The Beatles Abbey Road: how to quit when you’re on top

[@EricSchultz-zs8hz]

Geoff Emerick, in his book, wrote about the guitar solos on "The End," in which John, Paul and George played it live, all facing each other, "Incredibly, after just a brief period of rehearsal, they nailed it in a single take."

[@EricSchultz-zs8hz]

Also interesting is that for maybe the one and only time since first bringing Yoko into the studio with the Beatles, John told her to stay in the engineering booth while they worked on the solos for "The End."

[@benmeltzer]

Love that book. As my brother says, it covers what you want to know and doesn't cover what you don't want to know.

[@johnlennon6491]

You're one of my favourite KZbinrs, good and succinct. You should appear on more podcasts. Always very interesting commentary

[@TheCousinEddie]

I can't think of any other band who's albums are still studied, analyzed, collected and enjoyed more than fifty years after being released. Abbey Road was so well written, performed and produced that each song still sounds fresh. The Beatles were an extraordinary band who's sum was greater than it's parts. I adore the music each member has created as a solo artist but none could generate the magic that was The Beatles. If a listener was unaware which Beatle had written a particular song it wouldn't matter. The end result was a Beatles song, it sounded like a Beatles song and it felt like a Beatles song. That was their magic.

[@nervo6321]

We think of this as the mature Beatles final fling, but remember all the guys were still in their twenties, personally I think Georges contribution on this album are sublime

[@iconicshrubbery]

Today I am sixty four. I get up, sit down , headphones, and put on Abbey Road. For ever. Thanks John, this is the icing on the cake.

[@tobiasinnit]

I love Maxwell too

[@Pauls_Archive]

Yes it is was the B side to Ticket To Ride I’m sure, I’m Down for Help. Abbey Road is a masterpiece as far as I’m concerned

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Great to hear someone sticking up for Maxwell..!! 👍 !

[@lancep4164]

I am also very big fan of Maxwell. Loved it since I first heard it at 11 years old.

[@johnheaton5667]

yes...it's so effortless...genius!

[@jugibur2117]

13:25 Oh, I didn't know this! I always thought that was photographed so complete. Thanks, was very entertaining for me!

[@jedikiah1541]

I think Abbey Road, along with Revolver, song for song, is the strongest album. I know the medley contains mere fragments, but it all works so wonderfully well, and it's hard to pick holes out of any of it. Even the much derided Maxwell's Silver Hammer, really isn't bad. I'd certainly put the album above Sgt Pepper by some distance, and perhaps if there were less tracks on The White Album they may have been on par. Stylistically I have a preference for Revolver, but consistency wise there's little in it. Yes, George and John both present marvellous highlights, but the album's really Paul's concept, having structured it (I'd imagine alongside George Martin). When listening it is quite easy to see why listeners were initially disappointed with Paul's debut and Ram.

[@franklincoolport27]

What an album to finish with. Love the medley.. Great video John.

[@franklincoolport27]

Hi John how about a re-visiting/review of A Hard Days Night, easily one of the best of the early albums. In my opinion the track Things we said Today is masterful and well ahead of its time.

[@LapsangTe]

We should be very happy that "Abbey Road" was made. It would have been very sad if The Beatles' recording history had ended with the mediocre "Let it Be" album. Even if they weren't sure it would be their last album they probably had a feeling that it was their last time together in the studio, so everyone really did his best. It's a very worthy goodbye.

[@erniericardo8140]

Imagine if Paul had put his energy and focus on Back Seat of my Car instead of Maxwell Silver Hammer-IMO That would have made Abbey Road flawless.

[@Snowman13230]

No, it fits perfectly on Ram as a closing track. It would not be good at the start of Abbey Road.

[@Bobdulla30]

Are we sure that is actually IS Paul singing the lower harmony on Come Together? To me it sounds as if it could be John himself on that harmony. But then again Paul was a chameleon and could match/copy John very well when they sang together. It's like the discussion of who sang the ahhhhh part before coming into 3. verse in A Day in the Life. Thanks for your video and efforts Mr. Heaton.

[@strathman7501]

Re the Moog on Maxwell, George was once quoted as saying his synthesizer was effective on Maxwell, but according to engineer Alan Parsons, according to studio documentation that shows George working on Something in a different studio at the time, and according to Paul himself, it was Paul who actually played it (see Beatlesebooks)

[@thejoin4687]

The thing is about Maxwell's Hammer is that I always end up enjoying it more than I expect. The final "clang-clang" always makes me smile.

[@richardjarrell3585]

6:54 Robert Moog’s name rhymes with “vogue”-the mispronunciation is practically universal and the spelling certainly leads one in the wrong direction.

[@Slydeil]

Good overview and I like Maxwell's Silver Hammer too. The song that I used to skip was I Want You (She's so Heavy) but I was quite young when I got Abbey Road and it's one I have grown to love. Abbey Road is the perfect finale for The Beatles and I'm so glad they made such an artistic and tasteful way to bow out. And to maintain their resistance to offers to reform was a wise choice which has protected their legacy. Re Come Together backing vocals. I'm not sure that is Paul. I used to think it was but read that John did them himself and Paul was hurt that he hadn't let him sing on it.

[@EricSchultz-zs8hz]

I always like your commentary, and this was another really good one.

[@tyronewhitehead3123]

I enjoyed that very much that was full of interesting. Facts

[@farrellmcnulty909]

I grew to like Maxwell's Silver Hammer afetr a while. It is funny, though. Sun King is a real highlight.

[@RonaldBrown59]

Your so right, Abbey Road was a great way to go out on top. And great discussion on what made Abbey Road special. It's still one of my favorite albums. Thanks for sharing, John.

[@benmeltzer]

I'm fond of both "Maxwell" and "Ob-La-Di." Elliott Smith's cover of "Because" reveals what a great song it is. It's a perhaps rare Beatles cover that sheds new light on the song. A pet peeve of mine is the universal reference to the Side 2 "medley." It's not a single medley. It is two distinct pieces separated by a pause: 1) "You Never Give Me Your Money" through "Bathroom Window" and 2) "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End" - which are arguably constituent parts of a single song and no more a medley than is "Band On The Run" (though I have no objection to it being described as a second medley, just not as part of the other medley ending in "Bathroom Window"). That these separate pieces have come to be known as a single medley is an error that has embedded itself into the public record. Perhaps unusually, I for one have never speculated about what might have been had they stayed together; and I agree they went out on top with this album. I too wouldn't have it any other way. As for other bands ending on a high note, the Rumours lineup of Fleetwood Mac went out with Tango In The Night, which may not be their best album but is certainly a strong one. Neil Young's semi-acoustic band The Stray Gators went out with Harvest Moon, admittedly not as strong as Harvest; but stronger than Time Fades Away and in any case a very strong album regardless.

[@jaylene.turner6524]

Great video,John!

[@onsenkuma1979]

Abbey Road seemed to appear in autumn '69 with little advance hype. I was 14 at the time, and my friends and I used to get together just to spin albums. This one blew everyone away from the first note. I've always felt that 'The End' should have been the last piece of new recorded music ever heard by The Beatles. To go out on a high note like that would have been so powerful - a perfect end to the band and a beautiful farewell to the decade.

[@TheThaggs]

Yes It Is, B side of Ticket To Ride. I'm Down B side of Help.

[@botanicalspotlight]

Just wanted to say I can listen to your videos for hours. Love your knowledge! You should do a Q&A video sometime! There's definitely question I have for you.

[@thefishpiesky]

John, very good. Thank you. Yep Abbey Road is definitely one of my favs but something which often doesn’t get mentioned about it is why it was ever made in circumstances in which the band members were less positive about each other. . I think the prime motivation was income. Klein would have said, “ The Apple accounts are telling me that you guys need a hit and you can’t wait for Let it Be film to be finished. So go make a hit record soon, get George Martin in”. Hence the hit making team of band, producer and engineer are reunited. Does that hold water?

[@johnheaton5667]

Possible though I doubt that was a primary motivation…things weren’t great between them but they were still great mates and the thing they were best at was making music together (despite business & personal tensions)

[@fwnfaa]

Another great album from the fab four, nice video.

[@podecrer81]

Great video. Totally agree with you, John.

Any chance of a 10 year restrospective on Paul's album New released exactly 10 years ago to see what you think of it and how it ranks among his solo efforts with 10 year's distance. I think it's actually one of the best albums of his solo career and far better than Egypt Station and McCartney 3.

[@paulsontag9233]

You're on a roll John! Love this and the White Album vids. Carry that Weight with all four voices together was a rare occurrence but just perfect. While the songwriting developed exponentially from Love Me Do onwards the actual sound of their work was peerless from start to finish. This album is the sublime culmination of this... it never sounds dated or "of it's time" to me anyway.

[@Chucklea9]

The Police are one of the other bands who quit whilst they were on top. Great video as usual John.

[@tomasfagerberg6323]

Paul doesn't sing the vocal harmony on Come Together. It's John. If you listen to the isolated vocals here on KZbin, you can clearly hear that it's John singing both harmony and lead vocal.

[@juliatutor8099]

Loved the video... Peace and Love.... Terry Tutor

[@latinhellas6383]

To my ears, the most memorable aspect of Abbey Road is the outstanding guitar work - all of it: rhythm, lead, bass.

[@martynnation]

Great video John. I think you will find that Yes It Is, is the B side of Ticket to ride. The B side of Help is I’m down.

[@johnheaton5667]

Well spotted....sorry about that!

[@edwardclark4137]

She Came in Through the Bathroom Window is apparently about a girl who broke into Paul's house

[@thomasfisher5742]

an APPLESCRUFF...lol

[@RickM01]

John, what do you think of the John Lennon Signature Box (2010) in contrast to previous album releases?

[@Deebhoy]

Strange how time changes you're views. I Want You (She's So Heavy) is very possibly my favourite song on Abbey Road. It was never up there until a few years ago but for whatever reason it is now

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Hi John. The 'Nothing is Real' podcast guys have an interesting theory about what Paul meant about not singing harmony on 'Come Together'. It's worth listening to the episode that focuses on that song as it goes into the long tangled history with the legal fall-out stretching into the mid-seventies.

[@strathman7501]

I suggest that what Paul meant re Come Together is that he would have liked to sing harmony live together with John, in the old way, rather than overdubbing it.

[@Gooders478]

Because is a(nother) bloody masterpiece! The Beatles took risks, they carried out raids beyond the walls of the closed perceptual loop and brought back treasures, along with the occasional fake like Maxwell's Silver Hammer but that's the price of not playing it safe. People forget what a shit deal they had and the ludicrous deadlines they worked to; it was a blessing and a curse because it forced their hands but we got a couple of duds, out of how many? Out of 200 songs they wrote maybe 2 that are horrible, both Macca Monstrosities: MSH & "Fool on the Hill". People will be digging the Beatles in 500 years. Technology improves but great music doesn't because that would be impossible.

[@jugibur2117]

MSH und "Fool on the Hill" ? Really? Other bands would be happy to have such songs in their portfolio :-)

[@allanforrester2612]

A very good question posed near the end. Has any other band in the history of pop/rock gone out with an album that was easily one of their best , if not the best, leaving their fans wanting more as much as Beatles fans want or wanted more? I can't think of any.

[@Badfinger-m5v]

The Police. While Synchronicity isn't my favorite Police album, they certainly were at the height of their popularity when they went away.

[@nickvickers3486]

It probably gets overlooked now, it came out with little fanfare and the band broke up soon after and never toured it, but Collapse into Now was a very strong and poignant way for R.E.M. to sign off. Just like the Beatles, they knew they were done and left on a high

[@markcampese7989]

I think Maxwell’s Silver Hammer is a great song - chock full of instruments and production . Abbey Road is my favorite album of all time .

[@invisibleray6987]

When are you gonna interview BILLY J KRAMER 😂😂

[@adamfindlay7091]

The Fabs did it their way☮️ which 100% worked for them. Thus, now everyone gets it. And all others bend...

[@shyman99]

I think ever since Epstein passed away; they probably thought each album they made was their final album. But it's tough to break away from a routine & therefore would "come together" again.

[@thomasfisher5742]

COME TOGETHER...ORIGINLY WRITTEN OR STARTED OUT (SIC) FOR Dr TIMOTHY LEARY AS A POLICAL JINGLE

[@strathman7501]

"Did they know it would be their last?" A question often asked, but an inappropriate one really. Could they predict or rigidly control the future? Of course not. The question ought to be "Did they *feel at the time* that it was likely to be their last?" and the answer to that is surely Yes. The fact that they rallied, to the extent of discussing a possible future album on the back of the success of Abbey Road, is evidence of their thoughts at that later time, but does not reflect back in time to contradict whatever they were feeling when they made Abbey Road. Judging from the sort of comments you mention from George Martin and George harrison, and from the content and configuration of the album itself, I think it's self-evident that Abbey Road was in their minds (if we can generalise) a wrapping-up and a farewell.

[@blackstar5690]

Although I am a big Beatle fan, I have never understood the fuss about the "medley". As John Lennon said, it's nothing more than some leftovers constructed into a potpourri. Don't get me wrong, it's fun to listen to, but it's in stark contrast to what the Beatles were really capable of.

[@verti_calman]

Maxwell is a great song, but for me it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the album.

[@jeffkaufman9875]

Mind the gap, John; mind the gap!..

[@JimDeferio]

The Beatles were not on top with Abbey Road, as good as that album was. In 1970 & 1971 George, John and Paul released solo albums "All Things Must Pass", "Plastic Ono Band", "Imagine, "McCartney" and "Ram" plus some singles not on any of these albums including a single by Ringo in 1970 which he wrote ("Coochie Coochie). That was at least 70 new songs! Surely from this large selection they could have come up with at least two GREAT albums surpassing Abbey Road. What was leftover could have gone on solo albums because there is no way the Beatles as a band would approve of songs like "Well Well Well" or "Wah Wah" or "Kreen Akrore" and others to be OK for a group album. So I am glad for the solo albums.

[@petermcgarrymusicandflying]

Brainwashed is imho a superb album

[@mikeysaint4368]

I love Abbey Road, but have never been a fan of Come Together. Plagiarism aside, it's a monotonous dirge which fails the "does it sound good played only on acoustic guitar" test. It's elevated into being a decent track by Paul and Ringo's bass and drums groove, and to a lesser extent George's guitar. As a song, there's really not much there, and I'm not sure I'd have it in my top 100 Beatles recordings.

[@Wayner71]

I counted the minutes each Beatle had on Abbey Road some time ago. John has more track time on the album than Paul. John comes in at 18.56 minutes and Paul comes in at 17.01 minutes. That is counting all of the tracks including the medley and "Her Majesty". Cheers John.

[@nervo6321]

How can any reviewer muppet say Because is one of the worst Beatles song ever is beyond me, I think it is extremely beautiful.

[@John-et9yl]

MSH my least favourite on the album. Impossible to pick a favourite though. Definitely the greatest swansong by any band.

[@invisibleray6987]

It wasn't a swan song, it was Let it be was the final album and most casual fans accept that as fact.... Abbey Road 69 Let it be 70, a shabby end 😂

[@tt-du6vc]

Right! Malcolm McDowell called Let it Be, the Beatles swan song on The Compleat Beatles.

[@professorjams]

Ditto

[@johnbarleycornmustdie]

Hi John, as an idea for a video, what about a best of John’s Rock’n’Roll album and Paul’s CHOBA B CCCP ? What’s the best mix of tracks from both or both album in retrospect? I really struggled to warm to John’s RNR album as the mix felt dense and rough (maybe intended this way but my ears didn’t like it!)