Today in Beatles history

Via Gibson: "Beatles Fans Asked to Sing on ‘Across the Universe’ Sessions"

Excerpt:
Presented by ThisDayinMusic.com

On the evening of February 4, 1968 The Beatles were working on a track at their second home, Abbey Road studios in St. John’s Wood, London. The band were recording John Lennon’s “Across the Universe” but realized something was missing. Lennon and McCartney decided the song needed some high falsetto harmonies but it was a Sunday night and impossible to book any session vocalists at that time and with such late notice.

Paul McCartney, well aware that the Apple Scruffs (a hardcore group of mostly young girl fans) would be waiting outside the Abbey Road building, stepped outside the studio and asked a question that would change the lives of two young girls forever. Macca wanted to know if any of the Scruffs “could hold a high note.”

Lizzie Bravo was 16-years old, a massive Beatles fan, and she immediately answered McCartney in the affirmative. She and her girlfriend Gayleen Pease were invited into the inner sanctum and engine room of the greatest rock and roll band of all time. Talking to Steve Marinucci at abbeyrd.best.com, Lizzie said, “They started showing us the song and the lyrics. We were there for over two hours. We laughed and drank tea and sang ‘Nothing's Gonna Change My World’ many times.”