Peter & Gordon - Woman - First Version - Stereo Mix

[DocRobert]

After writing three hit singles for Peter & Gordon, Paul McCartney wrote a new song for them called “Woman” under the pseudonym Bernard Webb. The duo’s first recording of this was at EMI Abbey Road on December 1st, 1965 featuring a small string and horn section. A week later an acetate disc was cut but the recording was never returned to with the master tape(s) being erased or lost. At the request of their producer John Burgess, a re-recording was done on New Years Eve 1965 with a much fuller arrangement, and this 2nd version was released as a single in Jan/Feb 1966. In hindsight, Paul said in January 1969 that he always preferred their first recording to the over-produced re-recording, and, sitting at the piano on 14th January 1969, Paul sang some of this song during the Beatle’s Get Back sessions.

First version recorded 1st December 1965, EMI Studio 2 (evening session)
Mono Acetate pressed 8th December 1965
Peter Asher & Gordon Waller: Vocals
Paul McCartney: Drums, harmonium, orchestra arrangement, and very occasional backing vocal
Orchestration (2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 2 flugel horns, 2 trombones) Directed by Geoff Musson
Engineer: Ken Scott
Producer: John Burgess

The original acetate resurfaced in 2013 after being bought off Ebay for £1,659, and I have remixed this mono recording into stereo to more clearly hear Paul McCartney’s orchestral arrangements, Paul’s drumming and his occasional “Woman” vocal support.

Enjoy!

hxxps://we.tl/t-cBLXamjqK4

Kev

Footnotes:-
• Paul wrote this song for his then girlfriend Jane Asher, brother of Peter Asher (of Peter & Gordon).
• Gordon (Waller), one-half of Peter & Gordon, ranks “Woman” as his favourite song the duo ever recorded.
• John Lennon also wrote a song called “Woman” in 1980 calling it a “grown-up” version of his 1975 Beatles song “Girl”.

[MP3J]

that's great, thanks. Who was the drummer?...he did a fab job

edit...i just saw it was Paul...well done Paul!

[Tex]

This sounds very different to the acetate I upmixed last year. I'll have to examine later.

[DocRobert]

Tex, I didn't know you did a stereo version. The more the merrier I guess!

Kev

[Tex]

This sounds very different to the acetate I upmixed last year. I'll have to examine later.

Different vocal at the beginning I think.
Peter and Gordon - Woman (2023 TexMix)
hxxps://we.tl/t-HQtl4DOqoV

I guess this is the FIRST version or at least how it stood before the session a week later?

[ToddS]

Thank You for posting this. Sounded Very very Good. Now i have 3 or 4 Stereo Mixes of this early version and a Mono Mix from three or four
different members from here and from BSN Site. Thank You to everybody .There is also a short or edited Radio show with Peter Ascher talking about the
song . It mite still be on You-Tube .

[DocRobert]

Here's a WAV of my stereo mix for anyone having difficulty playing FLAC files: hxxps://we.tl/t-cBLXamjqK4

Kev

[Tex]

So what is the different version i posted?

[DocRobert]

Tex - yours is also a great stereo mix but for mine I panned Paul's drums to the left for a more "1960s" mix.

Kev

[Tex]

Tex - yours is also a great stereo mix but for mine I panned Paul's drums to the left for a more "1960s" mix.

Kev

No, I mean it's got a different vocal I don't mean my stereo up-mix. The original share labeled it "1st remix".

I just rechecked and it definitely has a different vocal at least in the first verse. He sings it more gently. The difference is obvious as soon as he starts singing.

Your source has more double-tracking in the vocal whereas the source I used it's more single-tracked in places.

Does anyone have any info on this different version? I thought it was supposed to be the acetate version. Are there TWO acetates?