It entailed finding a singer, a song and an arranger; they’d work as a trio around his office piano, select the right key and tempo, then discuss the musical treatment, how it should sound and what orchestration it should have; then he’d book the session players, get the music written out for different instruments, and finally head into the studio. Such archetypal A&R functions didn’t apply when it came to the Beatles. Their sessions would start with one or some or all four of them demonstrating how the new song went, George would tidy it up as necessary and then they’d record it (along with
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