"Lovely Rita" is a song by the English rock band
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
from their 1967 album ''
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Released on 26May 1967, ''Sgt. Pepper'' is regarded by musicologists as an early concept album that advanced the roles of sound composi ...
''. It was written and sung by
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
and credited to
Lennon–McCartney
Lennon–McCartney was the songwriting partnership between English musicians John Lennon (1940–1980) and Paul McCartney (born 1942) of the Beatles. It is the best-known and most successful musical collaboration ever by records sold, with the ...
. It is about a
meter maid and the narrator's affection for her.
Inspiration
The term "
meter-maid", largely unknown in the UK before the song's release, is American slang for a female traffic warden. According to some sources, "Lovely Rita" originates from when a female traffic warden named Meta Davies issued a
parking ticket to McCartney outside
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music ...
. Instead of becoming angry, he accepted it with good grace and expressed his feelings in song. When asked why he had called her "Rita", McCartney replied, "Well, she looked like a Rita to me".
In his comments to biographer
Barry Miles
Barry Miles (born 21 February 1943) is an English author known for his participation in and writing on the subjects of the 1960s London underground and counterculture. He is the author of numerous books and his work has also regularly appeare ...
, however, McCartney refuted the idea that this episode inspired the song: "It wasn't based on a real person. I think it was more a question of coincidence … I didn't think, 'Wow, that woman gave me a ticket, I'll write a song about her.' Never happened like that."
Author John Winn writes that McCartney's inspiration came from hearing the term "meter maid", after which he began writing the song when visiting his brother
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...
in Liverpool.
According to a contemporary report on the recording of "Lovely Rita", in ''
Beat Instrumental
''Beat Instrumental'' was a UK monthly pop and rock magazine. Founded by Sean O'Mahony (aka Johnny Dean) and first published in May 1963 as ''Beat Monthly'', it became ''Beat Instrumental Monthly'' with issue 18 and ''Beat Instrumental'' from is ...
'' magazine, the lyrics were completed by McCartney and
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
during the session. A reproduction of the manuscript shows only the opening chorus and verse in McCartney's handwriting; the remaining lyrics appear in Beatles assistant
Mal Evans' handwriting, after he and
Neil Aspinall joined the two songwriters in a corner of the studio.
Recording
Recording began on 23 February 1967 with eight takes required to achieve a satisfactory basic track. Using a four-track recorder, this first performance featured
George Harrison
George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
's guitar on track 1, Lennon's guitar on track 2,
Ringo Starr
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
's drums on track 3, and McCartney's piano set on track 4. After those individual tracks had been combined in a
reduction mix, McCartney overdubbed a bass guitar part.
The 24 February session was devoted to adding vocals. According to engineer
Geoff Emerick, McCartney had told
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
, the band's producer, that he wanted the backing vocals to replicate how
the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...
"might approach the song". The Beatles were visited in the studio that evening by
Tony Hicks
Anthony Christopher Hicks (born 16 December 1945) is an English guitarist and singer who has been a member of the British rock/pop band the Hollies since 1963, and as such was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. His main rol ...
of
the Hollies
The Hollies are a British pop rock band, formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the band ...
, American musicians
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby (born August 14, 1941) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Crosby joined the Byrds in 1964. They got ...
and
Shawn Phillips
Shawn Phillips (born February 3, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, primarily influential in the 1960s and 1970s. His work is rooted in folk rock but straddles other genres, including jazz fusion and funk. Phillips has rec ...
, and the brother of
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North In ...
, Harrison's
sitar
The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form ...
teacher. Also present was Leslie Bryce, a photographer from ''
Beatles Monthly''. McCartney recorded his lead vocal with the tape speed reduced, so that his voice sounded at a higher pitch when the speed was corrected. Bryce took photos of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Crosby grouped around a microphone,
and the ''Beat Instrumental'' report stated that the backing vocals were recorded that night with Crosby's participation. Phillips later supported this and said that he too sang backing vocals with the three Beatles.
However, Phillips' recollection is not supported by others,
who say the group vocals were instead overdubbed on 7 March.
The session was led by Lennon and recorded with heavy tape echo. Enjoying the lighthearted session, the Beatles also added percussive effects played on
comb and paper Comb and paper is a rudimentary musical instrument which consists of a comb with a piece of paper pressed to it. To play it, one has to press their lips to the paper pressed to the comb and sing or vocalize into it. The voice makes the paper vibra ...
, serving as handmade
kazoos,
and vocalised sounds such as moans, sighs and screams. The latter sounds appear over the song's extended coda.
Martin later described the session as "anarchy", given how little was achieved over the seven hours, and cited it as a precedent for the group's "undisciplined, sometimes self-indulgent" method of working on ''
Magical Mystery Tour'' later in 1967.
A second piano, played by Martin and processed electromechanically to wobble in and out of tune, was added for the solo on 21 March. This session was again filled with visitors. Among these were the band
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
, who were recording in a neighbouring studio and gained entry to the session through their producer,
Norman Smith, formerly the Beatles' recording engineer.
Although Pink Floyd were established as one of the leading bands in the London
underground scene, they were intimidated to be in the Beatles' presence. Drummer
Nick Mason
Nicholas Berkeley Mason, (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He is the only member to feature on every Pink Floyd album, and the only constant member since its formation i ...
recalled that they watched the band mixing "Lovely Rita" but they were "God-like figures to us" and any interaction between the two groups was minimal.
Pink Floyd later used effects inspired by "Lovely Rita" when recording their instrumental composition "
Pow R. Toc H." from their debut album, ''
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn''.
The final
mono
Mono may refer to:
Common meanings
* Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease"
* Monaural, monophonic sound reproduction, often shortened to mono
* Mono-, a numerical prefix representing anything single
Music Performers
* Mono (Japanes ...
mix was completed that night, and a month later, the stereo mix was done. During mixdown the tape machine ran at 48.75 Hz instead of the standard 50 Hz, affecting the pitch on the released track. With
vari-speed
A variable speed pitch control (or vari-speed) is a control on an audio device such as a turntable, tape recorder, or CD player that allows the operator to deviate from a standard speed (such as 33, 45 or even 78 rpm on a turntable), resulting i ...
having been applied throughout the recording process, the song's key is around E flat major. According to Martin, "Lovely Rita" and "
When I'm Sixty Four" were the songs that would have been cut from ''Sgt. Pepper'' had the Beatles not been pressured into issuing "
Strawberry Fields Forever" and "
Penny Lane" as a non-album single in advance of the album's release. In the opinion of music critic
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger (born January 19, 1962) is an American author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.
Life and writing
Unterberger attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he wrote for the university newspaper '' ...
, "Lovely Rita" is "one of the more lighthearted songs on ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'', and consequently one of the more critically overlooked".
McCartney live performances and cover versions
McCartney first performed "Lovely Rita" in concert on 4 May 2013, when he opened his
Out There! world tour at the
Estádio Mineirão in
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte (, ; ) is the sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population around 2.7 million and with a metropolitan area of 6 million people. It is the 13th-largest city in South America and the 18th-largest in the Americas. The metropol ...
, Brazil.
Fats Domino
Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist, singer and songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New O ...
included the song on his 1968 album ''Fats Is Back''.
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger (born January 19, 1962) is an American author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.
Life and writing
Unterberger attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he wrote for the university newspaper '' ...
dismisses Domino's version as a "none-too-thrilling
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
cover".
In 1976,
Roy Wood of
ELO
Elo or ELO may refer to:
Music
* Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock music group
** ''The Electric Light Orchestra'' (album), the group's debut album
** ''ELO 2'', the group's second album
* ELO Part II, an offshoot band of Electric Light ...
and
Wizzard recorded the song for ''
All This and World War II'', a film that set new recordings of 30 Lennon–McCartney compositions to newsreel footage from World War II.
Joan Osborne sings the song on the 2009
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen a ...
release ''
Sgt. Pepper Live
''Sgt. Pepper Live'' is a performance by the American rock band Cheap Trick with a full orchestra, released on August 25, 2009, in commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of the release of the historic album ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Ban ...
''. The
Easy Star All-Stars
Easy Star All-Stars is a reggae collective founded in 1997 by Michael Goldwasser, Eric Smith, Lem Oppenheimer and Remy Gerstein of New York City-based Easy Star Records. The band is known for its reinterpretations of classic albums in reggae styl ...
recorded a version with guest vocalists
Bunny Rugs and
U-Roy
Ewart Beckford OD (21 September 1942 – 17 February 2021), known by the stage name U-Roy, was a Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of toasting.Jo-Ann GreeneU-Roy Biography, AllMusic. Retrieved 11 April 2013. U-Roy was known for a melodic style ...
for their 2009 ''Sgt. Pepper'' tribute album ''
Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band
''Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band'' is a dub reggae tribute to the Beatles' album ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'', by the Easy Star All-Stars. It was released on April 14, 2009.
Track listing
#"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ...
''.
Personnel
According to
Ian MacDonald
Ian MacCormick (known by the pseudonym Ian MacDonald; 3 October 1948 – 20 August 2003) was a British music critic and author, best known for both '' Revolution in the Head'', his critical history of the Beatles which borrowed techniques from ...
, the line-up on the Beatles' recording was as follows:
The Beatles
*
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
– lead and backing vocal, piano, bass guitar, comb and tissue paper
*
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
– backing vocal,
vocal percussion
Vocal percussion is the art of creating sounds with one's mouth that approximate, imitate, or otherwise serve the same purpose as a percussion instrument, whether in a group of singers, an instrumental ensemble, or solo.
In Western music
Recent ...
, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and tissue paper
*
George Harrison
George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
– backing vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and tissue paper
*
Ringo Starr
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
– drums, comb and tissue paper
Additional musician
*
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
– piano (solo)
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Full lyrics for the song at the Beatles' official website
{{authority control
1967 songs
The Beatles songs
Songs written by Lennon–McCartney
Song recordings produced by George Martin
Songs published by Northern Songs
Songs about police officers
Psychedelic songs
Music hall songs