In 1966, Phil Collins heard one of the best songs ever written. Now only one person can play it

Phil Collins has described “And Your Bird Can Sing” as one of the best songs ever written, despite its brief 90-second length. The Beatles track from *Revolver* impressed him for its songwriting and the care it rewards across the whole album, while its tightly interwoven guitar parts have made it a demanding song for musicians to reproduce.

Joe Walsh spent three weeks trying to master the guitar line and later asked Ringo Starr how George Harrison had played it. Starr told him Harrison had double-tracked the part, layering two recordings to create the sound; Walsh said he was the only person he knew who had managed to play it. The account highlights how studio techniques helped produce a sound that is difficult to recreate live.