Good Night (Beatles song)

"Good Night" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, composed by John Lennon, but credited to Lennon–McCartney. It is sung by Ringo Starr, the only Beatle to appear on the track. The music was provided by an orchestra arranged and conducted by George Martin. It is the last song on their 1968 double album The Beatles (also known as the "White Album").

"Good Night"
Cover of the song's sheet music
Song by the Beatles
from the album The Beatles
Released22 November 1968
Recorded28 June, 2, 22 July 1968
StudioEMI, London
GenreOrchestral pop, lullaby
Length3:11
LabelApple
Songwriter(s)Lennon–McCartney
Producer(s)George Martin

Composition and Recording

John Lennon wrote the song as a lullaby for his five-year-old son Julian.[1]

The original version of "Good Night" featured George Harrison and John Lennon playing the melody on guitars, Paul McCartney singing the harmony and Ringo taking the lead vocal. Take 10 with a guitar part from take 5 was released on the 2018 50th Anniversary Box Set of The Beatles. A fragment of a rehearsal and take 22 of the song, along with an overdub of the orchestra from the close of the released version is heard on the 1996 Beatles compilation album, Anthology 3.

George Martin's arrangement is lush, and intentionally so. Lennon is said to have wanted the song to sound "real cheesy", like a Gordon Jenkins-esque Old Hollywood production number. The orchestra consisted of 12 violins, three violas, three cellos, one harp, three flutes, one clarinet, one horn, one vibraphone, and one string bass, played by 26 musicians. The Mike Sammes Singers also took part in the recording, providing backing vocals.

Starr became the third member of the group (after Paul McCartney and George Harrison) to record a song credited to the group without the other members performing (Lennon was the fourth with "Julia"). The song ends with Starr whispering the words: "Good night ... Good night, everybody ... Everybody, everywhere ... Good night."

Legacy

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its release, Jacob Stolworthy of The Independent listed "Good Night" at number 28 in his ranking of the White Album's 30 tracks. He called the track, "a mediocre song sung by Ringo." He continued "Despite a vibrant orchestral arrangement from George Martin, "Good Night" – like all lullabies – might put you to sleep."[2]

Covers and other uses

The song has been covered by several artists, including the Carpenters, Kenny Loggins (feat. Alison Krauss), Linda Ronstadt, and the Manhattan Transfer. Barbra Streisand recorded it in 1969 for her album What About Today?. In 2006 Cirque du Soleil included a version in their production Love.

Personnel

Notes
  1. Sheff 2000, p. 200.
  2. Stolworthy, Jacob (22 November 2018). "The Beatles' White Album tracks, ranked – from Blackbird to While My Guitar Gently Weeps". The Independent. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. MacDonald 2005, p. 294.

References
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