What's the deal with the bass in Fixing a Hole?

[king of anglia]

What's the deal with the bass in Fixing a Hole? You know what I'm talking about.
Yours,
Ambassador Henry Mwabwetumba of the Ivory Coast

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

It's a great bass line. Ominous. That is the word. I hope I spelled that right.

[king of anglia]

Well the stereo version is fine, but the mono has two basses on it and one of them it sounds like Lennon getting it wrong. What's the deal with it?

[donald]

That is my favorite Pepper song and I think it is because of that bass line.  Glad someone else is grabbed by it.  The way the bass notes drop from high to low then climb up the scale.  I always have to get out my air bass when the song is on...even while driving... which can be dangerous

[Daniel S.]

I also dig that bass line.

[pavlos brenos]

Rickenbacker bass recorded via direct injection in to the mixing desk? One of Macca's odes to cannabis smoking and the way it informed his life. Maybe he was a bit ripped when he recorded his bass line?

[Boxer Monkey]

In Lewisohn's "Recording Sessions" book, there's some conjecture as to whether Paul played bass on this song at all, apparently since he's believed to have recorded the keyboard part, which was laid down simultaneously with the bass. Lewisohn doesn't provide any answers but notes that the bass sure sounds like McCartney, whoever it is. I don't remember hearing a second bass on the mono version, so I need to go back and listen to that. But I'm with KOA: What the hell is the deal with this song?

[Uncomfortable Seat]

I've read that George Martin says he played harpsichord, and that Paul did play bass

[Matinee Idyll]

I think it's a great song... 

I like the cool guitar part after "Where it will goooooo"... Da-da-da-da-daaaa.

Really great.  Beautiful melody and instrumentation... this, Getting Better, She's Leaving Home and Day in the Life are reason enough for Sgt. Pepper to be enjoyable.

[king of anglia]

It sounds like McCartney playing hapsichord with Lennon playing bass (badly) at the same time. Then McCartney overdubbed a better bassline, but the mono version has a lot of the bad bass on it. The stereo version not so much.

[Bean Bag]

I would love to hear the mono.  I have the mono Piper, and it smokes the stereo.  Hopefully someday they'll remaster these records...someday...

[king of anglia]

There's no chance of them remastering mono Pepper or any mono Beatles properly. They'll boost the volume, crank da bass, push the treble and kill the dynamics. It'll sound great on your mp3 player on the bus!
Get a needle drop and enjoy.

[Howdy Doody]

I remember getting Sgt Peppers around '76.  I fell in love with the album.  Recently I bought a new copy and delved into it.  Over-all Pepper was/is one of the most creative Lps ever.  It's funny but She's Leaving home is very obvious a Brian W. influenced vocal on the chorus and end tag too.  Does anyone really think this collage of 1967(Pepper) is a boring bogus Smile rip-off?

[Bean Bag]

There's no chance of them remastering mono Pepper or any mono Beatles properly. They'll boost the volume, crank da bass, push the treble and kill the dynamics. It'll sound great on your mp3 player on the bus!
Get a needle drop and enjoy.

Yeah, I here ya bro...marketing, or whatever has taken over the music industry, is poo.  Audiophiles needed!!  I'll track down a 331/3 copy someday and hopefully add that to my growing LP collection.

TV FORCES--I PM'ed you and it didn't go through!?!