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Overview
"Her Majesty" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1969 album Abbey Road. Written and sung by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it is a humorous, somewhat ungracious ode to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. McCartney said that he "wrote it as a joke" and that "[it's] almost like a love song to the Queen." The song consists of one lead vocal and an acoustic guitar melody. [Wikipedia]
Background
Her Majesty is a song by The Beatles, written by McCartney and led on vocal by Paul McCartney. Hidden track tacked on by engineer John Kurlander; first 'hidden track' of pop. Paul McCartney's 'Her Majesty' served as a spontaneous, ultra-brief link track recorded 2 July 1969 as a rapid studio interlude. At 23 seconds, the composition functioned as comedic punctuation within the medley structure, referencing British royalty with tongue-in-cheek directness. McCartney's quickfire vocal delivery and minimal arrangement reflected the composition's novelty status and intentional brevity (Lewisohn 1988, p.178). The song's irreverent humor and formal brevity challenged album conventions, representing the band's artistic confidence in unconventional gestures. (Kozinn 1995)
What's distinctive
At 0:23 it's one of the shortest tracks in the canon (≤0th percentile). One of 65 songs led primarily by Paul. Recorded approximately 8 of 17 into the Abbey Road (1969) sessions. Carries the unique tag 'hidden-track' — no other song shares it. Take count: 42 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)).Opening line — "Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl…" (brief identification excerpt; full lyrics © Sony Music Publishing — see Genius link in References.)
Pattern analysis
Recording
The session work falls within the band's Abbey Road (1969) period, recorded 2 Jul 1969 at EMI Studios. George Martin produced; Geoff Emerick (returned), Phil McDonald, Glyn Johns engineered. For session-by-session detail, see Mark Lewisohn's account on p.178 of The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions (excerpt below). The recording session captured the basic track with extraordinary efficiency, requiring minimal takes or overdubbing. McCartney's quick vocal and simple rhythmic accompaniment created an understated delivery consistent with the composition's intentional simplicity. George Martin's production approach emphasized speed and clarity over elaboration (Lewisohn 1988, p.178). The intimate acoustic recording, minimal in production approach, contrasted sharply with the album's technological sophistication, creating ironic effect through restraint. (Emerick 2006) Her Majesty's brief comic interlude, seemingly afterthought yet carefully sequenced, provided essential levity and surprise to Abbey Road's ending, subverting formal closure. (MacDonald 1994)
| Studio | EMI Studios — Studio Two & Three (last Beatles LP recorded as a band) |
|---|---|
| Tape machine | 3M M23 8-track (EMI installed Sept 1968), TG12345 console under construction |
| Console | EMI TG12345 transistor console (debuted on Abbey Road); some sessions on REDD.51 |
| Microphones | U47, U67, AKG C12, AKG D19/D20 (drums), STC 4038 |
| Outboard / effects | EMI RS124, EMT 140, Fairchild 660, ADT, compression on every channel (TG) |
| Guitars | Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Lucy' (Harrison), Fender Rosewood Telecaster (Harrison), Epiphone Casino, Moog Series III synthesizer |
| Amplifiers | Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Bassman, Vox UL730, Leslie |
| Producer | George Martin |
| Engineer / 2nd | Geoff Emerick (returned), Phil McDonald, Glyn Johns • Alan Parsons, John Kurlander (2nd) |
| Estimated takes | 42 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)) |
Legacy & release history
In the canonical discography it appears on the LP Abbey Road. Documented alternate versions include 2009 Stereo Remasters, Abbey Road 50th Anniversary (2019). Mono and stereo histories vary by era — see the dedicated section below. Paul McCartney lead vocals appear in 65 canon songs, with 8 in Abbey Road—establishing even ultra-brief tracks as vocal vehicles. At 23 seconds, it represents the shortest Beatles composition and occupies the 1st percentile of canon duration, the absolute brief extreme. The composition's whimsical brevity and political reference point paradoxically made it memorable as Abbey Road's most unconventional moment (Lewisohn 1988, p.178). The track's unusual sequencing and placement document its deliberate positioning as album coda.
Mono & stereo
- Stereo only on UK release — the band's last three LPs were mixed for stereo; no UK mono LPs were issued.
Documented alternate versions
- 2009 Stereo Remasters — Allan Rouse / Guy Massey remaster
- Abbey Road 50th Anniversary (2019) — Giles Martin stereo remix
Released on
- Abbey Road — LP, 26 September 1969
Cross-references
Other songs sharing themes (hidden-track, first-of-its-kind, acoustic-fragment)
Other songs led by the same vocalist
Other songs from this era
hidden-trackfirst-of-its-kindacoustic-fragment
References & external databases
Frequently asked
Who wrote Her Majesty?
“Her Majesty” is credited to Paul McCartney (Lennon–McCartney).
Who sings lead on Her Majesty?
The lead vocal on “Her Majesty” is by Paul McCartney.
When was Her Majesty recorded?
“Her Majesty” was recorded 2 Jul 1969 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road.
How many takes did Her Majesty require?
Mark Lewisohn's session log documents up to 42 numbered takes for “Her Majesty”.