I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) - wikipedia I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '' Song by the Beatles from the album Abbey Road Released 26 September 1969 Recorded 22 February -- 11 August 1969, EMI and Trident Studios, London Genre Blues rock hard rock progressive rock Length 7 : 47 Label Apple Songwriter ( s ) Lennon -- McCartney Producer ( s ) George Martin Audio sample file help `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '' is a song by the Beatles, written by John Lennon ( credited to Lennon -- McCartney ). The song closes side one on the Beatles ' 1969 album Abbey Road. This song is an unusual Beatles composition for a variety of reasons, namely its length ( nearly eight minutes ), few lyrics ( the title makes up most of the lyrics, aside from two more phrases ; only 14 different words are sung ), a three - minute descent through repeated guitar chords ( a similar arpeggiated figure appears in another Lennon contribution to the album, `` Because '' ), and abrupt ending. It was the first song recorded for the Abbey Road album but one of the last songs to be finished, on 20 August 1969, the last time all four Beatles were together in the studio. Contents 1 Composition 2 Recording 3 Personnel 4 Covers 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links Composition The song begins in 6 8 time, with an arpeggio guitar theme in D minor, progressing through E and B ♭ before cadencing on an A augmented chord. In this chord sequence, the F note is a drone. The bass and lead guitar ascend and descend with a riff derived from the D minor scale. As the last chord fades, a verse begins in 4 4 time, based on the A and D blues scales, with Lennon singing `` I want you / I want you so bad... '' The two blues verses alternate, before the reappearance of the E chord, and McCartney playing a notably aggressive bass riff. This would function, throughout the song, as a transition to the main theme. The main theme repeats with Lennon singing `` She 's so heavy '', with a long sustain on the last word. The second set of verses are rendered instrumentally with lead guitar. Another repeat of the `` She 's So Heavy '' theme ( this time featuring harmonies ) is followed by Lennon singing a livelier repeat of the `` I Want You '' verse. During the next E transition, Lennon lets loose a primal scream of `` Yeah '', until his voice breaks. The song 's coda consists of a three - minute repetition of the `` She 's So Heavy '' theme, with the arpeggios double tracked, intensifying with `` white noise '' fading in as the theme continues ; this consists of multi-tracked guitars from Lennon and Harrison, Moog white - noise from Lennon, and drums and bass from Starr and McCartney respectively until an abrupt ending. Josh Hart and Damien Fanelli, writing for Guitar World, placed the song 34th in their list of the 50 Heaviest Songs Before Black Sabbath, and called the song a `` bluesy rocker '' that `` might have inadvertently started doom metal. '' Similarly, Jo Kendall of Classic Rock magazine commented that the song pre-dated `` Black Sabbath 's creation of doom rock by several months '' and noted the `` Santana - like Latin blues section '' in the song. Recording Lennon wrote the song about his love for Yoko Ono The song was rehearsed several times during the Get Back / Let It Be sessions ; the basic track and Lennon 's guide vocal ( which is used in the master ) were recorded at Trident Studios on 22 February 1969, shortly after filming for the film ended. Lennon played the lead guitar, as George Harrison stated : It 's very heavy. John plays lead guitar and sings the same as he plays. It 's really basically a bit like a blues. The riff that he sings and plays is really a very basic blues - type thing. But again, it 's very original sort of John - type song. Lennon and Harrison overdubbed multi-tracked heavy guitars on 18 April 1969. Billy Preston 's keyboards and Ringo Starr 's congas were added on 20 April 1969. `` I Want You '' received the `` She 's So Heavy '' vocals on 11 August, and thus the title became `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) ''. `` ' She 's So Heavy ' was about Yoko, '' Lennon told Rolling Stone. `` When you 're drowning, you do n't say, ' I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me. ' You just scream. '' Three takes from 22 February were edited into a master ( second generation ), which was overdubbed, mixed down on 18 April ( third generation ), and overdubbed on 18 April, 20 April, 8 August and 11 August. Different overdubs were made to the second generation tape on 8 August. The mix is the third generation for 4 : 37 and then the second generation tape, which has white noise produced by the Moog synthesizer played by Lennon and additional drums added on 8 August. The final overdub session for `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '', which included the final mixing and editing, was the last time all four Beatles worked in the studio together. The final master lasted 8 : 04, but Lennon decided on a surprise ending. During the final edit with the guitars, drums and white noise climaxing endlessly, he told recording engineer Geoff Emerick to `` cut it right there '' at the 7 : 44 mark, bringing the song ( and Side 1 of Abbey Road ) to an abrupt end. On Love, the three - minute stretch of repeated guitar chords that ends the song intercuts with elements of `` Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite ! '' and `` Helter Skelter '', while retaining the abrupt cut to silence at the end. Personnel John Lennon -- lead and harmony vocals, multi-tracked lead guitar, Moog synthesizer Paul McCartney -- harmony vocals, bass George Harrison -- harmony vocals, multi-tracked lead guitar Ringo Starr -- drums, congas, wind machine Billy Preston -- Hammond organ ( Personnel per Ian MacDonald ) Covers Numerous bands and solo artists have covered `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '' in the studio and live, in particular the following : Performer Album Year Alvin Lee Nineteen Ninety - Four 1994 Accompanied by George Harrison on slide guitar Beatallica Sgt. Hetfield 's Motorbreath Pub Band 2007 Merged with Metallica 's `` The Call of Ktulu '' to create `` Ktulu ( He 's So Heavy ) '' Bee Gees -- 1978 Performance for the Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band movie, with Peter Frampton, Frankie Howerd, Dianne Steiberg and Stargard Blackmail Science Fiction 1999 Usage of part of the lyrics ( `` I want you so bad '' ) and part of the tune for the song `` 3.000. 000 Years From Here '' Booker T. and the MGs McLemore Avenue 1969 Album cover also mimicks the Abbey Road album cover Budka Suflera - 1978 - Coroner Mental Vortex 1991 Earth to Andy Simple Machine 1998 As hidden track at the end of the album that features a `` talking guitar '' effect Eddie Hazel Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs 1977 Founding lead guitarist for Parliament - Funkadelic. Eddie Hazel 's solo debut album Eric Gales Band Picture of a Thousand Faces The Flaming Lips - 2011 15 - minute performance of the song at NYE Freakout in Oklahoma City, in honour of the special guest performance by The Plastic Ono Band George Benson The Other Side of Abbey Road 1970 George Lynch Furious George Cover album Groove Collective - Single, which charted in the US Halestorm ReAniMate : The CoVeRs eP 2011 Incubus ( band ) - 2013 Covered a small snippet of the song multiple times, usually to close their performances during the 2013 and 2014 tour Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs and T.V. Carpio - 2007 Performance by cast members for Julie Taymor 's film Across the Universe ' John Legend Live in Philadelphia 2008 The Last Shadow Puppets - 2008 Performance during the BBC Electric Proms Regularly performed as part of their setlist. Ministry Cover Up 2008 track only on Japanese issue of the album Noir Désir Dies Irae 1994 Live album ; the title means The Day of Wrath ( Lat. ) Robyn Hitchcock CD : Various Artists -- Abbey Road Now ! 2009 Album of covers of songs from Abbey Road Sarah Vaughan Songs of the Beatles 1981 Omits any `` She 's So Heavy '' vocals Soda Stereo - 1990 -- 91 Covered song in several live performances during that time Soulive Rubber Soulive Beatles cover album Soundgarden - 1994 - 97 Covered the song multiple times, usually to close their performances in their Superunknown and Down on the Upside tours. Steel Train 1969 Cover album Thrice - Released as download track for their label Vagrant Records Transatlantic All of the above 2000 Live album, cover appears as last segment of the closing medley Type O Negative World Coming Down 1999 As part of a medley with `` Day Tripper '' and `` If I Needed Someone '' Phillips, Grier & Flinner Looking Back 2002 Instrumental version, with David Grier on acoustic guitar, Todd Phillips ( musician ) on acoustic bass, and Matt Flinner on mandolin Umphrey 's McGee The London Session 2015 Recorded at Abbey Road studios in London Notes ^ Jump up to : Moon, Tom ( 2008 ). 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. p. 62. the most convincing exploration of blues and progressive rock the Beatles ever attempted, `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '' Jump up ^ Perone, James E. ( 2012 ). The Album : A Guide to Pop Music 's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations. Praeger. p. 213. ISBN 978 - 0 - 313 - 37907 - 9. Jump up ^ Sander, Ellen ( 25 October 1969 ). `` The Beatles : `` Abbey Road '' ``. Saturday Review. Vol. 52. p. 69. ISSN 0036 - 4983. ^ Jump up to : `` 59 -- ' I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) ' - ''. 100 Greatest Beatles Songs. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 June 2012. Jump up ^ The Beatles. J Lennon, P McCartney, G Harrison... -- John Lennon -- books.google.com Jump up ^ `` Alan W. Pollack 's Notes on `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '' ``. Icce.rug.nl. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 27. Jump up ^ `` The 50 Heaviest Songs Before Black Sabbath : # 40 - 31 ''. guitarworld.com. Jump up ^ Classic Rock Magazine, September 2014 Jump up ^ `` George Harrison interview with Ritchie Yorke, September, 1969 ''. Ottawa Beatles Site. Retrieved 8 October 2010. Jump up ^ Voice Leading and Harmony as Expressive Devices in the Early Music of the Beatles : ' She Loves You'W Everett -- College Music Symposium, 1992 -- JSTOR Jump up ^ `` Mixing, editing : I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) ''. beatlesbible.com. Jump up ^ `` The Final Days of The Beatles ''. Mental Floss. Jump up ^ Willman, Chris ( 26 December 2006 ). `` peace ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` The Beatles : LOVE ''. Yahoo !. 20 November 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ MacDonald 2005, p. 342. Jump up ^ `` Last Shadow Puppets cover The Beatles in Liverpool ''. NME. 25 October 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2012. Jump up ^ `` Competition to win Thrice songs for download ''. Vagrant Records. Retrieved 6 January 2012. References MacDonald, Ian ( 2005 ). Revolution in the Head : The Beatles ' Records and the Sixties ( Second Revised ed. ). London : Pimlico ( Rand ). ISBN 1 - 84413 - 828 - 3. External links Alan W. Pollack 's Notes on `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '' Abbey Road Songs Side one `` Come Together '' `` Something '' `` Maxwell 's Silver Hammer '' `` Oh ! Darling '' `` Octopus 's Garden '' `` I Want You ( She 's So Heavy ) '' Side two `` Here Comes the Sun '' `` Because '' `` You Never Give Me Your Money '' `` Sun King '' `` Mean Mr. Mustard '' `` Polythene Pam '' `` She Came In Through the Bathroom Window '' `` Golden Slumbers '' `` Carry That Weight '' `` The End '' `` Her Majesty '' Non-album single `` The Ballad of John and Yoko '' `` Old Brown Shoe '' Outtakes `` Come and Get It '' `` Ai n't She Sweet '' Related articles Abbey Road, London The Beatles discography Break - up of the Beatles Iain Macmillan McLemore Avenue The Other Side of Abbey Road Please Please Me With the Beatles A Hard Day 's Night Beatles for Sale Help ! Rubber Soul Revolver Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band Magical Mystery Tour The Beatles ( White Album ) Yellow Submarine Abbey Road Let It Be Past Masters Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Want_You_(She%27s_So_Heavy)&oldid=807723906 '' Categories : The Beatles songs British blues rock songs British hard rock songs British progressive rock songs Song recordings produced by George Martin Songs written by Lennon -- McCartney Songs published by Northern Songs 1969 songs Hidden categories : EngvarB from September 2013 Use dmy dates from September 2013 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles that may contain original research Articles that may contain original research from September 2012 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Italiano עברית ქართული Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 29 October 2017, at 19 : 48. 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Question: who plays lead guitar on i want you she's so heavy
Answer: John Lennon