Fixing A Hole: Introduction
“Fixing A Hole” is a Beatles’ song that is on their 1967 album, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
In Detail
- Release Date: May 26, 1967
- Recorded: February 9 & 21, 1967
- Studios: Regent Sound Studios, London; EMI Studios, London
- Genre: Psychedelic pop, baroque pop
- Track Duration: 2:36
- Record Label: Parlophone
- Songwriters: Lennon-McCartney
- Producer: George Martin
Performers And Instruments
- Paul McCartney: double-tracked lead vocals, harpsichord, bass guitar
- John Lennon: backing vocals
- George Harrison: backing vocals, double-tracked lead guitar
- Ringo Starr: drums, maracas
- George Martin: harpsichord
Where To Find “Fixing A Hole”
You can still buy the song on the following album:
Fixing A Hole: Background
Written by Paul McCartney, although credited to Lennon-McCartney, the songwriter claims that “Fixing A Hole” was his “ode to pot.” Previously, his other song, “Got To Get You Into My Life,” was another with a reference to drugs. His revelations obviously came to the fore many years after the release of the songs, because otherwise they wouldn’t get airplay on the radio.
In order to “normalise” a song such as “Fixing A Hole,” McCartney had to have some form of explanation ready:
“[It was] about the hole in the road where the rain gets in, a good old analogy—the hole in your make-up which lets the rain in and stops your mind from going where it will.”
Paul McCartney
Alan Aldridge, Los Angeles Times (January 14, 1968)
During the same interview, he explained that his fans would congregate outside his home day and night. He found this to be annoying, so he wrote the following lines in the song:
“See the people standing there
who disagree and never win
And wonder why they don’t get in my door.”
Recording Studio
The Beatles began recording “Fixing A Hole” on February 9, 1967, in the Regent Sound Studio, 164-166 Tottenham Court Road, London, but there are no records for the session time. However, we do know that there were 3 takes that day. This was also the first time that an EMI recording of The Beatles took place away from Abbey Road Studios.
Jesus Christ Watches Over The Beatles!
Imagine being present while watching The Beatles in the recording studios. Well, there was an unusual guest that Paul McCartney brought along with him who had that privilege.
“A guy arrived at my front gate and I said, ‘Yes? Hello,’ because I always used to answer it to everyone. If they were boring, I would say, ‘Sorry, no,’ and they generally went away. This guy said, ‘I’m Jesus Christ,’ I said, ‘Oop,’ slightly shocked. I said, ‘Well, you’d better come in then.’ I thought, Well, it probably isn’t. But if he is, I’m not going to be the one to turn him away. So I gave him a cup of tea and we just chatted and I asked, ‘Why do you think you are Jesus?’
There were a lot of casualties about then. We used to get a lot of people who were maybe insecure or going through emotional breakdowns or whatever. So I said, ‘I’ve got to go to a session but if you promise to be very quiet and just sit in a corner, you can come.’ So he did; he came to the session and he did sit very quietly and I never saw him after that. I introduced him to the guys. They said, ‘Who’s this?’ I said, ‘He’s Jesus Christ.’ We had a bit of a giggle over that.”
Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
Mixing
The mixing took place back in their familiar surroundings at Abbey Road Studios on February 21, 1967. Originally, the band wanted to re-record the track, but they decided that the recordings from Regent Sound Studio were good enough.
Work began on take 2 to bring it up to scratch; however, this is where the actual take numbers get confusing. But the main album track is a variant of take 2.
From the original takes, Take 1, together with Speech and Take 3, are now available on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 50th anniversary edition.
Take A Listen
Finally, what are your thoughts about this song?
