Good Morning Good Morning

original song written and composed by Lennon-McCartney; first recorded by The Beatles

"Good Morning Good Morning" is a song written by John Lennon[1] (credited to Lennon/McCartney) and performed by The Beatles on the 1967 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

"Good Morning Good Morning"
Song by The Beatles
from the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Released1 June 1967
Recorded8 and 16 February,
13, 28 and 29 March 1967,
Abbey Road Studios, London
GenreProgressive rock, hard rock, psychedelic rock
Length2:41
2:35 (mono version)
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)Lennon/McCartney
Producer(s)George Martin
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band track listing

Lyrical inspiration

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Inspiration for the song came to Lennon from a television commercial for Kellogg's Corn Flakes.[1] The jingle went: "Good morning, good morning, The best to you each morning, Sunshine Breakfast, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Crisp and full of fun".

The line "It's time for tea and Meet the Wife" refers to a BBC sitcom, Meet the Wife.[2]

Recording

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The track was recorded on 8 February 1967, with overdubs (extra music that's recorded into the song) on 16 February (bass and vocals), 13 March (brass section), 28 March (backing vocals and guitar solo), and 29 March (animal noises).[3] The guitar solo was played by Paul McCartney.[3][4]

At Lennon's request, George Martin brought in Sounds Incorporated to play the brass section with their signature saxophone sound.[2]

Lennon asked engineer Geoff Emerick to arrange the animal noises heard at beginning as well as the end of the song so that the animal heard was one capable of devouring or frightening the animal that came before it.[2][4]

The final sound effect of a chicken clucking was so placed that it transforms into the guitar on the following track, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)".

In the mono version, the length is 2:35, whereas in the stereo version, the length is 2:41 because there are more animal noises.

Personnel

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Personnel per Ian MacDonald[5]
  1. 1.0 1.1 Sheff 2000, p. 183.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Miles 1997, pp. 320–321.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Lewisohn 1988, pp. 95, 97, 105–106.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Emerick 2006, pp. 176–179.
  5. MacDonald 2005, pp. 234–235.

References

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  • Emerick, Geoff; Massey, Howard (2006). Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 1-592-40179-1.
  • Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation (1993). The Beatles - Complete Scores. Milwaukee: Hal Leanord. ISBN 0-7935-1832-6.
  • Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books. ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
  • MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (Second Revised ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). ISBN 1-844-13828-3.
  • Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt & Company. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
  • Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-25464-4.