Mother Nature's Son

Mother Nature's Son is a Beatles song, mainly written by Paul McCartney after hearing a lecture by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India. (This lecture also led Lennon to write Child of Nature, which was never released. Lennon later recycled the tune for Jealous Guy.) McCartney also said that Nat King Cole's Nature Boy was a source of inspiration as well.

During the summer of 1968 the Beatles were having difficulties working together. On August 9, 1968, McCartney made 25 takes in which he sang this song and accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. No other member of the group appears on the track. Take 2 was released on Anthology 3. Take 24 was used for The White Album. The song was completed on August 20 with overdubs of a second guitar, timpani and drums -- all of them played by Paul. He recorded Wild Honey Pie and Etcetera in the August 20 session. Many different artists have covered Mother Nature's Son. John Denver was one of them. The song title was used by author John Collis for the name of his biography of the late singer.