Carnival Of Light: Introduction

“Carnival Of Light” is an unreleased Beatles track from 1967.

In Detail

Release Date: Never released
Recorded: January 5, 1967
Studio: EMI Studios, London
Genre: Avant-garde; experimental and precursor to Revolution 9
Track Duration: 13:48
Songwriters: Lennon-McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick

Performers And Instruments

Because of the lack of information at this time, it is not possible to give an accurate account of the instruments used. However, we believe that there are percussion instruments, keyboards, guitar, vocals, and various sound effects on loops.

Carnival Of Light: More Information

This sound collage by The Beatles was a creation for “The Million Volt Light and Sound Rave,” aka “The Carnival of Light Rave.” The idea was to play the piece at two events on the 28th of January and the 4th of February 1967 at the Roundhouse Theatre in Chalk Farm Road, Camden, London.

Around December 1966, designer David Vaughan delivered a painted piano to Paul McCartney.

The commissioned psychedelic design was the creation of Binder, Edwards, and Vaughan (BEV). Upon delivery, Vaughan asked McCartney if he would contribute some music to the electronic music and light shows. Obviously, Vaughan couldn’t believe it when McCartney agreed. Despite The Beatles working on the epic “Sgt Pepper” album, they still managed to find the time to record the track.

Recording Studio

The Beatles began to record “Carnival of Light” on January 5, 1967, in Studio Two of the EMI Studios, London, during the 7.00 p.m.–12.15 a.m. session. The single take had the name “Untitled” and was complete after the band added their vocals to “Penny Lane.”

“[The track has] no rhythm, though a beat is sometimes established for a few bars by the percussion or a rhythmic pounding on the piano. There is no melody, though snatches of a tune sometimes threaten to break through.”
Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

“Track one of the tape was full of distorted, hypnotic drum and organ sounds, track two had a distorted lead guitar; track three had the sounds of a church organ, various effects (the gargling of water was one) and voices; track four featured various indescribable sound effects with heaps of tape echo and manic tambourine.

But of all the frightening sounds, it was the voices on track three which really set the scene: John and Paul screaming dementedly and bawling aloud random phrases like ‘Are you all right?’ and ‘Barcelona!’

Paul terminated the proceedings after almost 14 minutes with one final shout up to the control room: ‘Can we hear it back now?'”
Mark Lewisohn
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions

“Carnival Of Light” is Not Released!

Shrouded in mystery and never released, we almost saw its appearance in the mid-1990s. Paul McCartney wanted it as a track on “Anthology 2,” but George Harrison objected. The Beatles being democratic would not go against band members who vetoed anything, of course.

McCartney said Harrison vetoed it because “he didn’t like avant-garde music.” Indeed, Harrison would refer to avant-garde as “avant-garde a clue” (“I haven’t got a clue”).

Engineer Geoff Emerick once said in 2006 that parts of “The Carnival of Light” later became part of “Revolution 9.” There can be no comparison until the track has an official release, though. But if true, we should be able to hear “bits and pieces” to compare.

There is no official or bootleg release of “Carnival Of Light,” so anything on the likes of YouTube is fake. Once there is an official release, the Beatles Forum and Cavern Club will announce it here. However, Giles Martin has indicated that he may do something interesting with the track at a later date. So it’s a case of watch this space!