Okay Beatles people, here's a question I don't know the answer to. "Penny Lane" is one of my favorite songs. No matter how many times I've listened to it, it sounds like John and Paul are either singing the lead vocal in harmony or in unison together. I know that John's vocal is prominent, but I still hear Paul in the verses and the chorus throughout the whole song. I read Geoff Emerik's book but don't remember if he ever mentioned it.

I know that John would double track his vocal, but it still sounds like John and Paul are singing the whole song together. Am I wrong?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-rB0pHI9fU

Here's a simple answer, Ben:

The video is misleading.

Penny Lane was Paul's.

Strawberry Fields was John's.

Both were from their childhood memories...Both, I think, came out on the same album...?

The harmonies are intricate, which is one of the things that made The Beatles what they were.

But the lead vocal on Penny Lane is Paul's....

...Until Johnny Daubert chimes in and proves me wrong:-)

Strawberry Fields Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UQK-UcRezE


Midnite

Right Midnite. My old ears are worn. The harmonies confuse me. "The barber shaves another customer" sounds like Lennon.

Rest easy Ben,

In 1982, a roommate and I, with young ears, still had trouble figuring out who was singing what...Unless it was Ringo or George:-)

Midnite

I thought for years that George sang "When I'm Sixty Four" and "Rita The Meter Maid".

Hey Ben and Bob:

Interesting discussion! Like many males in America during the "British Invasion"... I did not care for these guys very much. It took a year or two before I recognized they were not "run of the mill" like most guitar bashers. Even later, when orchestras would do their melodies... I realized how far ahead of their time they actually were.

Few musicians or artists are "enshrined" in my tiny music temple and I did not agree with everything even these guys did. The "Ashram Phase" dropped them down several notches with me but I suppose most people exposed to fame and adulation decide they need a different lifestyle. Lennon knew how to step on my "last best nerve" and did it often.

No matter... they were unique and their impact on the music of the world continues to inspire and impress.

Great thread, Ben. ----Dave

Paul is lead vocal as it's his song. On some of the verses his vocal is doubled which is most likely what confused your ears.

Stevie

yeah,i could hear Paul on this one but was fooled by a couple others.I'm not sure about some other albums of theirs but on my Revolver album,the back cover tells you who the lead singer is on each song.And on my Rubber Soul album,the back cover mentions which instruments some of them play under each song title. Mike

I agree with Little Stevie b. It’s Paul! He still does that song in his shows sounding very much like the original.

On a side note if you click on Mick Caro’s (Sub) Facebook page there is a really nice video of him doing Penny Lane on the acoustic guitar.

http://www.beatlesbible.com/1966/12/30/mixing-recording-when-im-sixty-four-penny-lane/

I didn't dig real deep—but this site is pretty good about saying what happened when, and it talks about McCartney recording lead vocals with Lennon backing. But have no doubt that all the melody is all McCartney, as well as some harmonies, too. Lennon sang backing vocals, but that doesn't preclude McCartney from double tracking his lead vocal (not sure if that was done on this one, but they did it a lot) and also probably nailing that high harmony. There are a LOT of vocal parts in this song, and Paul is probably singing most of them.

Excellent instrumental version on a classical guitar. That's why I started thinking about the song.

So, Iggy, "Mike" Caro now goes by "Mick"???...Don'tcha just hate typos:-)

I didn't know Sub had a Facebook page. Will have to check it out!

Happy Thanksgiving to all you bandmates/friends in the Philly-Jersey-Staten Island Triangle!

You have been an inspiration through the years...

Midnite

Thanks Bob, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I moved to Lancaster PA a while back so that Philly –Staten Island-Jersey triangle is more a trapezoid now. (I’m showing off, I had to look that word up)

Here is Mike’s (Sub’s) Face book link complete with Penny Lane.

https://www.facebook.com/MikeCaro74?fref=tl_fr_box&pnref=lhc.friends

Mike Caro .........a BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE.

Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

Paul sings most of Penny Lane, however you can clearly hear John on the harmonies particularly in fish and finger pie and blue suburban skies bits.

Coincidently I've just come back from Liverpool, I'll post some pics in a bit

This photo was taken actually in Penny Lane (the road), although Penny Lane is also district. The district is where all the song references occur. Sadly the 'Penny Lane' road signs are frequently defaced or stolen, so the council resorted to adding the name to the brickwork (as in the photo), but that still doesn't stop people defacing it.




The barber's shop is still there and the original 'showing photographs' are still there and can be seen on the wall if you peer through the window.




This is the bank, although now it is an NHS surgery and about 2 doors down from the barber shop.

There's our Nigel looking stylin' like a mockingjay
He's Liverpoolin' photogenic to a "T"
And that's the way a fan should be
On a winding road say hello!

-Mike