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October 1969
The “Abbey Road” photo session
Aug 08, 1969
About
From TheBeatles.com:
First issued on 26th September, 1969 Abbey Road was the final Beatles album to be recorded but not their last to be released. Let It Be, though mainly recorded in January, 1969 was finally released in May, 1970 alongside the film of the same name.
Following the ‘live’ nature of the “Let It Be” recordings, for Abbey Road, The Beatles returned to the North London studios to create carefully crafted recordings with ambitious musical arrangements. Interestingly, 12 of the songs that appeared on the finished album were played during the filmed rehearsals and sessions for “Let It Be” back in January.
For the first time on a Beatles album, the front cover contained neither the group’s name nor the album title just that iconic photograph taken on the zebra crossing near the entrance to the studios in London NW8 in August 1969.
Abbey Road entered the British album chart at no.1 in October and stayed there for a total of seventeen of its 81 weeks in the chart. In the US, it spent eleven weeks at #1 during its initial chart stay of 83 weeks.
The final Beatles album was first released on 8th May, 1970, just prior to the launch of the cinema film of the same name.
Rehearsals and recording sessions for the album had taken place in January, 1969 first At Twickenham Film Studios and later in the basement and on the roof of their Apple headquarters in London’s Savile Row.
A single comprising of “Get Back” and “Don’t Let Me Down” was released in April, 1969 but as The Beatles focussed their energies on a new album mainly recorded at Abbey Road, The “Get Back” album as it was then called remained unreleased.
Once Abbey Road had been issued and the completion of the documentary film now imminent, it was noticed that rehearsals of George’s song “I Me Mine” featured prominently in the film but had not been recorded in the studio. This was remedied on 3rd January, 1970 when George, Paul and Ringo performed it without John who was in Denmark. A second single from the album, which was now titled Let It Be appeared on 6th March.
Up to now the idea behind the album had been to capture the group “live in the studio” without overdubs or effects but this changed when producer, Phil Spector was brought in to re-produce the tracks. The Long And Winding Road, which had been given a new musical arrangement featuring orchestra and choir, was released as a single in the US and other markets but not the UK and became the group’s final # 1 single.
The album reached no. 1 for a three week stay during its 59 week chart stay. In the US, the album enjoyed a four week stay at #1 during an initial chart life of 55 weeks.
“I don’t like people explaining albums. The only way you can explain it is to hear it, You can’t really use words about music, otherwise we’d do a talking album. The album is the explanation, and it’s up to you to make sure what you want of it. There is no theme to Abbey Road. There never is a theme to any of our albums, although some people saw one in Sgt Pepper.”
Paul McCartney – Badman, Keith. The Beatles: Off the Record . Music Sales. Kindle Edition.
Last updated on October 31, 2021
Special editions
Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
By The Beatles • Official album
Abbey Road (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
By The Beatles • Official album
Related singles
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Something / Come Together (UK - 1976)
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Something / Come Together (UK - 1989)
By The Beatles • 7" Single
Related songs
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on The Ballad Of John And Yoko / Old Brown Shoe (UK - 1969)
Officially appears on Abbey Road
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on The Ballad Of John And Yoko / Old Brown Shoe (UK - 1969)
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Related films
1969 • For The Beatles • Directed by Neil Aspinall
2015 • For The Beatles
2019 • For The Beatles • Directed by Alasdair Brotherston
Related sessions
February 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Recording "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
Feb 22, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Old Brown Shoe", "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
Apr 18, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on The Ballad Of John And Yoko / Old Brown Shoe (UK - 1969)
Recording and mixing "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", "Oh! Darling"
Apr 20, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Oh! Darling", "Octopus's Garden"
Apr 26, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Octopus's Garden"
Apr 29, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
May 02, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
May 05, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "You Never Give Me Your Money"
May 06, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "You Never Give Me Your Money"
Jul 01, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Her Majesty", "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight"
Jul 02, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight"
Jul 03, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Here Comes The Sun"
Jul 07, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Here Comes The Sun"
Jul 08, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
Jul 09, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
Jul 10, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Something", "You Never Give Me Your Money"
Jul 11, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Come And Get It", "Sun King", "Mean Mr Mustard"
Jul 24, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Oh! Darling", "Octopus's Garden"
Jul 18, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Jul 21, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Oh! Darling", "Come Together"
Jul 22, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Oh! Darling", "Come Together", "The End"
Jul 23, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Jul 25, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Polythene Pam", "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window"
Jul 28, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Come Together", "Sun King", "Mean Mr. Mustard"
Jul 29, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Come Together", "Polythene Pam"...
Jul 30, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Aug 01, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "Because", mixing "Something", "Here Comes The Sun"
Aug 04, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Because", "The End"
Aug 05, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Mixing "Come Together", recording "The End"
Aug 07, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Mixing "Oh! Darling", "Because", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
Aug 12, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Mixing "You Never Give Me Your Money"
Aug 13, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Mixing the "Abbey Road" medley
Aug 14, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Recording and mixing "Golden Slumbers", "Carry That Weight", "The End"
Aug 18, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Aug 19, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Mixing "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
Aug 20, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Feb 22 - Aug 25, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Abbey Road
Related interviews
October 2000 • From MOJO
Sep 21, 1969 • From BBC Radio 1
Following their kerb drill in Abbey Road
Sep 20, 1969 • From Evening Standard
Going further
Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles
Acclaimed Beatles historian Kenneth Womack offers the most definitive account yet of the writing, recording, mixing, and reception of Abbey Road. In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound, and included "Come Together," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun," which all emerged as classics.
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