Fixing a Hole

"Fixing a Hole" is a song mainly written by Paul McCartney (credited Lennon/McCartney) and performed by The Beatles on the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Recording
The first of two recording sessions for the song was at Regent Sound Studio in London on February 9, 1967 in three takes. Regent was used because Abbey Road Studios was not available that night. This was the first time the Beatles used a studio other than Abbey Road for recording a track for an EMI album.

The lead vocal was recorded at the same time as the rhythm track, a change from their post-1963 approach of overdubbing the vocal.

According to McCartney, on the night of the session an unusual man appeared at the gate of McCartney's home and identified himself as Jesus Christ. After a cup of tea, and after getting him to promise to be quiet and sit in a corner, McCartney brought the man to the recording session. After the session the man left and was never heard from again.

In another version of the story, John Lennon arrived at the studio, found the man hanging around the front door, and it was Lennon who invited him in.

McCartney described this song as an "Ode to pot", also saying that he got to fixing the roof of his house in Scotland much later.

Credits

 * Paul McCartney: Lead Vocal, bass guitar, harpsichord*
 * John Lennon: Backing Vocal, Maracas
 * George Harrison: Backing vocal, lead guitar and solo (double-tracked)
 * Ringo Starr: Drums
 * Some sources say George Martin played Harpsichord on the track. Neil Aspinall, however, confirmed in Beatles Monthly that it was Paul playing harpsichord on "Fixing a Hole."

Trivia

 * Paul wrote "Fixing a Hole" after repairing the roof on his Scottish farmhouse (which he bought, along with 400 acres of land, sight unseen in June 1966).
 * Beatles road manager Mal Evans helped write the song. He was paid for his efforts, but not given official credit. (Tragically, Mal was shot to death by police in 1976 when he waved an air pistol at two policemen while in a depressed state.)
 * "Fixing a Hole" is one of the ten Beatles songs that mention rain.
 * This song has been covered by George Burns (yes, that for the Sgt. Pepper movie soundtrack.