Listen to the Beatles’ first take of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”
When it was first released in 1967, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” quickly became one of the Beatles’ most popular songs – as well as one of the most controversial. And while the final cut is a finely-crafted psychedelic masterpiece, it took quite a few takes to get there, it seems.
For the first time in 50 years, we can finally listen to the first ever take of the song, and you’ll notice it’s quite different from the finished product, which took four days to finalise.
Rarely have we been given such a close look at the band’s creative process, especially being able to listen to them chatting and workshopping ideas.
John Lennon, who co-wrote the song with Paul McCartney, would later describe the recording session for the track as “abysmal”. “The track is just terrible,” he complained in a 1980 interview. “I mean, it is a great track, a great song, but it isn’t a great track because it wasn't made right.”
Give the first take a listen and tell us in the comments below, what’s your all-time favourite Beatles song?