Sun King (song)

Sun King (song)

Song infobox
Name = Sun King


Artist = The Beatles
Album = Abbey Road
Released = 26 September 1969
track_no = 10
Recorded = Abbey Road Studios
24-25 July 1969
Genre = Psychedelic rock
Length = 2:26
Writer = Lennon/McCartney
Label = Apple Records
Producer = George Martin
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Abbey Road
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one
#"Come Together"
#"Something"
#"Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
#"Oh! Darling"
#"Octopus's Garden"
#"I Want You (She's So Heavy)";Side two
#"Here Comes the Sun"
#"Because"
#"You Never Give Me Your Money"
#"Sun King"
#"Mean Mr. Mustard"
#"Polythene Pam"
#"She Came In Through the Bathroom Window"
#"Golden Slumbers"
#"Carry That Weight"
#"The End"
#"Her Majesty"

"Sun King" is a song by The Beatles that appeared on the "Abbey Road" album. It is the second song of the B-side's climactic medley.

History

The working title was "Here Comes the Sun King",cite book |first=Mark |last=Lewisohn |authorlink=Mark Lewisohn |title=The Beatles Recording Sessions |year=1988 |pages=182 |publisher=Harmony Books |location=New York |isbn=0-517-57066-1] but was shortened to "Sun King" to avoid confusion with the song "Here Comes the Sun". The lyrics to start the song are the same as the title and lyrics of "Here Comes the Sun", but with the word "King" inserted afterwards, although George Harrison wrote the latter and "Sun King" is written by John Lennon. Later, the song, in minor key with an organ in the background, breaks into a faux Romance language mixing English, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. The song is in three-part harmony, sung by Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Harrison. At the end of the song, the music stops abruptly and a Ringo Starr drum fill leads into the next track, "Mean Mr. Mustard".

The faux Romance mixing of languages occurs in the last three lines of the song. In 1969, Lennon was interviewed about these lyrics and said, "We just started joking, you know, singing 'quando para mucho.' So we just made up... Paul knew a few Spanish words from school, you know. So we just strung any Spanish words that sounded vaguely like something. And of course we got 'chicka ferdy' in. That's a Liverpool expression. Just like sort of-- it doesn't mean anything to me but (childish taunting) 'na-na, na-na-na!'"cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/~beatleboy1/dba11road.html |publisher=The Beatles Interview Database |title=Abbey Road - Sun King |accessdate=2007-09-12]

Paul McCartney recalled that one of the expressions that he meant to include was "Los Paranoias", a name by which he and Lennon would refer to The Beatles. A version of McCartney playing with this theme was released on "Anthology 3".

Another noted aspect of the song is its use of cross-channel movement, or stereo panning and fading. The fast guitar line slowly moves from right to left channel and then back. This occurs in the beginning of the song, and then again at the end.

In an interview in 1987, Harrison said that the recording was inspired by Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross". "At the time, 'Albatross' (by Fleetwood Mac) was out, with all the reverb on guitar. So we said, 'Let's be Fleetwood Mac doing Albatross, just to get going.' It never really sounded like Fleetwood Mac… but that was the point of origin."

In 1976, The Bee Gees covered the song for the evanescent musical documentary "All This and World War II".

A portion of the vocals was included as a reversed a cappella in the track titled "Gnik Nus" for the 2006 album "Love". An instrumental section of "Sun King" was also used at the end of the track "Octopus's Garden" on the compilation.

Personnel

*John Lennon: multi-tracked lead vocals, rhythm guitar and maracas.
*Paul McCartney: background vocals, bass and harmonium.
*George Harrison: background vocals and lead guitar.
*Ringo Starr: drums.
*George Martin: Lowrey organ.

References

External links

* [http://www.thebeatles.com/ The Beatles official site]
* [http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/sk.shtml Alan W. Pollack's Notes on "Sun King"]


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