How Studio Mistakes Became the Most Famous Parts of These 3 Classic Songs

Musicians make mistakes while recording songs all the time. It’s part of the process. Some of your favorite songs likely took quite a few takes before landing on the recording for the album. However, through the years, some recording mistakes have found their way into famous songs. And the following three songs ended up being even better cause of those studio faux pas.

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“Creep” by Radiohead (1992)

Just before this famous alt-rock song jumps into that extremely memorable chorus, one can hear the guitar strum three loud, distorted notes before diving into the chords. That was, according to guitarist Jonny Greenwood, not really a mistake, but also not a creative decision meant to improve the song. He apparently disliked how quiet the song was and tried to “f*ck the song up,” according to Radiohead member Ed O’Brien. Whether Greenwood liked it or not, “Creep” became a massive hit, and that part of the recording ended up becoming one of the most powerful musical moments on the track.

“Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones (1969)

This famous rock jam features guest vocals from singer Merry Clayton. Her inclusion on the song was both an excellent creative choice and also a controversial one. It wasn’t often you heard a woman croon the words “r*pe” and “murder” in a rock song. On that note, about three minutes into “Gimme Shelter”, Clayton’s voice cracks under the sheer vocal strain of delivering her vocals on the words “shot” and then “murder.” Just as well, Jagger exclaims a resounding “woo!” after Clayton finishes singing, which was an apt reaction to her vocal chops. All three little mistakes were left in, and they made the song even more rock and roll.

“Hey Jude” by The Beatles (1968)

A lot of fans of this stunning Beatles classic might have missed this recording mistake, considering it is so subtle. If you listen really closely, around the 2 minute 58 second mark, you can hear John Lennon say the words “f*cking hell” in the background. It’s so quiet, you really might miss it. Recording engineer Ken Scott admitted that he couldn’t hear it at first, either. Apparently, Lennon swore when the volume in his headphones was cranked up too high. Paul McCartney, alternatively, said that he was the one who swore because he missed a piano chord. Regardless of who cursed on the song, it was left in, and remains a fun Easter egg among fans today.

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