The broadcast was basically live with a little help. According to Mark Lewisohn's The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, "...George Martin greatly decreased the chance of an on-air foul-up by having the Beatles play to their own pre-recorded rhythm track of take 10. Only the vocals, bass guitar, the lead guitar solo in the middle eight, drums and the orchestra were actually live." Hence the headphones.

Equally impressive was how fast they got the song done. The Beatles had agreed to perform a new song for an BBC international broadcast on May 22 and the actual performance took place about a month later on June 25; the Beatles didn't start working the song up as a group in the studio until June 14. The program was to be the first live broadcast across five continents and, to keep it accessible to all audiences, the BBC had requested that the Beatles keep the song simple. The international "snippets" were added for the occasion.

Lennon was apparently very nervous beforehand; the gum chewing was probably just a front to hide his anxiety. There was a whole slew of friends sitting around also: "Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull, Keith Richard, Keith Moon, Eric Clapton, Pattie Harrison, Jane Asher, Mike McCartney, Graham Nash and his wife, Gary Leeds and Hunter Davies" (Again, from Lewisohn). After the broadcast was over, the Beatles did a little bit of overdubbing (including some of Lennon's vocals) and the final mix was finished the next day. The single was out in stores on July 7, less than two weeks later.