Fixing a Hole

The story behind

The Beatles recorded Fixing a Hole in 1967, as part of the Album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song was recorded in two sessions, one in February at Regent Sound studio, and another shortly after. It was the first time they used a studio other than Abbey Road for an EMI track. The sound features echoes, strings, and a touch of psychedelic elements that were not common at the time. The lyrics seem to speak of something more than a roof: it is about an inner space, a place where one can be alone when the world overwhelms them. The song has a smooth rhythm, 4/4, with a moderate tempo. It begins with a harmonium, then enters the bass and drums, and a guitar riff is added. George Harrison plays a solo after the chorus. McCartney's vocals repeat the phrase "I’m fixing a hole where the rain gets in" at the end, as if it were a way to close something that cannot be seen. The song lasts just over two minutes, but in that time it tells a story of loneliness and free thinking.