Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 23, 24 February; 7, 21 March 1967
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Released: 1 June 1967 (UK), 2 June 1967 (US)
Paul McCartney: vocals, piano, bass, comb and paper
John Lennon: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
George Harrison: backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, comb and paper
Ringo Starr: drums, comb and paper
George Martin: piano
Available on:
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Paul McCartney's affectionate tale of a female traffic warden was originally written as an anti-authority satire. As McCartney later explained, "I was thinking it should be a hate song... but then I thought it would be better to love her."
Traffic wardens were a relatively new feature of British life in 1967. In America they were colloquially known as meter maids, a term which caught the imagination of McCartney via a newspaper story.
There was a story in the paper about 'Lovely Rita', the meter maid. She's just retired as a traffic warden. The phrase 'meter maid' was so American that it appealed, and to me a 'maid' was always a little sexy thing: 'Meter maid. Hey, come and check my meter, baby.' I saw a bit of that, and then I saw that she looked like a 'military man'.
Anthology
Some time later, a traffic warden called Meta Davies claimed she had given McCartney a parking ticket in St John's Wood, London.
His car was parked on a meter where the time had expired. I had to make out a ticket which, at the time, carried a 10 shilling fine. I'd just put it on the windscreen when Paul came along and took it off. He looked at it and read my signature which was in full, because there was another M Davies on the same unit. As he was walking away, he turned to me and said, 'Oh, is your name really Meta?' I told him that it was. We chatted for a few minutes and he said, 'That would be a good name for a song. Would you mind if I use it?' And that was that. Off he went.
A Hard Day's Write, Steve Turner
Paul McCartney wrote the words for Lovely Rita in the Wirral near Liverpool, while walking near his brother Michael's house in Gayton.
I remember one night just going for a walk and working on the words as I walked... It wasn't based on a real person but, as often happened, it was claimed by a girl called Rita [sic] who was a traffic warden who apparently did give me a ticket, so that made the newspapers. I think it was more a question of coincidence: anyone called Rita who gave me a ticket would naturally think, 'It's me!' I didn't think, Wow, that woman gave me a ticket, I'll write a song about her – never happened like that.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
In the studio
Recording began on 23 February 1967 in Abbey Road's studio two. Eight takes of the rhythm track were recorded, with George Harrison and John Lennon on acoustic guitars, Ringo playing the drums and Paul on piano. Take eight was the best, and onto this McCartney added his bass part.
The next day his lead vocals were taped, following which Lovely Rita was left until 7 March. On that day the song's distinctive backing vocals and sound effects were recorded. Led by John Lennon, The Beatles made various groaning, sighing and screaming noises, played paper and combs, and added some cha-cha-chas for good measure.
The paper and combs can best be heard immediately before the line "When it gets dark I tow your heart away". The Beatles' assistant Mal Evans was sent to collect paper from Abbey Road's lavatory. Stamped with the words, "Property of EMI", the paper was threaded into hair combs and blown, giving a kazoo-like effect.
On 21 March George Martin recorded the song's piano solo. It was recorded with the tape machine running at 41¼ cycles per second, and was mixed at 48¾ cycles. This made the solo much faster and higher pitched than it had been during the recording.
As with the backing vocals, the piano was plastered in tape echo, and also varispeeded to give a honky-tonk effect.
I used to try out funny things in odd moments and I discovered that by putting sticky tape over the capstan of a tape machine you could wobble the tape on the echo machine, because we used to delay the feed into the echo chamber by tape. So I suggested we did this using a piano sound. The Beatles themselves couldn't think what should go into the song's middle eight and they didn't really like my idea at first, but it turned out fine in the end because of the effect. It gave the piano a sort of honky-tonk feel. In fact, Paul asked me to play the solo when I made the suggestion but I was too embarrassed.
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, Mark Lewisohn
Lovely Paul, playful mate,
Where would we be without you?
🙂
Great song, sir Paul!
I love the backing vocals and noises by John Lennon. Seriously, I realize how much Lennon improved so many of Paul’s songs …
Hello. I agree 100% with you. That’s exactly what I always thought when listening to this song. BTW, I suspect some informations here are wrong. I think that Paul plays the lead guitar of the opening . Once I read Mr Harrison saying that he did almost nothing in this album
Yes, the last 33 seconds are the most interesting. Really clear on the remastered stereo version.
I always thought it was John Lennon’s musical/vocal input that made this song wonderful … Lennon and McCartney were amazing.
The piano solo is great. The best part of the whole song. Along with the strange sounds at the end.
Varispeed was also used on Eric Clapton’s solo sound “wiggly” on While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
What makes you think the solo was taped at half-speed? I slowed the tune at 50% (with audacity). The piano part seems so slooooooow, and an octave lower, which is obvious, but two things are not : the appogiature on the A chord (the little c note before the c# an e), and, particularly, the ending glissando : if you are a pianist (I am a poor one, but I can do appogiatures and glissandos), you know that they are never played this slow.
More, if it was half-speed recorded, it would finally sound like a kind of clavichord at normal speed (as in “in my life”), but it actually sounds like a normal piano.
That is why I think that this part was simply recorded at a normal speed.
(several videos on you tube show it’s possible…)
Sorry for my bad english, I’m French…
What a lot of effort for nothing. I don’t know where you got the idea that it was taped at half speed – that’s not what the article says.
“[The solo] was taped at a slower speed than normal, to sound much faster on playback.”
“On 21 March George Martin recorded the song’s piano solo. This was taped at a slower speed than normal, to sound much faster on playback”
ok, maybe not at half-speed, but which speed, then?? Make a little effort, if you can, please… Or say nothing.
Alan POLACK think it’s half-speed-as in “in my life” : http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/lr.shtml
I have made a little effort, over 700,000 words on this site, all of it free to access. If you think I haven’t made any effort and should say nothing I’ll respectfully ask you to go elsewhere.
Because I’m feeling charitable, however, I’ve added some more information about this song. Maybe you could make a little effort with your politeness… Or say nothing.
Well said Joe!
It’s perfectly clear that the piano was recorded at slower speed, especially at the very end with the fast arpeggio, but who cares about the excact rate?!
There are many songs especially on “Pepper’s” where they recorded a lot of parts at various speeds, especially the vocals (When I’m 64, Lucy, Lovely Rita).
He should rather complain about his own reading-comprehension than about you not mentioning if they slowed it down a half note more or less.
Ridiculous!
Btw, looks as if this Alan POLACK is wrong in BOTH cases.
The solo in “In my life” doesn’t sound double-speed either.
“who cares about the exact rate?” well, I do, because I am a Beatles fan, and when I try to play this solo, it’s important to know if it was originally played in D or in E flat. I suppose some other people might be interested, especially on a site about how Beatles songs were recorded…
Sorry for my bad english, I wish I could hear your french…
Why is that important to know?
Try it in D and in Eflat and do what works better for you!
That’s the way I, as a pianist, would do it.
I’m totally satisfied with “slower speed”.
And I’m German, btw. “Michelle” pretty much sums up my French vocabulary.
Ok let’s stop that stupid fuss…
I made the first mistake by writing my comment in the same time I was writing an email to Alan POLLACK, about the same subject, and HE was talking about half-speed.
The second mistake is that I did not realize that it was the webmaster replying my comment, otherwise I would not have answered that way. I am sorry, I apologize for that, and I have to congratulate you for the good and useful work you have made, especially the new info about the speed recording of “Lovely Rita”, which I did not have.
But… I do not see what may have been rude in my first comment, and maybe you should realize how much your first comment was despising : “What a lot of effort for nothing”… At least, you could have recognized that I had pointed out something that needed to be clarified. (so you did, by addind the extra info, didn’t you?)
Knowing now who I am talking to now, I also apologize for the “effort” I asked…
Now I’ll make another “effort”, if you think that a comment about how a Beatles’ song was recorded is useful in this site, by explaining why I think that “Lovely Rita” was recorded in D, instead of E flat, unlike most people think. But it takes time and effort, and a little more info from you, so I’ll wait for your agreement (no charity, please) and answer :
” [the solo] was recorded with the tape machine running at 41¼ cycles per second, and was mixed at 48¾ cycles”
Ok, but what was the speed of the song recording? 41¼ or 48¾ ?
OK, apology accepted. My comment about effort was that you’d taken the trouble to slow down the track in Audacity to prove a point I didn’t make. Had you not confused my words with Pollack’s it wouldn’t have been an issue.
I don’t think the tape speed issue necessarily needed to be clarified. Although this is called the Beatles Bible it’s never going to contain absolutely every detail about the band, because it would be impossible. If I can find something out I try to add it, but I have to strike a balance between writing about things people might want to read and pursuing my own interests. As it happens I’m less bothered about actual tape speeds, but hopefully someone else can provide some more detail.
The solo (not the whole song) was recorded at 41¼ cycles per second. When they mixed the song it was played back faster, at 48¾ cycles.
I should probably make it clearer that I’m the site owner. Thanks for raising it – I presumed it was obvious, but I realise now that it may not be.
Hi Joe,
I am really grateful for this site, whenever I have a Beatles question it’s the only place that actually answers my question without smothering it with speculations about the lives of the band members (Yoko is Satan, Paul is dead, George lost it and went Hindu, etc.) and I appreciate it so much.
I know it’s absolutely none of my business BUT…”I have to strike a balance between writing about things people might want to read and pursuing my own interests.” now I’m insanely curious. Don’t reply if you don’t feel like it, but since I respect your writing as much as I do, I am interested to know what you would write about if you had a crowd that would read about it.
In any case, have a fabulous life 🙂
Hi Molly. Thanks for the kind words. I’m reluctant to move this conversation much further from Lovely Rita, but since you asked nicely…
Quite often I get asked why I don’t include detailed information on instruments used on songs (eg “Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar” rather than just “acoustic guitar”). I would love this site to be all things to all people, but I’m pushing 40 and might well have more years behind me than ahead of me. It would take many, many months to track down detailed information on all instruments, if it could even be done thoroughly, and it might realistically be appreciated – or even noticed – by less than 1% of this site’s visitors.
I’m fairly sure even fewer people care about tape speeds during a Sgt Pepper session, though I do try to help out where I can. In-depth recording information might even turn off some casual fans from visiting, so there’s a balance to be struck. Other sites such as the excellent Steve Hoffman forum are better for those sorts of discussion. I wanted this site to be accessible to the many, and appreciated by those with a little extra knowledge, but I never wanted it to be exclusive, elitist or full of industry jargon.
Time, or lack of it, really is the deciding factor in what I do write (I have a day job and young kids, so very little time for this at the moment). I’d like to write more about Paul, George and Ringo’s solo works, and expand the history section so it goes from 1970 to the present day. I’d like to write more features on interesting aspects of their careers (Beatles and beyond), because there’s a lot of stuff that lives in my head but could make nice little articles. I’m also midway writing a Beatles book, subject to be announced at a later date. One day I hope to work on this website full time, and if it happens I would publish something new every day. But that’s still some way off.
(NB This comments template doesn’t allow any replies beyond a certain number, which is why nobody else can respond. Sorry about that.)
i ve heard so much about Nicky Hopkins playin on several sessions uncredited. Nothing against George M’s playing but the solo sounds so much like Nicky.
It wasn’t taped at half speed Boyer. It was taped at 41¼ cycles per second, and was mixed at 48¾ cycles. Cheers.
Guys: When you play along, you realize Love Rita sounds like it’s “in the crack’ halfway between E and E flat. Honest, this is not heresay or theory. I play piano along with it and neither E nor E flat matches it because whatever tricks they used, the Beatles and George Martin et al got it to come out between two keys, E and E flat.
Tzveha
spot on !! its a varispeed hybrid
One of my favorite Paul songs, with nice contributions from John & George Martin.
Irresistible melody with great lyrics.
The members of Pink Floyd (in 1967) were Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason, and they recorded at Abbey Road Studios, where they observed the Beatles recording this song. It’s said that the intricate layers of sound in the song inspired their song ‘Pow R. Toc H.’ from their 1967 album ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’. I feel this should be included in the article.
The “lovely Rita meter maid” and “ahh” background harmonies were definitely sped up, giving it an unreal psychedelic feel, my favorite thing about this very good pop song.
I’ve been enjoying this era with all the sped up and slowed down vocals. Of course many of us know Lennon slowed down his voice on Strawberry Fields, but listen to Lucy In The Sky and you can hear he sped up his voice on that. They all sped up their voices on the group-singing in Magical Mystery Tour(“roll up”). Even When I’m 64-listen to the lead vocal-definitely sped up.
Back to Rita; listening with headphones it seems as if the piano solo is outlined with a melatron in the right headphone, not loud, but it’s there…any opinions on that?
Forty years of listening to and enjoying this song and it wasn’t until last week I heard the subtle but distinct sound of a champagne cork popping just after Paul sings “had a laugh and over dinner”. Granted, I was wearing headphones at the time. The Beatles threw so many surprises into this album I’m still discovering them!
Yes, that’s a good sound effect, along with the middle part of A Day in the Life when I believe there is the sound of an alarm clock just before Paul sings “Woke up, fell out of bed…”
Concerning the “speed” of the song, it appears to me that the song was originally played in D major and sped up to E flat on Sgt Pepper. (Paul plays the song in D major in his performances today, which can be found on YouTube.) For a guitarist, the song is easy to play in D. One can use a capo on the first fret to play the song in E flat, but the snappy, ethereal quality of Lovely Rita on the Sgt Pepper recording, especially the vocals, suggests that Paul must have liked the accelerated sound. By the way, When I’m 64 was also sung and played originally a half step lower.
Speed kills. 🙂
I also hear the pop sound after the word ‘dinner’… And also a kind of ‘hammond’ or another organ can be heard in the background while the piano solo thing is going on. Who did play that organ?
I think that the organ sound you hear is just the echo from the piano.
What about the climactic ending?
how ’bout this: by most accounts it was recorded in D and sped up a little over half a step to just sharp of Eb–but, when you listen to the guitar track it’s definitely an open E chord being played when they are at the Eb, not a D chord. THEREFORE, john and george tuned down their guitars a whole note–and if you listen, the guitars do sound somewhat slackened. thank you.
Do any of you know what an”ear-worm”is? It’s a song that you just can’t get out of your head,sometimes for days.Well I’ve had Lovely Rita as an ear-worm for at least 10 years that I can remember. Standing on line at the bank,during the commercials on TV,even just falling asleep at night- it’s almost continuously in my mind when I’m not thinking of anything else in particular. Now don’t get me wrong,I love The Beatles,I have about 50 songs that are tied for”favorite” including Lovely Rita,but because of this long-time ear-worm effect it continues to have on me I suspect that there might also be some subliminal things going on in the song.
Any opinions on this?
I think all you girls should quick clucking. Listen to the music and enjoy it!
Now, shouldn’t the lyric be “When it gets dark YOU tow my heart away” since it’s Rita who would initiate that process?
Maybe but if “Paul” is the interested one/pursuer he would initiate the tow using a method that Lovely Rita would understand and relate to.
does John say “leave it” on the fade?
Hey Joe, the type of instruments they used on most of these songs are easily obtained. Ive done it. Bet u could too, most are in the Beatles Gear book. They didnt use too many different guitars thru the years.
From the moment I obtained my first copy of”Sgt Pepper”, I loved this song. Another great Paul McCartney melody and composition. Love John and George’s playing on acoustic rhythm guitars and George Martin on piano is wonderful.
I love that Paul has included this song in his concerts over the past couple of years. I think his bass playing is very good on this song and he plays bass and sings at the same time very well. As a bass player, this was the first album I ever learned to play along with and I especially liked Lovely Rita. While it’s pretty much a normal walking bass line, Paul has a way of making the ordinary extraordinary.
“Does John say “leave it” on the fade?”
My ears hear John saying “I don’t believe it” at the end of the song. Because his comment can also be heard on outtakes of the basic tracks (pre-vocals), my guess is that John’s words were those of relief that, as a group, The Beatles were able to work through a good rhythm take considering all of the song’s complex chord changes.
“never believe it”
Maybe the speeding up from 41 and a bit to nearly 49 accounts for the fact that the guitars sound like a mandolin at the beginning. I guess if one acoustic is playing an open chord (whatever you people may think it is), and a 2nd guitar is on a high capo with the same chord, that may account for the mandolin-like effect. Whatever it is it’s yet another great arrangement idea from the 5 of them!