBeatallicaBeatallica is a mash-up band that plays music made from combinations of songs of The Beatles and Metallica. A Beatallica song is typically a blend of a Beatles song and a Metallica song with a related title Beatallica is a mash-up band that plays music made from combinations of songs of The Beatles...
merged the song with Metallica'sMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
"The Call of Ktulu" to create "Ktulu (He's So Heavy)" on their album Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub BandSgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub BandSgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band is the first published album from Beatallica. It contains 13 tracks, made from combinations of The Beatles and Metallica songs and was released on Tuesday July 10, 2007.* Sgt...
. - Steel TrainSteel TrainSteel Train is an indie rock band from New Jersey. They have toured with Tegan and Sara, Girl in a Coma, Ben Folds, The Fray, Silversun Pickups, Hanson, The Format, Gomez, O.A.R., Barenaked Ladies, Fun and others...
on the cover album 1969. - A cover of the song performed by cast members Joe Anderson, Dana FuchsDana FuchsDana Fuchs is an American singer, songwriter, actress and voice over talent most famous for her performance in the 2007 film Across the Universe, in which she played the role of Sadie.-Early life:...
and T.V. Carpio is featured in the 2007 Julie Taymor film Across the UniverseAcross the Universe (film)Across the Universe is a musical romantic drama film directed by Julie Taymor, produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film's plot is centered around songs by The Beatles. It was released in the United States on October 12, 2007. The script is based on an original...
. - Groove CollectiveGroove CollectiveGroove Collective is a contemporary jazz group. In 2007 they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year for the release People People Music Music on the Savoy Jazz label.-Style:Groove Collective was formed in 1990...
released a cover of the song as a single, which charted in the US in 1996. - John LegendJohn LegendJohn Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
released a cover of this song on his Live in Philadelphia album in 2008. - George LynchGeorge Lynch (musician)George Lynch is a hard rock/heavy metal guitarist best known as a member of the band Dokken, his own bands Lynch Mob and Souls of We.-Pre Dokken:...
, recorded the song on his 2004 cover album Furious George. - Sarah VaughanSarah VaughanSarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
released a version of the song on her 1981 album Songs of the Beatles. This version omits any "She's So Heavy" vocals. - HalestormHalestormHalestorm is an American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania. The group's self-titled debut album was released on April 28, 2009 through Atlantic Records.-History:...
covered the song on their 2011 EP, ReAnimate: ThE cOvErS eP. - The song is performed by the Bee GeesBee GeesThe Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
, Peter FramptonPeter FramptonPeter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, Frankie Howerd, Dianne Steiberg, and StargardStargard (band)Stargard was an American three-piece female funk band, consisting of original members Rochelle Runnells, Debra Anderson, and Janice Williams. Stargard was best known for their 1977 Norman Whitfield-penned hit song " Which Way Is Up?" which served as a theme for the movie of the same name starring...
for the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1978. - The Eric Gales Band also released a cover of this song in 1993.
- ThriceThriceThrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
released a cover of this song in 2010. - The song "3.000.000 Years From Here" from the band BlackmailBlackmail (band)Blackmail is a German indie rock band from Koblenz, Germany which was started briefly in 1993. Blackmail are singer Mathias Reetz, brothers Kurt Ebelhäuser and Carlos Ebelhäuser and drummer Mario Matthias...
on their album Science FictionScience Fiction (blackmail album)Science Fiction is the second album by the German indie rock quartet blackmail. Following up their debut release in 1997, Science Fiction was more openly accepted and liked...
. - TransatlanticTransatlantic (band)Transatlantic is a progressive rock supergroup consisting of Roine Stolt of The Flower Kings, Pete Trewavas of Marillion, Mike Portnoy formerly of Dream Theater and Neal Morse formerly of Spock's Beard. They formed in 1999 as a side project to their full time bands until 2002...
in their live album All of the aboveSMPT:e-Limited edition bonus disc:-Personnel:Transatlantic*Neal Morse — Vocals, keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Electric Guitar*Mike Portnoy — Drums, Backing Vocals...
. The last song is a medley, which ends with a segment of the song. - Jambi's Revenge on their album Origins in 2010.
- The Last Shadow PuppetsThe Last Shadow PuppetsThe Last Shadow Puppets is a band consisting of Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane formerly of The Rascals, and composer/producer James Ford.-Formation:...
covered the song during the BBC's Electric Proms. - Argentinian band Soda StereoSoda StereoSoda Stereo were an Argentine rock band who are recognized as one of the most influential and important Latin American and Ibero-American bands of all time...
covered the song in several performances between 1990 and 1991.