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Pecos Pueblo

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Sun King


I was listening to this song on Breakfast with the Beatles on Monday and I realized that I had heard this same guitar sound on Fleetwood Mac's Albatross. Why hadn't I ever thought of that before? 

I actually don't usually listen to the Beatles Sirius station on Monday because it is all McCartney and too many of his songs in a row make my teeth ache. For the 9/11 anniversary they went all John Lennon this week to mix things up. The songs had a lot of beauty and power. I can listen to a steady diet of John, no problem.

I started looking into the song. It turns out that Peter Green's lush and gorgeous sound was the inspiration. I wondered if they used a similar amp? I did a little research.

George is playing the lead on a 1968 rosewood Fender Telecaster going through a Fender Deluxe Twin Reverb. John has the initial lead part. He played his 1965 Epiphone ES-230 TD Casino through a rotating Leslie speaker. George Martin is playing a Lowery organ. Paul is on his 66 Fender jazz bass and Ringo on his trusty maple Ludwig kit.

It premiered on July 24th, 1969, in EMI Studios. This is the 35th take. As a curious aside, Alan Parsons is one of the four engineers.

I think it is a gorgeous and very underrated song. George Harrison's work here is incredible, his tone and touch sublime.

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