The Beatles have shared an early version of “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” featuring George Harrison on sitar, offering a glimpse into the song’s evolution during the Rubber Soul sessions.
Titled “Second Version – Take 2,” the recording will appear on the expanded edition of Rubber Soul, due October 2. It follows previously released early takes of “Michelle” and “Day Tripper.”
The Beatles first recorded “Norwegian Wood” on the opening day of the album sessions but rejected the take. Nine days later, they returned to the song and recorded three more versions.
On Take 2, John Lennon plays acoustic guitar, Paul McCartney handles bass and Ringo Starr plays drums, while Harrison adds sustained sitar notes. His contribution became more prominent on later takes, with vocals added on the third.
The early arrangement differs sharply from the familiar version. Harrison’s double-tracked sitar opens the track by playing the bridge rather than the instrumental melody heard in the final recording.
Harrison later recalled that the sitar part came together spontaneously, marking an important step in The Beatles’ growing interest in Indian instrumentation.
The expanded Rubber Soul edition offers fans a closer look at how one of the band’s most distinctive songs took shape.
