On Top Of Old Smokey

[Jay]

I just got a new book about The Beatles and Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It basically talks about the period of 1966-1967, and all the various musicians who played a part in the making and inspiration of the album. There was one particular passage in the book that states that Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney recorded a version of On Top Of Old Smokey in 1967. The author of the book is quite specific, saying that Paul played bass and sang backing vocals. Personally I don't believe a word of it, but I just thought I'd ask if anybody knows anything about it.

[Andrew G. Doe]

'Tis true - happened when Paul was in LA and Derek Taylor took him along to see Brian recording "Vega Tables", 4/10/67 at Armin Steiner's Sound Recorders. The general description of the recording of "Smokey" is "impromptu".  

This is the same session where Paul played Brian (depending on whom you believe) either an acetate of "A Day In The Life", or "She's Leaving Home" on the studio piano. The concensus is the latter.

[?]

Impromptu or not, it couldn't be any worse than A Friend Like You.

Does this recording survive?  If so, I'm rather surprised it hasn't found its way into circulation over the years.