Beatles – I Will

On September 16th, 1968, with just over three-and-a-half months already spent on recording the “White Album,” Paul brought “I Will” into EMI Studio Two for the first time. Paul, John and Ringo arrived sometime after the usual designated time of 7 pm to begin the recording process, George not taking part in the recording and possibly not present at all on this day.This “acoustic set-up” consisted of Paul on vocals (track four) and acoustic guitar (track three) and both Ringo and John on percussive instruments together on track one). Upon listening, it appears that Ringo was trying to simulate rumba percussion by tapping out a beat using rim shots on his snare drum while occasional kick drum, tom toms and cymbals are also heard. As for John, he is alternating between playing maracas and an instrument found in the Studio Two “trap room” that is best described by Mark Lewisohn in his book “The Beatles Recording Sessions” as “tapping out a beat with wood on metal.” In the book that accompanies the Super Deluxe 50th Anniversary box set of the “White Album,” Kevin Howlett refers to this instrument as “skulls.”“Take one,” which is heard on “Anthology 3,” sounds as though John played maracas at the beginning of the song but then put them down to play his “wood on metal” skulls from the second verse on. Ringo even quietly crashed a cymbal at the end of the extended final verse. Lyrical differences include Paul singing “love you with all my heart” instead of “love you when we’re apart” at the end of the bridge, and “endear me to you” instead of “endear you to me” in the last verse.Many of the takes were false starts, “take 12” being one of these, which ended in laughter from all involved just after the first bridge began, this being included on the 50th Anniverary box set of the “White Album.” Paul immediately led them into “take 13,” which was a complete version with John playing skulls throughout the song. “Rattle them skulls,” he proclaims at the end of the take. Now, enjoy final version after 67 takes from White Album, 1968.In the comments, early impromptu from White Album sessions, then take 1 from Anthology 3 and finally, take 13 from Super DeLuxe Edition White Album 2018.