The Secret Behind 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill': Unveiling the Melotron

The Beatles were renowned for their innovative and complex soundscapes, often using unconventional instruments and recording techniques. One such technique involved the Melotron, a predecessor to synthesizers. In the song 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill,' the distinctive intro is not played by a human guitarist, but by this early electronic instrument.

Introduction to the Melotron

A Melotron is a keyboard instrument that uses pre-recorded magnetic tape loops. Contrary to what some might think, these loops were not tape loops but rather segments of tape that played for a maximum of 8 seconds, rapidly rewinding to the beginning after the segment ends. Each key on the Melotron had one unique strip of tape associated with it. The Mellotron, which can be seen in many of The Beatles' recordings, was a novel and experimental instrument at the time.

The Personnel and the Melotron

The Beatle lineup for the track 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill' included:

John Lennon: Vocals, acoustic guitar, and organ Paul McCartney: Backing vocals, bass George Harrison: Backing vocals, acoustic guitar Ringo Starr: Backing vocals, drums, tambourine Yoko Ono: Vocals, backing vocals Chris Thomas: Mellotron, studio engineer Various others including: Maureen Starkey, backing vocals

Interestingly, in the recording of 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill,' Chris Thomas is credited with “playing” the Mellotron. He did so by holding down one key, which activated a pre-recorded tape of flamenco guitar. However, John Lennon himself took credit for the corny brass introduction and the "Yeah!" at the end. Chris Thomas, one of the studio engineers, played the Spanish flamenco guitar part, but he did not play the intro.

The Song's Background

'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill' was written to memorialize the actions of an arrogant American woman and her son, Rik, who resided at the Maharishi's ashram. They went on a misguided tiger hunt backed by elephants, which was not deemed "traditional." While John Lennon poked fun at Rik's inexperience in his song, it's said that Rik was privately appalled and never repeated the hunt.

The Melotron in Modern Context

The Melotron was a revolutionary idea for its time. It allowed the activation of pre-recorded sounds and instruments at the touch of a button. Some of the keys could even trigger complete pre-recorded rhythm sections or musical phrases. In 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill,' John Lennon enjoyed hitting the lowest note which played a corny brass introduction followed by a Jimmy Durante-style "Yeah!" at the end.

Modern synthesizers, such as the Yamaha Motif XS 7, perform similar functions, albeit with the advantage of increased accessibility and better quality sound. However, unlike the Melotron, synthesizers go out of date quickly, a reminder of the unique charm and the creative possibilities of early electronic instruments.

References:

Geoff Emerick, "Here, There, and Everywhere." The Beatles' studio secrets. (2006)