Golden Slumbers (1:31)

“Golden Slumbers” is a song by The Beatles, part of the climactic medley on their 1969 album Abbey Road. The song begins the progression that leads to the end of the album and is followed by “Carry That Weight.” The two songs were recorded together as a single piece, and both were written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney).

“Golden Slumbers” is based on the poem “Cradle Song” by Thomas Dekker and written in a lullaby style. McCartney saw the sheet music for Dekker’s lullaby at his father’s home in Liverpool, left on a piano by his stepsister Ruth McCartney. McCartney could not read music at the time and was unable to read the score, and so he created his own melody and arrangement. The words originally come from a lullaby in The Pleasant Comodie of Patient Grissill written about 1603.

The main recording session for “Golden Slumbers”/”Carry That Weight” was on 2 July 1969. John Lennon was not present. He was injured in a motor vehicle accident in Scotland on 1 July 1969, and was hospitalized there until 6 July.

Additional vocals were added in an overdub session on 30 July 1969, the same day the first trial edit of the side two medley was created. Lennon did participate in this session. On 15 August, orchestral overdubs were made to “Golden Slumbers” and five other songs on Abbey Road.