Beatles Release Rare Day Tripper Songwriting Work Tape

The Beatles have released a rare, previously unheard home recording of John Lennon and Paul McCartney developing their classic single "Day Tripper" before the song's iconic guitar riff had been written. The recording, titled "Day Tripper Songwriting Work Tape," was issued on August 26, 2026, by UMG and Apple Corps Ltd. It captures the two songwriters working on an early version of the track at Lennon's home in Weybridge, Surrey, during the sessions for their 1965 album Rubber Soul.

The tape offers a candid glimpse into the pair's collaborative process. In the recording, Lennon and McCartney are heard working through early ideas, with the song's famous riff absent. Instead, they are heard laughing, joking, and trying out lines as they shape the track. One source notes that Lennon gets the words of the chorus wrong, singing "one way driver," but their harmonizing is already strong. The recording is described as slower than the finished version and captures the fun and camaraderie between the two friends.

The release is part of the upcoming special edition of Rubber Soul, scheduled for October 2, 2026. The reissue, newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, will...