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Overview
"Wild Honey Pie" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 album The Beatles. Paul McCartney conceived the song in February 1968 while the band was in Rishikesh, India, and recorded it six months later without his bandmates. He later recalled that they were "in an experimental mode" at the time. [Wikipedia]
Background
Wild Honey Pie is a song by The Beatles, written by McCartney and led on vocal by Paul McCartney. 52-second Paul solo experiment; almost cut from the LP. Within the catalogue, its solo thread connects it to Yesterday, Within You Without You; its brief thread connects it to It's Only Love. Recorded as a spontaneous 53-second off-the-cuff McCartney solo piece during the 20 August evening session, 'Wild Honey Pie' represented pure studio experimentation with minimal arrangement planning. Paul's quick-fire overdubbing of multiple vocals, acoustic guitars, and a thumping bass drum created a densely layered one-man McCartney performance. The track's brevity and playful energy contrasted sharply with the album's more ambitious compositions, serving as an interlude-like moment within the album's four-side structure. (he Road' 'Your Mother Should Know' 166 Unfinished Music No Kozinn 1995, p.242)
What's distinctive
At 0:52 it's one of the shortest tracks in the canon (≤2th percentile). One of 65 songs led primarily by Paul. Recorded approximately 17 of 34 into the The White Album (1968) sessions. Carries the unique tag 'experiment' — no other song shares it. Take count: 6 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)).Opening line — "Honey pie, honey pie…" (brief identification excerpt; full lyrics © Sony Music Publishing — see Genius link in References.)
Pattern analysis
Recording
The session work falls within the band's The White Album (1968) period, recorded 20 Aug 1968 at EMI Studios + Trident Studios (Soho). George Martin (with Chris Thomas covering) produced; Ken Scott (early), Geoff Emerick walked off — replaced engineered. For session-by-session detail, see Mark Lewisohn's account on p.150 of The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions (excerpt below). Take 1 sufficed for 'Wild Honey Pie,' suggesting McCartney's complete confidence in the spontaneous approach. The overdubbing process involved multiple acoustic guitar passes and vocal layers built up over the single basic rhythm track. Engineer Ken Scott's note-taking documented the session's informal quality: 'Just one take — with the overdubs, of course — was required to capture the song, spontaneity being the key.' The minimal mixing and rapid completion reflected McCartney's deliberate embrace of rough-and-ready studio production.
| Studio | EMI Studios + Trident Studios (Soho) — first Beatles 8-track sessions: 'Hey Jude' onward |
|---|---|
| Tape machine | Ampex AG-440 8-track (Trident); 3M M23 8-track at EMI from late 1968 (J37 four-track until then) |
| Console | REDD/TG12345 prototype; Sound Techniques 20/8 (Trident) |
| Microphones | U47/U48, AKG C12, U67 introduced |
| Outboard / effects | EMI RS124, EMT 140 & 250 (Trident), Fairchild 660, ADT, tape flanging, fuzz, wah (Vox/CryBaby) |
| Guitars | Epiphone Casino, Fender Strat (Rocky), Gibson J-200 acoustic, Martin D-28, Fender Telecaster Bass |
| Amplifiers | Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Bassman, Vox UL730 |
| Producer | George Martin (with Chris Thomas covering) |
| Engineer / 2nd | Ken Scott (early), Geoff Emerick walked off — replaced • John Smith, Mike Sheady, Barry Sheffield (Trident) |
| Estimated takes | 6 (highest take number documented in Lewisohn (1988)) |
Legacy & release history
In the canonical discography it appears on the LP The Beatles (White Album). Documented alternate versions include Mono Masters (2009 box), White Album 50th Anniversary (2018). Mono and stereo histories vary by era — see the dedicated section below. Paul McCartney lead vocals appear in 65 canon songs (13 in White Album era), making this among his rarest lead-vocal moments in terms of traditional song structure. At 52 seconds (5th percentile of canon duration), the track remains the Beatles' shortest formal album composition and represents the band's embracing of experimental brevity.
Mono & stereo
- Both mono and stereo mixes were prepared; the UK mono White Album (PMC 7067/8) has many distinct edits, mixes and effects vs. the stereo (PCS 7067/8) — collectors prize the mono.
Documented alternate versions
- Mono Masters (2009 box) — Allan Rouse / Guy Massey remaster
- White Album 50th Anniversary (2018) — Giles Martin stereo remix
Released on
- The Beatles (White Album) — LP, 22 November 1968
Cross-references
Other songs sharing themes (experiment, solo, brief)
Other songs led by the same vocalist
Other songs from this era
experimentsolobrief
References & external databases
Frequently asked
Who wrote Wild Honey Pie?
“Wild Honey Pie” is credited to Paul McCartney (Lennon–McCartney).
Who sings lead on Wild Honey Pie?
The lead vocal on “Wild Honey Pie” is by Paul McCartney.
When was Wild Honey Pie recorded?
“Wild Honey Pie” was recorded 20 Aug 1968 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road.
How many takes did Wild Honey Pie require?
Mark Lewisohn's session log documents up to 6 numbered takes for “Wild Honey Pie”.