Music · Harmony

Pedal point

A sustained or repeated bass note while harmonies above it continue to change

songs

Sixteen recordings have it, from 1964 to 1970. It sits thickest on the Magical Mystery Tour album, two of its eleven tracks. It begins on 'Eight Days a Week' and finishes on 'The Long and Winding Road'. More of them come from 1967 on than from the first four years, eleven against four. John sings lead on five of them, Paul on five, George on three and Ringo on one. On 'The End' it is the two inner voices hold while the outer voices descend in sixths. On 'You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)' it is two bars converge on the home key over a bass pedal. Of the sixteen, 'We Can Work It Out' is in B minor, and only three of their recordings are.

Analysis

Song count per year

% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)

Early1 · 6%

Mid-period6 · 38%

Late9 · 56%

Book

All the Songs

Margotin & Guesdon

Book

Harmony & Voice Leading

Aldwell & Schachter

Sheet music

Musicnotes – Beatles Piano/Vocal/Guitar

Musicnotes

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Year

Album

Writer

Lead vocal(s)

#	Title	Year	Album	Lead Vocal(s)	Notes
1	Eight Days a Week	1964	Beatles For Sale	John	the intro states the verse's opening phrase over a held D
2	You Won't See Me	1965	Rubber Soul	Paul	-
3	We Can Work It Out	1965	Past Masters	Paul, John	D bass pedal
4	If I Needed Someone	1965	Rubber Soul	George	-
5	Rain	1966	Past Masters	John	-
6	Baby, You're a Rich Man	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	John	G bass pedal
7	The Fool on the Hill	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	D bass pedal

8	Glass Onion	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	Bridge over A pedal
9	Mother Nature's Son	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	D pedal throughout
10	Good Night	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Ringo	an elaborate pedal across the eight-bar bridge
11	Only a Northern Song	1969	Yellow Submarine	George	an E pedal under the second half of the intro
12	It's All Too Much	1969	Yellow Submarine	George	G bass pedal
13	The End	1969	Abbey Road	Paul	the two inner voices hold while the outer voices descend in sixths
14	Polythene Pam	1969	Abbey Road	John	E pedal under double-plagal intro
15	You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)	1970	Past Masters	John, Paul	two bars converge on the home key over a bass pedal
16	The Long and Winding Road	1970	Let It Be	Paul	Eb bass pedal