As far as I know, there aren't any home demos of A Day In The Life in circulation. Possibly the closest thing that exists can be found on the slightly naughty Japanese "misterclaudel" label. The Lost Home Tapes 1965-1969 gathers various examples of John's Kenwood recordings, some familiar, some less so, in generally superior audio quality; which is all well and good. (Though naughty.)
Perhaps the most intriguing track is "Hold On I'm Coming"; not the (possibly naughty) Sam and Dave tune, but an original Lennon demo, recorded up in the attic. Sam and Dave's Hold On was released in March 1966, and doubtless played non-stop in clubs such as the Ad-Lib; John probably borrowed the title in order to kick start a new tune. The demo was recorded on a Kenwood work tape, also featuring early versions of She Said, She Said, and almost certainly dating circa spring/summer 1966.
Upon first listen it sounds nothing like A Day In The Life. But then the vocals drop out near the end, and you suddenly hear a snatch of those familiar chords, and that distinctive mechanical back and forth guitar rhythm that John employed on the song. Listen again, and imagine "I read the news today..." floating over the top. You might even try singing it yourself, provided you are sufficiently pished.
For my somewhat meagre money, and assuming that this demo was actually taped in 1966, there's a fair chance that John discarded Hold On I'm Coming, only to re-work the chords and turn them into a masterpiece.
See what you think:
