Day Tripper "dropout" - intentional

I've read here, and in many other places, that the infamous"dropout" in "Day Tripper" is not intentional, but nevertheless "charming." It seems as though people have ignored, or forgotten John Lennon's statement regarding this piece. In an old Rolling Stone interview, John stated in no uncertain terms, that this was done intentionally, to see if anyone was paying attention. I realize a whole new generation has grown up without direct access to the facts here, but it is important to get the details straight regarding every recording done by the Beatles, in order to really understand them better. Even the otherwise excellent "Tell Me Why" book (I forget the author's name) makes this mistake also, and thus leaves the reader wondering why the Beatles would overlook such a glaring audio defect. Now, as many of us hardcore Beatle fans know, John often did not tell the truth about everything, but in this case it seems apparent that he did. The "dropout" is too complete (and occurs perfectly in synch with the rhythm track) for it too have been anything but intentional. This is another reason why it is so exasperating that EMI chose to "correct" this problem on the "Beatles 1" CD, but obviously this is minor compared to all the other ills EMI has visited upon us since the release of the catalogue in CD form. This is just another artifact which will go uncorrected unless Steve gets hold of the masters. What do we have to do to set things straight at EMI? Surely there must be some way of preventing the true intentions of the greatest pop group of all time from being circumvented by greedy, uncaring bureaucrats!

 

Do you have a good reason for takin' the easy way out?

 

Wish I did, J.B!

 

Steve, does that mean we can hear the original 4 track somehow (hint, hint!)?

 

I also have trouble believing it's intentional. And I don't find it charming at all.

 

I think it's more like a pop with some crackle thrown in.

All we need is "snap" and we could pour some milk on it.

I do not know if it was a punch in or just a malfunction at that spot.

 

I always thought it was a bad note that got zapped. No one at that time ever thought these songs would get the kind of scrutiny they do.

mud-

 

So it could be a bad note that's faded? Or as you said above a "pop" that's faded?

mud-

 

Got it!

mud-

 

Steve, don't forget that John may have wanted to leave the problem unsolved, rather than correct it, just as he did later in the botched "Working Class Hero" acoustic guitar "overdub." I know this was the Beatle era, before the more personal, "let-it-all-hang-out-warts-and-all" solo Beatles era, but still John often stated that he wanted to destroy the Beatle myth even then. That is probably what he meant in the interview. I don't have a copy handy, but it was John who brought up the issue and referred to "Day Tripper," NOT the interviewer. So it doesn't seem like John would have raised the issue, if there wasn't some truth in it. Anyway, thanks for giving us the facts about the four-track. At least now we know what happened initially, regardless of what John decided to do about it later.
(Now what do we have to do to get our hands on.?.....you know the rest!)

 

I'd be interested in seeing the exact quote from the Rolling Stone interview.

 

I've had the "unfixed" version on bootleg for many years now. To me the so called "fix" is MORE noticeable than the "pop and some crackle."

 

Right on, Dugan!
That's exactly my point....that's why EMI should have just left it alone!

 

Yeah, a version with the "pop" in has been available on bootlegs for a long time. It just furthers my opinion that not much care was given to stereo mixes back then. Had the track been mixed differently, the error OR the correction (fader) would not have been so obvious (it's not as obvious on the mono mix, and it has been faded there as well).

 

A raw stereo mix (from the 1982 "Abbey Road Show" tapes) has been bootlegged and shows the audio defect in all it's glory.

There is a "pinch" and a "fwip" sound there, like someone hit "record" by mistake and then quickly stopped the tape.

So, yes, the dropout *is* intentional, but it's also equally as distracting as the audio defect itself.

*I like* the "fixed" DVD version. I honestly can't tell where the "patch marks" are. I don't know about "Beatles 1" - I never bought that piece of crap!

 

I've heard the glitch too, it's on some of the earliest Beatle bootleg CDs. I know this is heresy to some, but John Lennon had a habit of rewriting his own history.

 

I always thought it was a dropout Just doesn't seem right without it. Can't make it much more than it is. Lot's of barking for a second

 

It's pretty clear from listening that it was not intentional. That pop/dropout is detectable on the most basic audio setup (I had some crappy Soundesign stereo as a kid and used to wonder "Ewww--what happened there?") If, as the initial post states, this was an intentional dropout to see if everyone was paying attention, it would not be so glaringly obvious.
You can't miss it!

 

Not quite.

It's *both* accidental *and* intentional.

- The audio glitch was an accident....a partial dropout and "pop/fwip".

- The "final" droupout was done intentionally to remove the audio glitch altogether.

In other words...it is an intentional dropout done to cover an accidental dropout with built-in noises.

The "pop" and "fwip" noises don't appear in any of the official mixes, only the bootleg....I think.

 

Amen!

 

I think JWB may be right here; technically speaking, the defect is both intentional AND accidental. But also, we should never underestimate the Beatles' ability to play tricks on the public. The Day Tripper "dropout" was only one example John mentioned (If I can locate his quote during the next few days, I will). Anyway, EMI should have just left it alone!