Guitar World takes a look at the acoustic guitar-based songs on the "White Album" -- how they were written and the process they went through to become finished tracks.

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"LONG LONG LONG"

Recorded October 7-9, EMI Studios, Abbey Road

Easily the quietest song on the "White Album," this George Harrison composition follows the album's noisiest track, "Helter Skelter." Originally titled "It's Been a Long Long Long Time," the song was recorded without John Lennon, its basic tracks laid to tape during a marathon 16-1/2-hour session on October 7.

With Harrison on acoustic guitar, McCartney on organ and Ringo on drums, 67 takes of "Long Long Long" were recorded before George was satisfied with the results. One day later, McCartney recorded his bass part for the song while Harrison added an additional acoustic guitar part and a double-tracked vocal.

Interestingly, the song's unusual conclusion came about as the result of a happy accident. Recalls Chris Thomas, who was George Martin's assistant on the sessions, 'There's a sound near the end of the song, which is a bottle of Blue Nun wine rattling away on the top of a Leslie speaker cabinet. Paul hit a certain organ note and tile bottle started vibrating. We thought it was so good that we set the mikes up and did it again."

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