The “Get Back” LP rumours – September to December 1969

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Early June, the “Get Back” LP was announced in the press, for a release in July. Further updates had pushed the release to August and then September.

In August, the Beatles Monthly Book published a review of the “Get Back” LP, as well as a quote from Mal Evans announcing the plan had changed: another album would soon be released (“Abbey Road“) and “Get Back” would be released at a later date and at the same time as the documentary film being worked on by Michael Lindsay-Hogg.

In September, it was announced the album would be released in December. But further reports announced the LP and the documentary film would finally be released early 1970. It was also announced that the documentary film would be released in theatres, instead of TV as initially planned.

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‘Get Back’ LP in December

The Beatles are planning their usual large-scale album release for the end of the year which will be centred on their Get Back album. A full book has been written by John Cosh and loads of photographs have been taken for the book by Ethan Russell and Mal Evans. Sounds like the perfect Christmas present for all Beatle people.

From The Beatles Book N°74, September 1969

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THIRD FILM FOR BEATLES

The Beatles’ long-awaited third cinema film – to follow “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help” – will have its British premiere early next year. It will be the 1-hour 25-minute colour documentary “Get Back” and will tie in with release of the Beatles’ already-recorded album of the same name. […]

“Get Back” is the working title for the Beatles’ documentary, which has been edited from five hours of film taken at the time of rehearsals for the group’s abortive TV special. The treatment is candid.

Sequences include the famous open-air “Get Back” single recording session on the roof of the Apple headquarters in Savile Row, London.

It is expected that distribution of the documentary in Britain and throughout the world will be via United Artists – fulfilling an early three-picture deal with that company, which released both “Help” and “Hard Day’s Night”.

By special arrangement it is also expected that release of the “Get Back” album in America will be via United Artists.

From New Musical Express – September 20, 1969

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Their Get back LP is still scheduled for release in December to coincide with the showing of the special film which shows the day-to-day activities of the boys and their personalities who run their Apple empire in Savile Row.

You will remember that several months back a camera team spent several weeks in the Apple building filming every activity in the office (well, almost) and every visitor who entered the front door.

From the Beatles Monthly Book, N°75, October 1969

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Beatles ‘Get Back’ album due soon

A new Beatles LP and single are promised for release early in 1970 by Apple.

The LP will contain a majority of the tracks previously scheduled for release on the “Get Back, Don’t Let Me Down, And 11 Others” album, and a spokesman for Apple said that “Get Back” is the working title at the moment – “although it might be changed”. […]

From Melody Maker, December 27, 1969

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The “Get Back” timeline

• March-May 1969 – Mixing the Get Back album (2nd & 3rd compilations)
• April-May 1969 – The “Get Back” LP rumours – April to May 1969
• May 28, 1969 – Glyn Johns completes the “Get Back” LP (3rd compilation)
• May 13, 1969 – Photo shoot of the “Get Back” LP album
• June-July 1969 – The “Get Back” LP rumours – June to July 1969
• August 1969 – The “Get Back” LP rumours – August 1969
• September-December 1969 – The “Get Back” LP rumours – September to December 1969
• December 15, 1969 – Glyn Johns starts reworking the “Get Back” LP
• January 8, 1970 – Glyn Johns completes the “Get Back” LP (4th compilation)

Last updated on December 21, 2021