Timeline Albums, EPs & singles Songs Films Concerts Sessions People Interviews Articles

Thursday, January 16, 1969

The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 10

For The Beatles

Last updated on March 23, 2025

Master session

Location

Timeline

Session Jan 14, 1969 • The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 9

Article Jan 15, 1969 • George Harrison rejoins The Beatles

Session Jan 16, 1969 • The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 10

Article January 17-19, 1969 • Installation of Apple recording studio at 3 Savile Row

Album Jan 17, 1969 • "Yellow Submarine (Mono)" by The Beatles released in the UK

Next session Jan 20, 1969 • The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 11

More from year 1969

Master release

On January 10, 1969, George Harrison walked out of the “Get Back” sessions at Twickenham Film Studios, no longer able to endure the growing tensions within the group. A meeting between the four Beatles on January 12 failed to resolve the issues, as George left early without committing to rejoining.

On January 15, the four Beatles met again. George outlined his conditions for returning: the planned live TV special would have to be scrapped, and rehearsals for the new album relocated from Twickenham to Apple’s basement studio, then under construction by Alexis “Magic Alex” Mardas. Despite these demands, George agreed to continue being filmed while making the new album. The other Beatles accepted George’s terms.

This day, January 16, marked the official end of the Twickenham sessions. Mal Evans, Kevin Harrington, and Glyn Johns dismantled the set and prepared to relocate equipment to Apple Studios. While the Beatles were not scheduled to attend, Paul McCartney came in and recorded a piano demo of “Oh! Darling,” a track that would be released on the “Abbey Road” album. The demo, engineered by Glyn Johns, was featured in Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary “The Beatles: Get Back“.

From Peter Jackson’s film “The Beatles: Get Back“, 2021

George Harrison then visited Twickenham to meet with Glyn Johns. Together, they traveled to Apple Corps’ headquarters at 3 Savile Row to inspect the basement studio that Magic Alex had been constructing. However, they discovered the facilities were woefully inadequate, plagued by severe levels of distortion and hiss. Realizing the studio was unfit for The Beatles’ needs, Johns contacted George Martin for assistance. EMI agreed to lend Apple the necessary equipment, ensuring the band could continue their work in a functional recording environment. The installation was done in the following days and The Beatles restarted their rehearsals in the new location on January 20.

From Peter Jackson’s film “The Beatles: Get Back“, 2021

Session activities

  1. Oh! Darling

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    Recording

    Paul McCartney : Piano, Vocals

Staff

Musicians

Production staff

Visitors

Going further

Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image - The Complete, Unauthorized Story of The Beatles' 'Get Back' Sessions

Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image - The Complete, Unauthorized Story of The Beatles' 'Get Back' Sessions

The definitive guide to the Get Back sessions, released in 1994 and updated in 2007. In the author's own words:

New, completely revised edition! This new volume isn t just a compilation of material from the 1994 book Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image (also later published as 'Get Back') and 'The 910's Guide To The Beatles Outtakes Part Two: The Complete Get Back Sessions' (2001). I've re-listened to the entire canon of available Get Back session tapes, come up with a bunch of new conclusions (and even a handful of new identifications!), and pretty much re-written half the book from scratch. In addition, great effort has been made to improve readability of the book. Songs have now been put into groups (generally by Nagra reel, or series of them), rather than describing each performance separately, as was done in the original. In every way, this is the book we wished we could have written in 1994.
As the paperback version is out of print, you can buy a PDF version on the author's website

Buy on Amazon

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions • Mark Lewisohn

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions • Mark Lewisohn

The definitive guide for every Beatles recording sessions from 1962 to 1970. We owe a lot to Mark Lewisohn for the creation of those session pages, but you really have to buy this book to get all the details - the number of takes for each song, who contributed what, a description of the context and how each session went, various photographies... And an introductory interview with Paul McCartney!

Buy on Amazon

The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)

The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)

The fifth and final book of this critically acclaimed series, "The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)" follows The Beatles as they "get back to where they once belonged...". Not once, but twice. With "Let It Be", they attempted to recapture the spontaneity of their early years and recordings, while "Abbey Road" was a different kind of return - to the complexity, finish and polish that they had applied to their work beginning with "Revolver" and through to "The Beatles".

Buy on Amazon
Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Rodrigo Buj • Jul 19, 2024 • 1 year ago

This is the day only Paul attended and recorded "Oh! Darling". Plus a few seconds of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da".

The PaulMcCartney Project • Jul 21, 2024 • 1 year ago

Thanks Rodrigo. I need to come back to the "Get Back" sessions and complete those !!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2026 • Please note this site is strictly non-commercial. All pictures, videos & quoted texts remain the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by us is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact us and we will do so immediately. Alternatively, we would be delighted to provide credits.