Mr. Moonlight

The version of Mr. Moonlight recorded by The Beatles for the album Beatles for Sale, released in the United Kingdom on December 4, 1964, has a particular history. Although the final recording was completed in 1964, the band had been performing it live for some time. The song, written by Roy Lee Johnson, has its roots in the blues; the first known recording dates back to 1962, by the blues pianist known as Piano Red, under the name "Dr. Feelgood and the Interns". This version was released as the B-side of a single.

The recording by The Beatles took place over two separate sessions in 1964. On August 14, four takes were recorded, and on October 18, another four were made. It is in these last two takes from October 18 where Paul McCartney incorporates an organ solo on the Hammond organ. In the final version, the lead vocals are performed by John Lennon, accompanied by the band’s characteristic harmonies. The album Beatles for Sale, where it was included, marked a shift in the group’s sound, moving away from the more energetic tone of previous works, partly due to exhaustion after the tours that had cemented their status as a global phenomenon in 1964. It is worth noting that Beatles for Sale was not widely available in the United States until 1987.