The Beatles "Drive My Car" Isolated Vocals

It's always both interesting and informative to look back on recordings created during a simpler time, when arrangements were lean and tracks were few. Here's the isolated vocals from a rather enduring Beatles song from their 1965 Rubber Soul album called "Drive My Car." Here's what to listen for (it begins at 0:07).

1. The verses are clearly Paul McCartney on the top vocal and John Lennon on the bottom. When you listen to the full arrangement Paul jumps out of the mix, but John is somewhat buried.

2. As with most Beatle recordings, it's slathered in that syrupy Abbey Road reverb that seems to fit into the track regardless of how much is used.

3. The excellent Beatle three part harmony is in evidence in the turnaround and the chorus, with George Harrison joining McCartney and Lennon with the middle harmony part.

4. The second turnaround ("I can show you a better time") is not really together timing wise and McCartney's voice cracks on "time." You really don't hear this when mixed with the other instruments. Of course, we'd fix this right away if recorded today, but that also contributed to the character of the song.

5. The second and last chorus has the harmony vocals doubled, as are the "beep, beeps."

6. The first two "And baby I love you" sung by Lennon sound like they were overdubbed, as the background leakage changes. The last one is doubled.

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