The Vocal Debate About A Day in the Life

A Day in the Life is one of the most iconic Beatles songs. But there's a 50+ year debate over who is singing the "ahhhs" in the middle section. What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

#Beatles #YCUT #Music

Background Reading (including evidence suggesting the vocals are by Paul):

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Questions / Comments / Ideas:

[aria_chatt]

They pulled a sneaky on us and had Ringo sing it

[rockawaybtch]

Never even thought it could be Paul, always immediately assumed it was John.

[scottread]

This isn't a controversy - it's an unmistakable Lennon vocal.

[SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand]

I think it's just John hitting an unusually fantastic note.

[rbailey]

It's obviously John. Not sure how this is even a debate.

[Gribbo]

Always sounded like John to me. Still does after more than half a century after release and still a thrill to hear. I'll never be 17 again that's for sure but the Beatles help me get back to those days in my life.

[claudiodevita]

That's Paul, no discussion. John couldn't reach that notes so easly and clean like this. Only Paul had that stable high note voice

[gedq]

"we asked two guys who were there and they both said it was John"

I suppose the mystery will live on....

[basilchapmanlft]

It’s both of them while John is doing the “ah” you can hear Paul in the background going “ooh”

[kurtmooreca]

They were both singing and they blended the audio in the dub for release. That is why it sounds like both of them, because it is both of them.

Edit: Actually you can also hear Harrison in the mix. you were able to isolate the vocals but not the harmonics. The Beatles often triple harmonized, their songs. So there is no mystery voice, its the 3 of them harmonized.

The dragging neutral ahh's are George, the highs are Paul, and the tonal is John.

You can hear the same in the first example I want to tell you, when George comes in about a half beat behind both John and Paul again. The base voice doesn't change pitch, so their are 2 singers, and then it breaks into 2 tenor sections with Paul going off high and George holding the tenor, and John holds the bass of the vocals through the section.

So ya 3 probably all 4 were mic'd to tracks, as Ringo also provided many backing vocals because of is lower tenor range although I don't hear his tone in the track so I don't think he sang on it. George Paul and John definitely did. You can literally hear all three vocal parts in the Ahhs.

[rayalex]

Without ever seeing this before I’ve always thought it was John. It’s his sound.

[SamusicChannel]

it’s always sounded like john to me, mainly because of how nasaly the aaaahs are, but i do see why some think it’s paul as well

[hhxufzl]

After continuous re-listening I've come to a conclusion that it's definetly Paul's voice.
It's tricky when you listen to the piece for a first or a second time, since the reverberation was added to the voice.
But if you listen closely to the given part and compare it to the beginning of 'Lovely Rita' you'll recognise the same manner of singing, the same pitch and the same voice.

[brent]

This is one of the best moments in music history ever recorded! So, so so good! Absolutely beautiful. Just lovely. I always thought it was John, but Paul???

[ltczsxq]

I think the 'Ahhh's' are John, and the 'ooh's' are Paul. Making it seem like Paul is singing.

[alanbarnett]

Don't get it. It's John. Who else could sound sarcastic while singing a single vowel?...

[drawde]

I was gonna say John but after hearing the isolated voice in lovely rita It's possible Paul singing the aaahh.

[IngotAU]

This is so interesting, thanks for presenting this! The isolated tracks are fascinating. I've listened to these songs my entire life, and it's fantastic to hear the building blocks. Helps me to hear them in a new way.
Oh and it's John 💯👊💥😄

[savagebiker]

Have none of you considered that George's voice sounds like a mixture of John and Paul

[TC_]

Everyone says it sounds like John, the recording engineers that were THERE said it was John. Therefore I think it was John.



Or it could be Paul.