5: ABBEY ROAD | THE BEATLES
In '69 Lennon was subdued with his 'warm gun' so McCartney led the charge to put together this well known cohesive record. The songs follow each other with the energy of Sgt Peppers. This last hurrah for histories most loved rock acts was all it could be. I've alway loved Paul's throat taring of on 'Oh Darling'. This record is some of Sir PM's best most potent writing. And, aside from George's two powerfully optimistic tracks, it was a his album. And talk about sequencing….
Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic: Conventional wisdom holds that the Beatles intended Abbey Road as a grand farewell, a suspicion seemingly confirmed by the elegiac note Paul McCartney strikes at the conclusion of its closing suite. It's hard not to interpret "And in the end/the love you take/is equal to the love you make" as a summation not only of Abbey Road but perhaps of the group's entire career, a lovely final sentiment. The truth is perhaps a bit messier than this. The Beatles had tentative plans to move forward after the September 1969 release of Abbey Road, plans that quickly fell apart at the dawn of the new decade, and while the existence of that goal calls into question the intentionality of the album as a finale, it changes not a thing about what a remarkable goodbye the record is. In many ways, Abbey Road stands apart from the rest of the Beatles' catalog, an album that gains considerable strength from its lush, enveloping production -- a recording so luxuriant, it glosses over aesthetic differences between the group's main three songwriters and ties together a series of disconnected unfinished songs into a complete suite. Where Sgt. Pepper pioneered such mind-bending aural techniques, Abbey Road truly seized the possibilities of the studio and, in doing so, pointed the way forward to the album rock era of the 1970s. Many of the studio tricks arrive during that brilliant suite of songs, a sequence that lasts nearly a full side of an album. Here, McCartney's playful eccentricity juts against John Lennon's curdled cynicism, while the band thrills in sudden changes of mood and plays plenty of guitar, culminating in McCartney, Lennon, and George Harrison trading solos on "The End." The depth of sonic detail within "You Never Give Me Your Money" and "She Came in Through the Window" provided ideas for entire subgenres of pop in the '70s, but Abbey Road also contains a handful of the most enduring Beatles songs, each adding a new emotional maturity to their catalog. The subdued boogie of Lennon's "Come Together" contains a sensuality previously unheard in the Beatles -- it's matched by "Because," which may be the best showcase for the group's harmonies -- Harrison's "Something" is a love ballad of unusual sensitivity, and his "Here Comes the Sun" is incandescent, perhaps his purest expression of joy. As good as these individual moments are, what makes Abbey Road transcendent is how the album is so much greater than the sum of its parts. While a single song or segment can be dazzling, having a succession of marvelous, occasionally intertwined moments is not only a marvel but indeed a summation of everything that made the Beatles great.
Abbey Road is the eleventh and final studio album by the Beatles, one of the most influential and popular rock bands in history. It was released in September 1969, shortly before the band’s break-up in April 1970. The album is widely regarded as one of their best and one of the greatest albums of all time. It features a variety of musical styles, such as rock, pop, blues, and progressive rock, and showcases the talents and creativity of all four members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
The album was mostly recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, hence the name and the iconic cover photo of the band walking across the zebra crossing outside the studio. The album was produced by George Martin, who had worked with the Beatles since their early days and helped shape their sound and vision. Martin agreed to produce the album on the condition that the band would cooperate and work together as they used to, without the conflicts and tensions that had marred their previous sessions.
One of the highlights of the album is the medley of eight songs that make up most of the second side. The medley was McCartney’s idea, who wanted to use some unfinished songs and fragments to create a coherent musical suite. The songs are linked by transitions and cross-fades, creating a seamless flow of music. The medley ends with “The End”, a song that features a guitar solo from each of the three guitarists (Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison) and a drum solo from Starr. The song also has the famous line “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”, which is often seen as a fitting epitaph for the Beatles’ career.
Another highlight of the album is Harrison’s contribution of two songs: “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun”. Both songs are considered among his best and among the Beatles’ classics. “Something” is a romantic ballad that showcases Harrison’s melodic and lyrical skills, as well as his expressive guitar playing. The song was praised by Lennon and McCartney, as well as by Frank Sinatra, who called it “the greatest love song ever written”. “Here Comes the Sun” is a cheerful and optimistic song that reflects Harrison’s relief after a difficult period of personal and professional troubles. The song features a distinctive acoustic guitar riff and an innovative use of a Moog synthesizer.
Abbey also contains some of Lennon’s most memorable songs, such as “Come Together”, “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”, and “Because”. “Come Together” is a funky and groovy song that features Lennon’s cryptic and humorous lyrics, McCartney’s prominent bass line, and Starr’s steady drumming. The song was originally written as a campaign slogan for Timothy Leary, a counterculture figure who ran for governor of California in 1969. “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” is a long and heavy song that expresses Lennon’s obsessive love for Yoko Ono, his partner and artistic collaborator. The song features a simple but powerful chord progression, a bluesy guitar solo by Harrison, and an abrupt ending that cuts off in mid-note. “Because” is a beautiful and harmonious song that features Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison singing in three-part harmony over a harpsichord played by Martin. The song was inspired by Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”, which Lennon heard Ono playing on the piano.
The album also includes some of McCartney’s most playful and whimsical songs, such as “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”, “Oh! Darling”, and “You Never Give Me Your Money”. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a dark comedy song that tells the story of a serial killer who murders his victims with a hammer. The song features a music hall style, a Moog synthesizer sound effect, and an anvil hit by Starr’s roadie Mal Evans. The song was disliked by Lennon, who thought it was too silly and childish. “Oh! Darling” is a rock and roll song that showcases McCartney’s powerful and soulful vocals. The song was influenced by the music of Little Richard, Fats Domino, and other 1950s artists. McCartney wanted to sing the song as if he had been performing it all week on stage, so he recorded his vocals early in the morning for several days until he achieved the desired effect. “You Never Give Me Your Money” is a piano-based song that reflects McCartney’s dissatisfaction with the Beatles’ financial situation and management. The song features several changes in tempo, mood, and style, and serves as the opening track for the medley on side two.
The album also features one of Starr’s rare compositions: “Octopus’s Garden”. The song is a cheerful and catchy tune that tells the story of an octopus who lives in a garden under the sea. The song was inspired by a trip that Starr took to Sardinia in 1968, where he learned from a boat captain that octopuses collect shiny objects and make gardens with them. The song features a bubbling sound effect created by blowing bubbles through a straw into a glass of water, and a guitar solo by Harrison, who also helped Starr write the song.
Abbey Road was an immediate commercial and critical success, reaching number one in both the UK and the US, and selling millions of copies worldwide. The album received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised its musical diversity, innovation, and cohesion. Some critics, however, found the album to be inauthentic, overproduced, and artificial, and criticized some of the songs as being weak or filler. The album has since been reevaluated and recognized as one of the Beatles’ best and most influential works, and as one of the greatest albums of all time. It has been ranked among the top albums by various publications and organizations, such as Rolling Stone, Time, NME, Q, Mojo, Pitchfork, and the Grammy Awards. The album has also inspired and influenced many artists and genres, such as progressive rock, pop rock, indie rock, alternative rock, and electronic music.