Beatles Taxman – count in is Paul?

I heard Chris Carter this morning state and the count in was Paul. Sounds like George to me. I know, this is like the ahhhs in Day in the life.

 

'Tis George..Although Paul shouts the "Four"

 

I think it's George.

 

It's both. George does the exaggerated one while Paul does the actual one. Paul starts off Mike but by "4" is audible.

 

The Walrus is Paul

 

Funny, I always thought it was John with Paul yelling "Four" at the end, but I guess it could be George.

 

The Taxman is Paul ...

 

Ah yes - I thought Chris was referring to the initial count in but I forgot about the other count in which is Paul - though Chris’s audiences probably is thinking he’s referring to the more audible George

 

Yes it is. Actually, it's been discussed on SH forum before.
I isolated the actual count-in heard in the left channel. While everybody agreed it is George, there was no consensus about the "fake" exaggerated count in (center). I say it's Paul. He does similar voice in You Know My Name.

Ondra

 

Sounds like Paul to me.

 

You could say it is Paul with a very bad cold, but I would say its George. However, if you listen to the second person counting in a little late from the first voice, that would be Paul.

 

George count in, Paul cough>

sean

 

Also, despite the She Said She Said consensus that it's George on bass, Chris says no, that Lewisohn's book contradicts this. Paul was there apparently for the 3 basic takes that were done before he walked out in a tiff.
The only reason I would think it's George is because the part is played so consistently throughout which is typical of someone that normally doesn't play the instrument. In other words you figure out a part and stick to it rather than get creative during the playing resulting in the odd fill here and there.

 

Here's another clue for you all
The count-in was Paul

 

Exactly correct. Paul is counting in the band as they record the backing track and George is just fooling around before he overdubs his vocal.

 

To me, the four sounds like John.

 

"That's not even his real cough".

 

I think it's George, on his vocal take. Paul counts in the band on the previously recorded backing.

You're welcome.

 

A bit like when the lads were messing with Ken Dodd, when Ken was asking for a more "earthy" name for himself, and someone mentions "like Sod?" - the camera zooms in on John but thanks to video/repeats that you can summon up nowadays it's clear that George said it.

 

Nope, it's definitely George counting in the band. Will post the isolated count in later.
It also makes sense, it was song by George.

Ondra

 

someone please overdub the count in on 'i saw her standing there'.

 

It would have been impossible to be George because 1) of the tape splice and 2) George would have hit falsetto

 

I do remember a radio interview with John (may have been Andy Peebles) where the DJ cues up "Taxman", and inamongst the fakey "one two three four one two" and the real "..three four", John humsings "Imagine there's no heaven..."

There's a version that the bootleggers would kill for..

 

George.

I've always liked the tongue in cheek quality to the count-in. It's as if, whether it was intentional or not, the Beatles were referencing the start of their very first album (in the UK at least) and showing how far they had come since.