Songs That the Beatles Switched instruments on.

Lennon played Bass?  Songs the Beatles switched instruments on. 

The Beatles were a four-man rock combo.  George Harrison played Lead Guitar, John Lennon played Rhythm Guitar, Paul McCartney played Electric Bass Guitar and Ringo Starr played Drums. In 1962-1964 this lineup was seldom deviated from. Keyboards (if needed) on early Beatles records were usually played by producer George Martin. However, by 1965 other instruments were more often required.  From 1965-keyboards were   most often handled by Paul McCartney but John Lennon and George Martin often played keyboards and non-members   such as Mal Evans, Billy Preston or Nicky Hopkins also occasionally played keyboards.  

Additional percussion instruments were usually played by Ringo Starr but were also played by Harrison, Lennon and McCartney on a few tracks-especially if they had nothing else to do.  On many occasions from 1965 and  onward The Beatles brought in classical musicians to play various orchestral parts or horn solos. Almost all the orchestral arrangements were scored and conducted by George Martin.  

All lead vocals were handled by the group and most backing vocals were by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison. On a few occasions between 1966 and 1968 outsiders were brought in to provide party style backing vocals or female vocals.  On only one occasion was an outside guitarist brought in to play on a Beatles record. That would be Eric Clapton who played lead guitar on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.   George Harrison brought in Clapton partly to encourage the other Beatles to be on their best behavior. 

Here are the times that Beatles members played instruments outside their specialty.

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney was perhaps the greatest melodist of his generation and has a unparalleled gift for adding musical colors to songs-so George Martin and the group often let him get away from just playing bass and allowed him to play guitar, keyboards and other instruments.  However, this soured McCartney's relationship with George Harrison to a degree since it sent the message that Macca often wouldn't trust Harrison to play the guitar on songs. 

In the early (pre-record making) days of the Beatles -Macca was the third guitarist-but switched to bass when Stu Sutcliffe left the band. But Macca often returned to play guitar.  It is most noticeable on acoustic songs where he is the only guitarist. 

Songs that McCartney played acoustic guitar on include:

'"I'll Follow the Sun", "I've Just Seen a Face", "You've Got to Hide Your ", "Yesterday"   "Michelle", "I'm Looking Through You", "All Together Now", " Two of Us", "Maggie Mae", "I Will" "Your Majesty", "Rocky Racoon ". 

McCartney also played lead electric guitar or rhythm electric guitar on "The Night Before", " Ticket to Ride" "Another Girl", "Drive My Car", "Taxman"," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Fixing a Hole", "Helter Skelter", "Oh Darling, and "You Never Give Me Your Money".  Notice that with exception of three songs-all these songs that Macca played guitar on were songs that predominately written by Paul McCartney. 

Songs that McCartney played Drums on:  McCartney filled in on drums for two songs - “Back in the USSR” and “Dear Prudence” when Ringo left the group temporarily in 1968.  McCartney also played drums on “Ballad of John and Yoko” in 1969 because Harrison and Starr were not available when the song was recorded.   McCartney was nearly a one-man band on “Why Don’t We Do It on the Road, and "Wild Honey Pie" on the White album. (Although Ringo did play drums on "Why Don't We Do it on the Road"). 

John Lennon

Lennon usually played rhythm electric guitar but occasionally played lead guitar or acoustic guitar but that of course was normal for his job.  On at least one occasion he is only instrumentalist on a song that would be “Julia”.  He plays the acoustic guitar on that ballad.

As stated before, Lennon played keyboards on numerous songs-one of the most notable was introduction to "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da". 

What was unusual was for Lennon to play bass. He played bass on  "Rocky Racoon”, “Helter Skelter”, "Dig It', “Let It Be” (on the Anthology 3 version) and on “The Long and Winding Road”.  Lennon did this because McCartney was occupied on another instrument.  Sometimes ,Lennon or Harrison played bass on a early take of a song, only to have McCartney do a later overdub.  One of the many reasons that there is sometimes disputes on who played what.

Neither John Lennon or George Harrison ever completely filled in for Ringo on drums on a finished recording. But Lennon did play a snare drum while Ringo tapped on a guitar and played cowbell, on ¨I Need You¨.  It is also said that Lennon and Harrison may have played some of the drum parts on "Back in the USSR". 

George Harrison usually stuck to lead electric guitar -and he wasn’t any more prominent on lead acoustic guitar then Lennon or McCartney were. However-the famous classical guitar work on “And I Love Her” is by him.   And songs like "Here Come the Sun" features his acoustic guitar.

Harrison famously played Sitar on “Norwegian Wood”, "Tomorrow Never Knows”, Within You, Without You ", and "Across the Universe".

George Harrison played Tambura on "Getting Better" and on "Within You Without You".

George Harrison played organ on his 1967 songs-"Only a Northern Song", "Its All Too Much",

and "Blue Jay Way" 

George Harrison played bass on "Birthday", on "Golden Slumbers" , "Oh Darling", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". "Carry That Weight" and a "bassy" guitar on "You Never Give Me Your Money".

Harrison also played synthesizer on some songs on the Abbey Road album.

 

Harrison left the group temporarily during the Let It Be sessions, but no final recordings were made during that time.

Ringo Starr played piano on “Don’t Pass Me By” and Organ on “I’m Looking Through You”.

Ringo, despite being a competent lead vocalist-was rarely used as a backing vocalist-however is known to have sung as a backing vocalist on: “Yellow Submarine” “Bungalow Bill”, Carry That Weight” and “Flying.”

Other 

There are a few other instances of members of the group playing Harmonica or other novelty instruments.  For example, Paul McCartney is said to play recorder on “Fool on the Hill”, John Lennon is said to have played sax on “Helter Skelter". George Harrison played a Ukelele on "Free As A Bird".  Mal Evans played the alarm clock on "A Day in the Life". And Ringo played the anvil on the final version of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". 

Written June 2019 by J.C.Bernhardt.

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