And in the end… for one last studio hurrah. Steve Harnell wipes a tear away from his eye

106 XXXXX Dr. Ronald Kunze Ronald Dr.

Hallowed ground: the junction of Abbey Road and Grove End Road in St John’s Wood in 1969, with the zebra crossing and the studio in the background

or the romantics among us, absence from the charts of a year or Recording sessions were a stop-start Abbey Road is The Beatles’ more, although almost unheard-of at affair. The backing track to its darkest swansong, a concerted effort the time, may have alleviated the moment, the biting blues of I Want You by the band to return to the tension which had built up. Perhaps a (She’s So Heavy), was laid down on 22 Fcamaraderie so evident in their solo album or four could have slipped February 1969, before a lengthy gap earlier work, but it’s arguable it also out; Harrison’s backlog of songs, in while Ringo filmed The Magic represents one of the great ‘what particular, was astonishing, and would Christian, a freewheeling black comedy ifs?’ of their career. indeed result in his 1971 double LP starring Peter Sellers, various Monty Thanks to Paul McCartney’s opus . Financial Python members and Raquel Welch. workaholic obsession with keeping the disagreements and management issues After a brief session where the band band going at all costs, the quartet which had plagued the band since worked on early ideas for You Never were reconvened for a fresh set of Brian Epstein’s death and the arrival of Give Me Your Money on 6 May, it was recording work just three weeks after could have been smoothed eight weeks before recording began in completing the fractious, debilitating out with less time pressures. earnest on Abbey Road. Get Back sessions, which would If McCartney’s intention had been to eventually see the light of day as the COMING TOGETHER get back to the boys’ club atmosphere Let It Be album. As usual, McCartney had an armload of of yore, an unfortunate twist of fate As it was, barring the odd material ready to go for what became skewed the in-studio vibe for much of disagreement, The Beatles were on Abbey Road and was itching to get back the LP’s recording. John and Yoko reasonable terms and some of the joie to the studio. Nevertheless, he knew were involved in a car accident in June de vivre of old returned to the confines only too well that the band’s dynamic which left Ono bedridden, and Lennon of Studio 2 at NW8. Flare-ups still was in poor shape. He asked George got around the problem of being occurred, though, with the band often Martin to corral the troops once again without his constant companion by being caustically bitter with each other. in the hope that they would return to installing a bed for her in Studio 2. Even banal problems could become their old working methods, leaving With Ono thus a permanent major flare-ups: on one occasion, war their egos at the front door. Martin, by presence, often making songwriting broke out as John swiped one of now dejected at how far apart his suggestions as proceedings played out, George’s chocolate digestives – a former charges had grown, refused the it’s remarkable that the band members trademark example of Lennon taking invitation at first but was persuaded by managed to remain mostly civil with the biscuit. McCartney when told he’d be allowed each other. Paul, Ringo and George But what if McCartney had taken his to produce the record free from Martin have expressed fond memories foot off the gas and allowed a more interference from the band, of the sessions, and extended break between sessions? An particularly Lennon. has remarked it was a welcome

107 advocate labelmate James Taylor and his Timothy fingerpicked acoustic folk tune Leary, Something In The Way She Moves, forever which had appeared on the singer- enshrined ’s debut album the previous in hippie year. George penned the track during lore for his the ‘The White Album’ sessions after “turn on, Taylor played the song for the lead tune in, drop guitarist and Paul McCartney during out” slogan. A an audition in 1968. rough draft of The version of Something that the song was appears on Abbey Road is truncated written during from its nigh-on eight-minute full Lennon’s second running time, which included an ‘bed-in’ event at the unused instrumental passage. If Queen Elizabeth Hotel in McCartney was considered the Montreal in May 1969 – John pre-eminent balladeering Beatle, then had intended to stage the event in here was George giving him a very New York but was denied entry to the good run for his money. US due to his conviction for possessing return to a more straightforward band cannabis the previous November. UNPLEASANT SCENES performance recording style. However, As on earlier-recorded works such as From the harmonious beauty of one of later Lennon interviews poured scorn Dig It and Dig A Pony, later released on the foursome’s most delicate love songs on the entire period. Proving Let It Be, by 1969 Lennon’s songs to a hugely bitter episode in their dismissive even of his most famous increasingly became an assemblage of history. By now, the rest of the band work as he attempted to distance disparate non-sequiturs. With only a had tired of McCartney’s tendency for himself from his past and establish a nominal rewrite of ’s whimsy. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer reputation as a solo artist, Lennon “Here come a flat-top, he was movin’ would become notorious as one of the criticised Abbey Road for lacking up with me” from You Can’t Catch Me authenticity and relying on studio for the opening line of Come Together, wizardry to paper over the cracks. Lennon was sued by According to John, Side 2’s medley was Morris Levy, the beginning of a ABBEY ROAD “junk… just bits of songs thrown long-running legal dispute between the 1969 • APPLE together”. Indeed, such was John’s pair. Meanwhile, John’s whispered alienation from Paul by this point that intro declarations of “shoot me!” he even suggested that their songs would take on darkly tragic should not share the same side of the significance in the light of his murder Come Together (Lennon & McCartney) album. Nevertheless, John’s 11 years later. Something (Harrison) Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (Lennon & LENNON CRITICISED ABBEY ROAD FOR McCartney) Oh! Darling (Lennon & McCartney) RELYING ON STUDIO WIZARDRY; THE Octopus’s Garden (Starr) MEDLEY WAS “JUNK… BITS OF SONGS I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (Lennon & THROWN TOGETHER” McCartney) revisionism does Abbey Road a With the exception of Yesterday, disservice; the album is typically George’s stunning ballad Something is (Harrison) diverse and even the famed medley has the most covered song in The Beatles’ Because (Lennon & McCartney) a coherence that far exceeds the catalogue. It was Lennon’s favourite You Never Give Me Your Money (Lennon & pragmatic reasons for its birth. track on Abbey Road and McCartney McCartney) With his writing muse revitalised considered it to be George’s best Sun King (Lennon & McCartney) following the ‘The White Album’ and songwriting contribution to The Mean Mr Mustard (Lennon & McCartney) the Rishikesh trip, Lennon is on good Beatles. Frank Sinatra went as far as (Lennon & McCartney) form for much of Abbey Road. The calling it “the greatest love song ever She Came In Through The Bathroom Window striking opener Come Together is a written” – although unfortunately Ol’ (McCartney) sterling example of his nonsensical Blue Eyes credited it to the pens of (Lennon & McCartney) couplets finding their own meaning. Its Lennon and McCartney. As with Come (Lennon & McCartney) genesis came from a song Lennon Together, the springboard for the song The End (Lennon & McCartney) wrote for a political campaign by was the slight revision of another Her Majesty (Lennon & McCartney) controversial US psychologist and LSD artist’s lyric – this time it was Apple

108 PERSONNEL – lead, harmony and background Maxwell’s Silver Hammer and Golden Slumbers/ PRODUCTION vocals; rhythm, lead and acoustic guitars; acoustic Carry That Weight; harmonium and Moog Something and Here Comes The Sun orchestrated and electric , Moog synthesiser, Hammond synthesiser; handclaps and percussion; lead vocals and conducted by with George organ; white noise generator and sound effects; (Something and Here Comes the Sun) Harrison tambourine and maracas Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight and The End – drums and percussion; anvil on orchestrated and conducted by George Martin with PAUL MCCARTNEY – lead, harmony and background Maxwell’s Silver Hammer; background vocals; lead Paul McCartney vocals; bass, rhythm, lead and acoustic guitars; vocals (Octopus’s Garden) Produced by George Martin acoustic and electric pianos, Moog, harmonium; Recorded by and Phil McDonald. sound effects; wind chimes, handclaps, percussion ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS Assistant engineering by Alan Parsons GEORGE MARTIN – harpsichord, organ, percussion Mixed by Geoff Emerick, Phil McDonald and George GEORGE HARRISON – harmony and background BILLY PRESTON – Hammond organ on Something Martin with The Beatles vocals; lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars; bass on and I Want You (She’s So Heavy) Moog programming by Mike Vickers band’s most fraught recordings. An odd Ruben And The Jets album, he would and grabbing Peter Sellers’ yacht for a mixture of perky melodic bounce and lay down vocal takes early in the family holiday in Sardinia. In a way, dark lyrical subject matter, it’s a tale of morning before his voice had warmed with its nautical sound effects, a serial killer set to something akin to a up, and smoked cigarettes excessively Octopus’s Garden is an extension of the children’s TV theme tune. to capture his performance at its most sonic collage feel of Yellow Submarine; A headstrong McCartney was rough-edged. Lennon later claimed he George helped out on vocals and convinced of the song’s quality, but he should have handled the lead vocals chipped in with ideas for its melody. was alone. The bassist even thought himself as they were more suited to his Ringo and George would later go on to this oddly blank and non-judgemental style, but it’s debatable he could have collaborate once more on three of tale of a homicidal maniac had the done a better job. Starr’s successful singles, It Don’t Come potential to be a hit single, and he After Yellow Submarine and Good Easy, Back Off Boogaloo and forced the band through countless Night, Ringo was now the band’s go-to Photograph, the latter a choice cut from takes. In the McCartney biography man for a winsome children’s song and the drummer’s hugely successful solo Many Years From Now, he tells author he supplied one of his own with career in the early ’70s. Barry Miles: “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer Octopus’s Garden – his second and last was my analogy for when something original composition for The goes wrong out of the blue, as it so Beatles. Starr came up often does, as I was beginning to find with the track after out at that time in my life. We still use walking out of the that expression even now when ‘The White something unexpected happens.” Album’ Four cover versions of the song – by sessions Brownhill’s Stamp Duty, Format, The Good Ship Lollipop and George Howe – were released, but none managed to make a dent on the charts. The detractors in the band were vindicated, but Paul’s ruthless commitment to forcing through his own material come what may left a permanent mark on his colleagues. Even the usually diplomatic Ringo later lamented to Rolling Stone magazine: “The worst session ever was Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. It was the worst track we ever had to record. It went on for f***ing weeks. I thought it was mad.” McCartney at least redeemed himself with the wonderfully raucous performance of the rocking Oh! Darling. With Paul spoofing a doo-wop song in the style of Frank Zappa’s

109 ABBEY ROAD Phil Dent/Redferns/Getty Images Phil Dent/Redferns/Getty

George Martin and Geoff Emerick at Abbey Road’s brand new TG12345 desk, installed in November 1968. This latest all-transistor unit imposed a cleaner, smoother sound on the album sessions

By Abbey Road, The Beatles were less uncompromising work The Beatles Preston supplies Hammond organ interested in providing a coherent ever laid down on tape. At almost eight flourishes and Paul anchors the track sonic statement than serving up a minutes in length, like McCartney’s with a doomy bassline while Lennon diverse mix of sonic textures and commitment to his own material, it and Harrison’s chiming, grinding ideology. Hence the jarring proves that Lennon was also guitars urge the song forwards. The juxtaposition of the perky melodicism uncompromising about presenting his white noise of its head-spinning coda of Octopus’s Garden with the gnarly, own artistic vision. was played by Lennon using a wind- progressive blues jam of I Want You I Want You… is deliberately type setting on George’s huge, (She’s So Heavy) that closes the album’s simplistic lyrically, a growling, complicated new Moog synthesiser. first side. Alongside Helter Skelter, it’s anguished blues and atypical of the arguably the heaviest and most band’s usual airy . Billy A WAY TO GET BACK HOME If Side 1 ends in ever-enveloping darkness, then the flipside of Abbey Road is shot through with sunshine, CONSPIRING TO optimism, melody and a final note of forgiveness. No doubt Lennon would TALK NONSENSE have taken perverse glee in I Want The Beatles had a knack for creating the iconic. From You… being the final statement ever the information overload of the Sgt. Pepper cover to delivered by the band on record, but the simple naturalism of their Abbey Road front the decision to fill the second side of photo, it seems everything they released into the the album with almost unalloyed public domain would be destined to be pored over positivity is a fitting send-off for a band by musicologists, psychologists, theorists and plain that brought such joy to the world. crackpots for decades to come. George’s Here Comes The Sun works In 1966, a conspiracy theory emerged that the band’s bassist was no longer of this earth. wonderfully as a immediate palette- The ‘Paul is dead’ argument posited that McCartney had died in a road accident and been cleanser after the preceding track and, replaced by a doppelganger. Various songs over the ensuing years were dragged into this farce, like Something, is among the best songs and the front cover of Abbey Road became a major talking point. ‘Paul is dead’ proponents he ever wrote for the foursome. argued the cover was a covert admission from the band that the theory was true, since it Wandering around Eric Clapton’s depicts the quartet as a funeral procession. Lennon at the front and dressed in white is ‘the garden with acoustic guitar in hand, heavenly figure’; Ringo, dressed in black, is ‘the undertaker’, and a denim-clad George is ‘the George came up with one of his most gravedigger’. Meanwhile, a barefoot Paul was deemed out of step with the others and timeless songs. It was recorded on symbolised ‘the corpse’. As Paul held his cigarette in his right hand, despite being a leftie, Ringo’s 29th birthday; Lennon was more impetus was added to the argument that this was an imposter. absent, still recuperating from his car Theorists also argued the white VW Beetle in the background with the registration plate LMW accident in Scotland. 28IF represented the fact that Paul would have been ‘28 if’ he had lived – totally overlooking Equally pretty is Lennon’s beatific the fact that Macca would, in fact, have been just 27. Because, an unusually laid-back tune borne from him listening to Yoko play

110 Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata on . The ever-resourceful (and a

Andreas Thum little lazy) Lennon reversed the chord structure for his new song which, when pimped up in the studio, featured the most intricate and layered backing vocals the band ever attempted. The a capella version of the song featured on is a stunning showcase for the triple-stacked harmonies of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison. Apart from Come Together and Harrison’s duo of gems, Abbey Road’s legacy is perhaps built on the resourceful 16-minute eight-song medley that illuminates Side 2. Could it also be the best example of smoke-and- mirrors trickery in pop music history? Famed for its seamless cohesion, the songs were, in fact, half-finished snippets stitched together by the expertise of McCartney and George Martin. Once again, the bassist was the instigator but it was the studio nous of the producer that got it over the line. Paul’s recollections over the inspiration of its opening part You Never Give Me Your Money have proved unreliable over the years, flipping between claiming it was an indictment of the managerial interference of Allen Klein and a more general complaint against the other Beatles at a time when Apple’s finances were in disarray. As McCartney and Klein’s main disputes post-dated the Paul’s Abbey Road coda is the subject of much fan appreciation, song’s gestation, it could be a case from this plaque by Andreas Thum where Paul is rewriting his own to an inscription in Niagra Falls, NY history. Its plaintive tone in places goes against his assertion that this was a song written in anger. Perhaps it’s more a tone of reservation – and he IF THE BAND WEREN’T TO KNOW THAT could see the steamroller style of Klein THE END WOULD BE THEIR PARTING meant the writing was on the wall for SHOT ON RECORD, THEN ITS The Beatles, and that he’d been usurped as the de facto manager of the COINCIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING band since Brian Epstein’s death. of an Apple Scruff (they didn’t call If the band weren’t to know that The Sun King includes another too-close- them stalkers in the ’60s) who stood End would be their parting shot on for-comfort musical steal, this time guard outside band members’ homes record, then its coincidence is from Fleetwood Mac’s Albatross, and actually tried to enter McCartney’s overwhelming. In order, Paul, George before Lennon returns to rockier house via his bathroom. Paul’s then John lay down a catalogue of territory for Mean Mr Mustard and reworking of the 17th century stinging solos and Ringo even weighs Polythene Pam, extensions of the dramatist Thomas Dekker’s poem in with his first and only drum solo in oddball character studies found in Cradle Song from his 1603 comedy the band. Paul’s memorable closing line Happiness Is A Warm Gun. Patient Grissel on Golden Slumbers is a “The love you take is equal to the love McCartney’s additions to the medley marvel. When paired with Carry That you make” could not be more fitting. are undoubtedly stronger than his Weight, its emotional resonance within Even at their most conflicted as an writing ‘partner’; She Came In Through the Beatles story is almost unbearable artistic unit, they still sent messages The Bathroom Window is an effortless – as part of their final goodbye to us, its out to the world that would resound pop-rocker borne out of the true story poignancy can be overpowering. down the generations. ✶

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