With tracks such as Come Together, Something, Octopus's Garden, Here Comes The Sun and Sun King it was evident that the split was premature as The Beatles were still creating some of their best material.
The iconic album cover features the band walking across the zebra crossing outside Abbey Road, however a completely different title and cover were supposedly pencilled in meaning one of the most recognisable album covers might never have happened. Initially the album was to be called Everest with the cover being shot at the Himalayas. None of The Beatles could be bothered with the travelling just for an album cover so at Paul McCartney's suggestion they just shot it outside the studios.
Song writing duties on Abbey Road are predominately Lennon/McCartney following the trend for previous albums. However two of arguably the better songs off the album were written by George Harrison, Something and Here Comes The Sun. Ringo Starr also gets a writing credit with the jolly, escapist track Octopus's Garden.
Production as always was handled by the appropriately named fifth Beatle George Martin. Martin worked with The Beatles since day one and by the time Abbey Road was recorded they knew they could put complete trust in his technical abilities.
Firsts for Abbey Road include -
- Recorded on an 8 track reel to reel as opposed to 4 track
- First Beatles album to be recorded in stereo not mono
- First and only Beatles album to be entirely recorded through a new solid state transistor mixing desk as opposed to earlier desks. The console allowed better support for eight-track multitrack recording, helping the Beatles' considerable use of overdubbing
Instruments used in Abbey Road -
John Lennon - Vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, piano, organ, Moog synthesiser.
Paul McCartney - Vocals, bass, lead and rhythm guitar, piano, organ, Moog synthesiser.
George Harrison - Vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, bass on a few songs, organs, Moog Synthesiser, lead vocals on Something and Here Comes The Sun
Ringo Starr - drums and percussion, anvil on Maxwells Silver Hammer, lead vocals on Octopus's Garden
The Beatles had struggled recording Let It Be (Get Back sessions) due to increasing conflict between the band that had started during The White Album recording and carried on all through the Let It Be recording. Paul McCartney is quoted as telling George Martin he wanted to record an album "the way we used to". Martin agreed but insisted his way after recent sessions had members wanting more involvement in the production process mostly with negative effects.
Side one of the album is made up of typically single tracks, whereas side two is more of a mix of shorter compositions knitted to create longer "suites". The reason for this was so various short and incomplete songs that Lennon and McCartney had under their belts could be used in the album.
The tracks on Abbey Road range from the heavily R&B influenced Come Together with arguably the best McCartney bass lines ever, to George Harrison's love ballad Something, to Oh!Darling which wouldn't sound out of place in a 1950s prom dance.
Although Abbey Road is considered some of The Beatles' best work, in my opinion this was helped by the knowledge that this would be the last ever album the band recorded together. The band, free of the stresses that come from being the biggest band in the world meant they could go back to what they loved writing and recording music.
Following Abbey Road John Lennon announced he was leaving the band in September 1969 prompting the break up of the band totally.
The rest as they say is history. History that includes an assassination, solo careers (some more successful than others) and Thomas the Tank Engine.
Song - Here Comes The Sun - George Harrison
George Harrison's songs were regularly overlooked by Lennon and McCartney while many said his song writing was exceptional. This ability shines through on the amazingly dreamy Here Comes The Sun.
Written on an acoustic guitar while walking around Eric Clapton's garden on a spring day. Lyrics such as "its been a long, cold, lonely winter" are understood to have a double meaning expressing Harrison's mood with regards to the state of The Beatles. Quoted from his autobiography "The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars and wrote "Here Comes the Sun".
Here Comes The Sun while being a sublime, uplifting piece of music also has sad, sombre undertones.
Side one of the album is made up of typically single tracks, whereas side two is more of a mix of shorter compositions knitted to create longer "suites". The reason for this was so various short and incomplete songs that Lennon and McCartney had under their belts could be used in the album.
The tracks on Abbey Road range from the heavily R&B influenced Come Together with arguably the best McCartney bass lines ever, to George Harrison's love ballad Something, to Oh!Darling which wouldn't sound out of place in a 1950s prom dance.
Although Abbey Road is considered some of The Beatles' best work, in my opinion this was helped by the knowledge that this would be the last ever album the band recorded together. The band, free of the stresses that come from being the biggest band in the world meant they could go back to what they loved writing and recording music.
Following Abbey Road John Lennon announced he was leaving the band in September 1969 prompting the break up of the band totally.
The rest as they say is history. History that includes an assassination, solo careers (some more successful than others) and Thomas the Tank Engine.
Song - Here Comes The Sun - George Harrison
George Harrison's songs were regularly overlooked by Lennon and McCartney while many said his song writing was exceptional. This ability shines through on the amazingly dreamy Here Comes The Sun.
Written on an acoustic guitar while walking around Eric Clapton's garden on a spring day. Lyrics such as "its been a long, cold, lonely winter" are understood to have a double meaning expressing Harrison's mood with regards to the state of The Beatles. Quoted from his autobiography "The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars and wrote "Here Comes the Sun".
Here Comes The Sun while being a sublime, uplifting piece of music also has sad, sombre undertones.
well done
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