How Many Takes These Popular Rock Songs Took?
It’s rare for a song to be perfect in one take. Sometimes vocals have to be re-recorded, or a guitar part or solo “punched in”. Ultimate Classic Rock put together a list of popular rock songs, and how many takes it took to record them. (The number of takes is based on information given through past interviews). Here are some highlights:
“Refugee”, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 100 takes
“Smells Like Teen Spirit”, Nirvana: 3
“Start Me Up”, The Rolling Stones: 38
“Every Breath You Take”, The Police: 1 (!!!)
“Riders on the Storm”, The Doors: 2 or 3
“All Along the Watchtower”, The Jimi Hendrix Experience: 27
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