Music Monday: “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles
Posted By RichC on August 10, 2026
The recording of “Twist and Shout” is legendary for being performed in a single take by The Beatles in 1963. John Lennon delivered a raucous, throat-shredding vocal performance while suffering from a cold. Producer George Martin scheduled the track as the final song of the session to preserve Lennon’s voice, noting it as “arguably the most stunning rock and roll vocal and instrumental performance of all time.”
Recording late at night on February 11, 1963, Lennon was already suffering from a severe cold and had been singing for nearly 12 hours. Producer George Martin intentionally saved the song for last, knowing it would destroy Lennon’s voice. After the first take, Lennon’s vocal cords were so shredded that a second attempt was abandoned almost immediately; Lennon later described the sensation of swallowing afterwards as feeling like “sandpaper.”
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