Bass on "She Said She Said"(??)

So Low Bass · #1 03-01-2009, 02:39 PM

"She Said She Said" is one of my favorities on Revolver. In doing some reading, I discovered that it was recorded in one session: June 21,1966. Paul walked out of the session for some reason so...

Some articles claim the George played bass on the tune. If that's true, what instrument did he play? This was before the Fender VI and (I think) George's J. Did they go across the hall and borrow one from another band? Did he play Paul's bass rightside up? Indeed, did Paul lay down the part before he bolted? I could find no record that he dubbed it in a on later date.

Does anybody have any information?

Jim Carr · #2 03-01-2009, 09:33 PM

IMHO, it is Paul on his Hofner.

**cheezewiz** · #3 03-01-2009, 09:48 PM

I went back and listened, and I have to say I agree with Jim. Sounds like Paul/Hofner.

pjmuck · #4 03-01-2009, 10:16 PM

I went back and listened as well. I don't think there's any doubt it's McCartney. It's got his tone and especially his feel. Even if one of the others could fake his tone or use his Hofner for the recording, I couldn't see anyone playing bass lines the same way. It sounds consistent with the rest of the album.

bassnyc1 · #5 03-02-2009, 05:22 AM

According to several sources, including "The Beatles Recording Sessions" and "Beatles Gear" Paul played on that song. The only song on Revolver he didn't play bass on was "I'm Only Sleeping." Apparently they had an argument and Paul left and George played bass on that song. Paul himself tells this story in his semi autobiography "Many Years From Now."

As far as what bass George used, my guess is that he played a Burns Bison bass. The Beatles used to get lots of gear sent to them at Abbey Road by various manufacturers who hoped that one or more of the guys would take a liking to their gear. The Burns Bison bass was a righty bass and was sent to them around the time they were recording "Paperback Writer" and although Paul is playing on that song, there were early takes with George playing bass and that's the bass he was using.

Additionally, George's J? No. You may have thought that George had a J bass from some photos of him playing one during the recording of Abbey Road. That's Paul's bass. He acquired a right handed jazz bass, rosewood fingerboard, 3 tone sunburst, tortoiseshell pickguard sometime in the 60's. Both George and John played it a little during Abbey Road. If fact, it was around during the Let It Be sessions as well yet John preferred the Fender Bass VI when he played bass on the songs Let It Be and The Long And Winding Road. Maybe because it was more comfortable for him since he was a guitarist. Anyway that same Jazz bass was the one that he used exclusively during the recordings for the album Band On The Run flipped over and strung left handed. I guess Paul didn't want to risk taking his Rickenbacker to Africa. It was also used by Denny Laine during Wings concerts, alternating with a P bass, and more recently it was also used by Hamish Stuart when he toured with Paul in 1989-90 and 1993, alternating with his EBMM 5 string.

(self confessed Beatle geek!)

pjmuck · #6 03-02-2009, 01:02 PM

Ok, the plot thickens. When did McCartney get his LEFT HANDED J, and what recordings did it end up on? It was my understanding he used the lefty J on Abbey Road. (Pic 1 is McCartney with lefty Jazz; pic 2 is Harrison with righty Jazz in question). I have also seen a picture of him holding the righty Jazz too (though I can't find it), so this is confusing:

pjmuck · #7 03-02-2009, 01:05 PM

I found some more info on the Beatles's Jazzes. Scroll down link:

http://www.thecanteen.com/mccartney7.html

vin*tone · #8 03-02-2009, 01:48 PM

My favorite site o Beatles gear is:
http://perso.wanadoo.es/sissu/maingear.htm
It has She Said She Said listed as George on the Hofner.

So Low Bass · #9 03-02-2009, 02:18 PM

Great Pictures of the Js. My understanding is that Paul had his J first, a lefthanded one. George followed and played it on Golden Slumbers, when they were shorthanded... John was in the hospital.

The George J pic is on page 184 of the Lewisohn with the caption "George trying an experiment with Paul's Jazz bass guitar". Simply wrong!

**Captain Bob** · #10 03-04-2009, 05:07 AM

FWIW, from my readings over the years, Macca started using the Ric almost exclusively for recordings beginning with Rubber Soul, to include the Paperback/Rain single, then Revolver. Using the lighter Hofners, both his fall of '63 gift and his Cavern style, for tours and films. The Pepper/MMT era is all Ric. By '68 Fender provided a BassVI to the band, and a '66 (note the elipse tuning keys) Jazz bass to Paul. The Jazz can be clearly heard on numerous White Album recordings such as Glass Onion, While my Guitar, Yer Blues etc., and so can the Ric - Monkey, and Ob-la-di. George plays the Bass VI on Back in the USSR, and Birthday. The Jazz, Ric, Bass VI, are all utilzed for Abbey Road. Mean Mr. Mustard is the Jazz. Come together, Oh Darling, Something, Octopus, I Want You ,Here comes the Sun-the Ric, etc. Its George and the Bass VI playing the lines on Maxwell.
There are some sites discussing this topic, the Lewisohn books from the early 90's are a source. Also, two volumes entitled "The Beatles as Musicians". My friend Andy's book entitled "Beatles Gear" etc.

pjmuck · #11 03-04-2009, 01:34 PM

FYI, there's also a picture of Paul playing a righty J upside down on the poster that was included with the Band on the Run album, but it's not clear when it was taken and/or if it's his. I think it would be unlikely that they'd use a Beatle period photo inside a later Wings album, so I'm guessing that the picture was taken during the Wings period and may have been someone else's bass (Denny Lane's?). or maybe Paul owns/owned a lefty and a righty J?

corinpills · #12 03-04-2009, 02:16 PM

I spend way too much time thinking about this stuff and I have to say, i think a lot of people purporting to know definitively what Paul used on the white album are just guessing. It's a fairly undocumented album, compared to the others, and as seen in the Anthology, memories get really hazy after 40 years. Even paul isn't sure who played bass, let alone which bass, on some of those songs.

cowsgomoo · #13 03-04-2009, 02:45 PM

If it's George (which it isn't), he's doing an extremely accurate impersonation of Paul's note choices, feel & sound... those bounces just before the 3/4 section, and the 'walking' in the 3/4 section are all very much Paul's mid-60's style.. so are the little high notes on the outro

it has the creamy, but slightly clanky sound of his Rickenbacker to me... it sounds a lot more like the bass sound on Paperback Writer and Penny Lane than the wooly Hofner... just LISTEN to the first 5 notes.. anyone with half an ear can recognise that as a Rick: DYAWWWNNN DYAWNNN , DYAWNN DYAWNN DYAWN.... it's Paul, it's a Rickenbacker

brightorangband · #14 03-04-2009, 07:25 PM

I think it's Paul's Rickenbacker. The Hofner was never that strong.

WRBass · #15 03-05-2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

If it's George (which it isn't), he's doing an extremely accurate impersonation of Paul's note choices, feel & sound... those bounces just before the 3/4 section, and the 'walking' in the 3/4 section are all very much Paul's mid-60's style.. so are the little high notes on the outro

I agree. And it doesn't sound like a bass line played by a part time bassist in one session. But, I'm not saying that George was not a great musician.

So Low Bass · #16 03-14-2009, 03:17 PM

I found this on "Beatles Bible". What do you make of it??

In the studio
She Said She Said was recorded when The Beatles realised they were one song short for the Revolver album. In a hectic nine hour session, during which the majority of the album's mono and stereo mixes were also done, they rehearsed the song more than 25 times and then recorded three takes of the rhythm track.
To the last of these were added John Lennon's lead vocals, and backing vocals from John and George. Extra guitar and Lennon's Hammond organ track were then overdubbed, and She Said She Said was complete.
Unusually, Paul McCartney most likely did not play on the track.

"John brought it in pretty much finished, I think. I'm not sure but I think it was one of the only Beatle records I never played on. I think we'd had a barney or something and I said, 'Oh, [@#$%] you!' and they said, 'Well, we'll do it.' I think George played bass."
Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

vin*tone · #17 03-16-2009, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corinpills

I spend way too much time thinking about this stuff and I have to say, i think a lot of people purporting to know definitively what Paul used on the white album are just guessing. It's a fairly undocumented album, compared to the others, and as seen in the Anthology, memories get really hazy after 40 years. Even paul isn't sure who played bass, let alone which bass, on some of those songs.

I think the recreational activities wouldn't have helped their memories at this stage either.

The Golden Boy · #18 03-16-2009, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vin*tone

I think the recreational activities wouldn't have helped their memories at this stage either.

I know when I go to the park and run around, that usually makes me forget things.

The Golden Boy · #19 03-16-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brightorangband

I think it's Paul's Rickenbacker. The Hofner was never that strong.

I agree with you about it being the Rick.

Although "strong" would not be the word I'd use... Maybe "focused."

kraigo · #20 03-16-2009, 10:26 AM

If you have a bigger photo of Harrison's J, the pegs are oval shaped, not cloverleaf. The "Beatle's Gear" book doesn't say anything about it.

KO

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjmuck

Ok, the plot thickens. When did McCartney get his LEFT HANDED J, and what recordings did it end up on? It was my understanding he used the lefty J on Abbey Road. (Pic 1 is McCartney with lefty Jazz; pic 2 is Harrison with righty Jazz in question). I have also seen a picture of him holding the righty Jazz too (though I can't find it), so this is confusing: