RAIN drops...?

Who is singing the high harmony in the chorus?...

"R-A-A-A-A-ain...I don't mind...SHI-I-I-I-ine...the weather's fine".

I had always assumed it was Paul. On closer listen, it sounds like John to
me...very 'nasal'...what do you think.

DayTripper1966...

I have always assumed it was Paul, as I did with the Spoil The Party
verses. Listening again, I definitely hear John's voice, especially on
"the weather's fine." However I also hear Paul, esp. on the first
"Rain."

I think it is *both* on high harmony.

DayTripper1966...

One of the few songs where the two voices are on different tracks. I
believe it is John on the low part (definitely melody) and Paul on high
harmony.

Some Other Guy...

Wrong. It is obviously John singing both parts. Listen closely.

MikeLawyr2...

I think the high bits are Paul, but, then again, I'm always pushing the
proposition that Every Little Thing is a John song.

Ok, gang: Name every song in which Paul's harmony part is sung below
John's part. I am not hearing anything coming to mind at present.

DayTripper1966...

It is certianly not obvious. I still think it is Paul John and Paul
are always listed as vocalists for Rain.

tom...

The high part in "Rain" Chorus sections is sung by John, thus he sings
both harmony parts.

There is a bootleg around without the low part as I recall, or at least
with the high part much louder than on the record, it's very clear it's
John. That note is effortless for Paul, John is screaming his head off
to reach it and hold it in full voice.

The verse answers to John's lead are actually 3 part harmony, not two,
so George is in there too...

The last part of this song, that was supposedly played backwards, is
actually the vocals in reverse but certianly not the instruments. I
have a tape of this if anyone wants it.

...and what a FANTASTIC performance on Bass by Paul...revelatory!

W.E. Kurtz, COL (ret.)...

I'm with you there on the harmony. I just assumed it was Sir P, but if
you psychotically analyze every nuance and inflection (as I do, of
course), I came to the conclusion that it was JL. Listen to "mind" and
"fine", specifically.

BTW, is there any mention in 'The New Bible' of Paul overdubbing the
bass AFTER the original tracks were slowed down?

Lookingglass...

The recording of RAIN is covered on page 419 of the "New Testament".

The first session for RAIN is at the end of the day...when sessions were
finished for PAPERBACK WRITER. The book states a rhythm track and vocals
were recorded that day and then the boys called it a night. Maybe someone
else can explain "rhythm track"...does that mean 'bass and drum'? It's not
spelled out. It does state the "guitar and drums were played faster than
they wished the final tempo to be. That seems to imply that the tracks were
slowed down and THEN McCartney added Bass. Later, at the second session,
bass, tambourine and backing vocals were recorded. However, the authors
refer to these tracks as "overdubs"...which then undergo a reduction mix,
with "Take 5" being mixed down to "Take 7".

There's discussion about vari-speed and semi-tones, speakers as microphones
etc... but nothing specific about a McCartney overdub.

I hope a 'techie' might be able to explain this better...gentlemen...???

dancin' dave (...and sip their lemonade...)

Lookingglass...

I will check for you Sir...! What a brilliant performance, huh?!?

;^)

dancin' dave (...I don't mind...)

dancin' dave (...can you hear me...)

Danny Caccavo...

Always sounded like John to me.

MikeLawyr2...

There's a little riff that Paul does in the second verse underneath
"shooooow youuuuuu" that's just terrific.

Lookingglass...

On the back of PAPERBACK WRITER, I think this is the song that marks the
'new era' Beatles...this is the song that delineates the old style from the
new...in my opinion. The whole recording is quite astounding. Ringo (and
others) think this is his best drumming. Paul's bass is even more
adventurous than the line that he played on Paperback Writer. I'm not clear
as to who did the guitar work, but I love the sound of that guitar...it's
clean, over-driven and wonderfully 'picked'. The lyrics are
'psychedelicately' simple...childlike. And this is the song that really
marked the 'experimental' phase of their musical career...more so than
Paperback Writer.

For me, this song is in the 'top 10' BEST of the Beatles recordings. It
sends shivers down my spine EVERY time I hear it.

DayTripper1966...

I agree, and also believe it is the tiime when Paul surpassed John as a
songwriter. Rain is Roger McGuinn's favorite Beatle song.

Lookingglass...

Are you suggesting that RAIN is Paul's song?

DayTripper1966...

No, I was thinking of the A-side, Paperback Writer.

I don't agree with your conclusion that Paul's songwriting "surpassed"
John's songwriting. I think they had different 'styles'...I think both Paul

DayTripper1966...

Does that mean one was not better than the other? In my opinion,
John's writing went downhill after Revolver.

and John had their fair share of 'hits' and 'misses'...

:^)

dancin' dave (...she's not a girl who misses much...)

DayTripper1966...

.........do, do, do, do, do, do, oh yeah

rforman61...

"Rain" gets a lot of deserved praise, but to me it's the double-barrel
combination of it with "Paperback Writer" that marks the beginning of
the Beatles' next musical phase, not just "Rain" on its own. They both
feature outstanding instrumental performances, highly innovative
production techniques, and brand-new lyrical directions, but PW's
dimension as a hard-driving rocker grounds Rain and keeps the maintains
a connection between the band's uptempo past up to that point and their
more experimental adventures just around the corner. PW has, I think,
maybe the most intricate and ambitious vocal arrangement of any
Beatles' track up to that point; that and the amazing musical effect
achieved with the synhronized was of reverb and echo that converges
just before the song explodes into each verse, are just as noteworthy

rforman61...

In case it wasn't clear, I meant to say "wash."

as the many cool elements of "Rain."

richforman

dancin' dave (...can you hear me...)