What Is the "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" Second Version (Take 2)?

Updated

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second Version – Take 2)" is an early, previously unreleased recording of the song, taped nine days after the band's first attempt. It is included in the new Rubber Soul Special Edition, and its most distinctive feature is that it opens with George Harrison's double-tracked sitar playing the bridge melody — not the instrumental verse melody heard on the finished album track.

How this take fits into the Rubber Soul sessions

The song was recorded under a working title, "This Bird Has Flown." The timeline, as described in the official release notes, runs like this:

  • Opening day of the Rubber Soul sessions: the first version is recorded, with George Harrison introducing the sitar to the track.
  • The band is unhappy with that first version.
  • Nine days later: they tape three more performances. "Second Version – Take 2" comes from this later session.

So this take is not an alternate mix of the released song — it is a distinct performance from the second round of recording, made after the group decided the first attempt didn't work.

What makes this arrangement different

The key difference is structural, not just sonic:

Element Final released version Second Version – Take 2
Opening Instrumental version of the verse melody George's double-tracked sitar playing the tune of the bridge section
Recording stage Later, approved performance From the three performances taped nine days after the first attempt

In other words, if you know the album version well, the opening bars here will sound immediately unfamiliar: the sitar states the bridge tune first, rather than easing in with the verse melody.

Why it's worth hearing

This take documents a specific decision point in the sessions. The first version (with the sitar's debut on the track) didn't satisfy the band, so they returned to it over a week later and cut three more performances. Hearing the second version lets you compare what changed between the rejected first attempt and the arrangement that eventually became the familiar recording — including how the sitar's role was reworked at the top of the song.

Where to find it

The track appears in the Rubber Soul Special Edition collection, which the official site describes as spanning 10 music formats. The new mixes are by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, presented in new stereo, original mono, the Capitol US album version, and Dolby Atmos, expanded with never-before-released session recordings and demos, plus the contemporary singles "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out."

If you want to hear this take, look for the Special Edition releases on the official store — the formats listed include Super Deluxe (5LP + 7" single box set, and 4CD box set), Deluxe (2LP and 2CD), Blu-ray, Standard (1LP and 1CD), a Zoetrope edition exclusive to official stores, and digital.