# 12-Bar Original > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/12-Bar_Original > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/12-Bar_Original.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-Bar_Original > Source revision: 1333711057 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1996 instrumental by the Beatles "12-Bar Original" Instrumental by the Beatles from the album Anthology 2 Released 18 March 1996 (UK) 19 March 1996 (US) Recorded 4 November 1965 Studio EMI, London Genre Blues rock Length 2:54 Label Apple Songwriters John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Richard Starkey Producer George Martin "**12-Bar Original**" is an instrumental [12-bar blues](/source/12-bar_blues) by [the Beatles](/source/The_Beatles). It was recorded in 1965, but was not commercially available until 1996 when an edited version of take 2 of the song was included on the *[Anthology 2](/source/Anthology_2)* album. Prior to editing, the length of take 2 was 6:36.[1] It is one of the few songs credited to [Lennon](/source/John_Lennon)/​[McCartney](/source/Paul_McCartney)/​[Harrison](/source/George_Harrison)/​[Starkey](/source/Ringo_Starr)[2] and published by Lenono Music, Inc., [MPL Communications Ltd](/source/MPL_Communications), [Harrisongs Ltd.](/source/Harrisongs), and [Startling Music Ltd.](/source/Startling_Music)[3] Other songs credited to all four Beatles include "[Flying](/source/Flying_(The_Beatles_song))" from *[Magical Mystery Tour](/source/Magical_Mystery_Tour_(album))*, "[Dig It](/source/Dig_It_(The_Beatles_song))" from *[Let It Be](/source/Let_It_Be_(album))*, "[Christmas Time (Is Here Again)](/source/Christmas_Time_(Is_Here_Again))", the B-side to the 1995 single "[Free as a Bird](/source/Free_as_a_Bird)" and [Now and Then](/source/Now_and_Then_(Beatles_song)). Of the Beatles, only [John Lennon](/source/John_Lennon) and [Ringo Starr](/source/Ringo_Starr) ever commented on the song. During some US radio interviews, Lennon was asked if there were any unissued Beatles recordings. He replied that all he could recall was "some lousy 12 bar". Starr told journalist Peter Palmiere: "We all wrote the track and I have an acetate of one of the versions". The quote was later used by Palmiere in a Ringo Starr cover interview/story in DISCoveries magazine in 1993 and by Jim Berkenstadt and Belmo in their book *Black Market Beatles*. "12-Bar Original" was the Beatles' first instrumental after signing for [EMI](/source/EMI), and was produced by [George Martin](/source/George_Martin) at EMI's [Abbey Road Studios](/source/Abbey_Road_Studios), London. Four other instrumentals by the group are the aforementioned "Flying", an outtake version of that song called "Aerial Tour Instrumental", "[Cayenne](/source/Cayenne_(song))" and "[Cry for a Shadow](/source/Cry_for_a_Shadow)". ## Composition and recording "12-Bar Original" was recorded on 4 November 1965, the same day as "[What Goes On](/source/What_Goes_On_(Beatles_song))".[4] Beginning with a count-in by McCartney, the track consists of 17 twelve-bar choruses in the key of [E major](/source/E_major), recorded without [overdubs](/source/Overdub), with drums, bass, guitar and harmonium, clocking in at 6:42.[5] For the track's release on *Anthology 2*, Martin edited together certain choruses: #1–2 (0:00–0:46), #9–10 (3:04–3:50),#14 (4:59–5:22) and #16–17 (5:46–6:38).[5] The track was the first instrumental the group recorded since "Cry for a Shadow".[5] ## Personnel - [John Lennon](/source/John_Lennon) – [lead guitar](/source/Lead_guitar) - [Paul McCartney](/source/Paul_McCartney) – [bass](/source/Bass_guitar) - [George Harrison](/source/George_Harrison) – lead guitar - [Ringo Starr](/source/Ringo_Starr) – [drums](/source/Drum_kit) - [George Martin](/source/George_Martin) – [harmonium](/source/Pump_organ) - Personnel per [Ian MacDonald](/source/Ian_MacDonald)[6] ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-anthology2p18_1-0)** [*Anthology 2*](/source/Anthology_2) (booklet). [The Beatles](/source/The_Beatles). London: [Apple Records](/source/Apple_Records). 1994. p. 18. 31796.{{[cite AV media notes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_AV_media_notes)}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others_in_cite_AV_media_(notes))) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["12 Bar Original, BMI Work #4263229"](https://web.archive.org/web/20061208051922/http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=4263229&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID). [BMI](/source/Broadcast_Music_Incorporated). Archived from [the original](http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=4263229&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID) on 2006-12-08. Retrieved 2009-08-31. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-anthology2p46_3-0)** [*Anthology 2*](/source/Anthology_2) (booklet). [The Beatles](/source/The_Beatles). London: [Apple Records](/source/Apple_Records). 1994. p. 46. 31796.{{[cite AV media notes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_AV_media_notes)}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others_in_cite_AV_media_(notes))) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEverett2001308_4-0)** [Everett 2001](#CITEREFEverett2001), p. 308. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEverett2001330_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEverett2001330_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEverett2001330_5-2) [Everett 2001](#CITEREFEverett2001), p. 330. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-macdonald2p177_6-0)** MacDonald (2005), p. 177 ## References - [Everett, Walter](/source/Walter_Everett_(musicologist)) (2001). [*The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men Through Rubber Soul*](https://archive.org/details/beatlesasmusicia00ever). US: Oxford University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-514105-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-514105-9). - [MacDonald, Ian](/source/Ian_MacDonald) (2005). *Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties* (Second Revised ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-84413-828-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84413-828-3). ## External links - [Alan W. Pollack's analysis of "12-Bar Original"](http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/iivv.shtml) - [The Beatles Bible: 12-Bar Original](http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/12-bar-original/) v t e Rubber Soul Songs Side one "Drive My Car" "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" "You Won't See Me" "Nowhere Man" "Think for Yourself" "The Word" "Michelle" Side two "What Goes On" "Girl" "I'm Looking Through You" "In My Life" "Wait" "If I Needed Someone" "Run for Your Life" Non-album single "We Can Work It Out" "Day Tripper" Outtake "12-Bar Original" Related articles The Beatles albums discography The Beatles' 1965 UK tour Yesterday and Today Nowhere Man (EP) This Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul The Beatles albums: Please Please Me With the Beatles A Hard Day's Night Beatles for Sale Help! Rubber Soul Revolver Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Magical Mystery Tour The Beatles Yellow Submarine Abbey Road Let It Be v t e The Beatles Anthology Media Albums 1 2 3 4 TV series Book Anthology Collection Singles "Free as a Bird" "Real Love" B-sides "Free as a Bird" "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" "I Saw Her Standing There" (Take 9) "This Boy" (Takes 12 and 13) "Real Love" "Baby's in Black" (Live) "Yellow Submarine" (Remix) "Here, There and Everywhere" (Takes 7 and 13) Other songs Anthology 1 "In Spite of All the Danger" "That'll Be the Day" "Cayenne" "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" "You'll Be Mine" "Ain't She Sweet" "Cry for a Shadow" "My Bonnie" "Bésame Mucho" "Hello Little Girl" "How Do You Do It?" "Like Dreamers Do" "Searchin'" "The Sheik of Araby" "Three Cool Cats" "Lend Me Your Comb" "Moonlight Bay" "Leave My Kitten Alone" "Shout" "You Know What to Do" Anthology 2 "If You've Got Trouble" "That Means a Lot" "12-Bar Original" Anthology 3 "A Beginning" "Junk" "Not Guilty" "Step Inside Love/Los Paranoias" "What's the New Mary Jane" "Ain't She Sweet" "All Things Must Pass" "Come and Get It" "Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues" "Rip It Up/Shake, Rattle and Roll/Blue Suede Shoes" "Teddy Boy" See also "Grow Old with Me" "Now and Then" "Carnival of Light" Sessions The Rutles Archaeology Authority control databases MusicBrainz work --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [12-Bar Original](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-Bar_Original) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-Bar_Original?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.