Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 25, 28, 30 July 1969
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Phil McDonald
Released: 26 September 1969 (UK), 1 October 1969 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, handclaps
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass, lead guitar, piano, electric piano
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine, maracas, cowbell
Available on:
Abbey Road
Anthology 3
Although written by John Lennon in 1968, Polythene Pam wasn't recorded and released until the following year, when it was included as part of the long medley on the Abbey Road album.
Polythene Pam was recorded as one with Paul McCartney's She Came In Through The Bathroom Window. It was the only time two separate songs by the two writers were recorded as one.
The song recounts, with some poetic licence, the tale of a Liverpool scrubber with an almost comical fetish. Sung in a thick Scouse accent for earthy authenticity, it harks back to The Beatles' early days performing in Merseyside's seedier venues. It also resurrects the group's 'yeah, yeah, yeah' refrain from the days of She Loves You.
The character of Polythene Pam is believed to have been drawn from two women from different times in The Beatles' existence. The first was Pat Dawson (née Hodgett), a Liverpudlian fan from the group's early days, who was known as Polythene Pat due to her somewhat improbable love of the substance.
I started going to see The Beatles in 1961 when I was 14 and I got quite friendly with them. If they were playing out of town they'd give me a lift back home in their van. It was about the same time that I started getting called Polythene Pat. It's embarrassing really. I just used to eat polythene all the time. I'd tie it in knots and then eat it. Sometimes I even used to burn it and then eat it when it got cold. Then I had a friend who got a job in a polythene bag factory, which was wonderful because it meant I had a constant supply.
A Hard Day's Write, Steve Turner
The second woman was the girlfriend of English beat poet Royston Ellis, for whom The Beatles had performed as a backing band in Liverpool in June 1960. The group remained friends with Ellis for some years, and in August 1963 John Lennon had a memorable encounter with Ellis and his girlfriend Stephanie.
That was me, remembering a little event with a woman in Jersey, and a man who was England's answer to Allen Ginsberg, who gave us our first exposure – this is so long – you can't deal with all this. You see, everything triggers amazing memories. I met him when we were on tour and he took me back to his apartment and I had a girl and he had one he wanted me to meet. He said she dressed up in polythene, which she did. She didn't wear jackboots and kilts, I just sort of elaborated. Perverted sex in a polythene bag. Just looking for something to write about.
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
The incident actually occurred in Guernsey following The Beatles' concerts on 8 August 1963. Ellis and Stephanie invited Lennon back to their rented flat where the three wore polythene and shared a bed out of curiosity about kinky sex.
We'd read all these things about leather and we didn't have any leather but I had my oilskins and we had some polythene bags from somewhere. We all dressed up in them and wore them in bed. John stayed the night with us in the same bed. I don't think anything very exciting happened and we all wondered what the fun was in being 'kinky'. It was probably more my idea than John's.
A Hard Day's Write, Steve Turner
The Beatles recorded a demo of Polythene Pam in May 1968, at Kinfauns, George Harrison's bungalow in Esher, Surrey. The song was considered for inclusion on the White Album, but it wasn't recorded until over a year later.
The Kinfauns demo was eventually released in 1996 on Anthology 3. In it, the line "She's the kind of a girl that makes the News of the World" is replaced by "Well it's a little absurd but she's a nice class of bird". There are also variations in the song's chords.
On Abbey Road's Mean Mr Mustard, the line "His sister Shirley works in a shop" was changed to "His sister Pam..." to create an impression of narrative continuity. While recorded separately, the two songs appear back-to-back on the album, having been recorded in the same key and edited together without a gap.
In the studio
The Beatles began recording Polythene Pam/She Came In Through The Bathroom Window on 25 July 1969. They taped 39 takes of the basic track, which featured Lennon on acoustic rhythm guitar, McCartney on bass, Harrison on lead guitar and Starr and drums. Lennon and McCartney also sang guide vocals for the songs where needed.
During the same session they re-recorded the drums and bass parts, and lead vocals were added.
On 28 July they added a series of overdubs to the two songs, including more lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, tambourine and other percussion, electric and acoustic piano.
The songs were finished on 30 July with the addition of percussion and guitar overdubs. On this day the running order of Abbey Road's long medley was also finalised, with most final mixing, edits and crossfades put in place.
I met Royston Ellis in Sri Lanka in 1994. He was working as a journalist on the island. He’s a really great guy and I was fascinated by his memories of the British beat poetry movement. He was proud of his association with this song. I think he may also have been the inspiration for Paperback Writer. That’s what he told me.
Who plays the solo?
Not sure, but listening to Polythene Pam, the tone and pace of the guitar solo sounds more like George’s style. Paul’s approach on guitar seems more biting and faster, to me anyways.
I´m not sure Paul played both pianos for both songs.
I can’t hear any piano.
That is George for sure on the solo–and one of his best. And I love John’s 12-string acoustic guitar work in the song.
If that’s george it’s marvelous and I weep. I was 14 when this album came out. DS
Crikey! I always thought it was John playing the solo on the Epiphone with a clean tone and some slap back. And then Paul coming in on lead on the downbeat of one on “She Came in…
In the demo version, it sounds to me like John sings “you should see it intact, dressed in a polythene bag” instead of “see her in drag…” am I alone on this?
Maybe it’s because I’m American, but am I not comprehending what polythene is? It’s that material they make plastic bags out of, right? Why on Earth was that girl eating it?? Why were they wearing polythene bags to bed?? Nothing about this makes sense. (Also, I think it’s interesting that John would go to bed with Royston Ellis only a few months after he went to Barcelona with Brian!)
Polythene is the British word for polyethylene.
Sorry Kris Maxwell; to my ears I can only “see her in drag”.
🙂
Let’s not forget to mention the bass note Paul played,
where he slid up, past the intended fret, then compensated.
He was convince NOT to re-record it, but to leave it as a
charming little anamoly
Handclaps? I don’t hear any.