The Beatles record ‘All I’ve Got to Do’ at EMI Recording Studio in London 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 11 1963)


Video: 'All I've Got To Do (Remastered 2009)'

(Wednesday, September 11, 1963, 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. British Summer Time) — For the first time since July 30, The Beatles returned to EMI Recording Studio 2 today to work on their second studio album, With The Beatles.

The first song to be attempted was “I Wanna Be Your Man,” written by Lennon and McCartney (the day before in front of The Rolling Stones) and sung by Ringo Starr on the album. They recorded just one take of the song, although further attempts would be made on the following day.

“Little Child” was taken slightly further, but not much. The Beatles recorded two takes before again choosing to continue it on the following day.

The first session concluded with work on John Lennon’s All I’ve Got To Do” beginning at approximately 3:30 p.m. BST.

After John introduced it for the first time to the other Beatles, they recorded 14 live takes of the song. Eight of these takes were false starts, which is evidence in itself that they were unfamiliar with the composition.

“Take 14” was deemed the best, this being re-recorded from the original two-track tape onto another two-track machine in order for an unspecified overdub to be recorded simultaneously, this now becoming “take 15.”

This became the finished song as we know it, and The Beatles never played it again. That completed the afternoon recording session at 6:00 p.m. BST.