Master session
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The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions
January 2-31, 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Let It Be (Limited Edition)
Location
Recording studio: Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London
Timeline
Session Jan 21, 1969 • The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 12
Session Jan 22, 1969 • The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 13
Session Jan 23, 1969 • The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 14
Session Jan 24, 1969 • The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions • Day 15
Session Jan 24, 1969 • Mixing the "Get Back" album (1st compilation) #1
Master release
Some of the songs from this session also appear on:
Overview
On this day, The Beatles continued the “Get Back” sessions at Apple Studio in London. This marked the third day at their new studio and the 14th day overall for the project.
The day was focused on the development of the track “Get Back.” The presence of keyboard player Billy Preston, who joined the sessions the previous day, added new energy to the band’s work, shaping the song significantly. Ringo Starr’s drum pattern and George Harrison’s guitar rhythm began to solidify, while John Lennon’s guitar solo and backing vocals took form. Paul decided to simplify the structure to include just two verses, omitting an earlier third verse about “Pakistanis.” Instead, a keyboard solo from Preston and a second guitar solo from John were incorporated. These explorations brought the arrangement closer to its final version, although the iconic coda and the “Beatles break” were still to come.
The group rehearsed “Get Back” extensively, performing 43 takes throughout the day, at least ten of which were recorded with George Martin as producer. The sessions also marked renowned engineer, producer, and musician Alan Parsons’ debut as a tape operator.
Beyond “Get Back,” the band dabbled in other songs, including “Oh! Darling,” which would later feature on the “Abbey Road” album, and Ringo’s “Octopus’s Garden,” then a simple three-chord piano sketch. Brief, playful renditions of “Please Please Me” in an atonal form and “Help!” in a slow swing style were also performed. Paul McCartney also attempted Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock,” though he struggled to remember the lyrics.
The mood at Apple Studio stood in stark contrast to the tense atmosphere of the earlier Twickenham rehearsals. The Beatles appeared energized and lighthearted, smiling, laughing, and clearly enjoying the creative process. They even took a break in the afternoon to watch a film of John’s “You Are Here” art gallery show from the previous year, underscoring the camaraderie of the day and explaining the presence of art dealer Robert Fraser at the session.
The Beatles returned to Apple Studio the following day.
We were working on a good track [Get Back], and that always excited us. And his [Billy Preston’s] part was also a part of it, you know. Suddenly, when you were working on something good the bullshit went out the window, and we got back down to doin’ what we did really, really well.
Ringo Starr Quoted in Classic Rock, May 2020
Main songs recorded on this day
Get Back
From beatlesebook.com:
It was during the session on January 23rd, 1969 at Apple Studios that The Beatles with Billy Preston solidified Ringo’s galloping drum pattern for the arrangement of “Get Back,” George’s chopping guitar pattern and John’s guitar solo work and backing vocals also taking shape considerably. “You bring the song in, you kick it around, and then someone gets an idea,” Paul relates on his 2021 Hulu documentary series “McCartney 3,2,1.” “‘Oh, why don’t we do that?,’ or ‘How ’bout this on the drums?’ or Ringo, like on something like ‘Get Back.’ We were just kicking it around. There’s a little jam and then he gets on the drums, ‘bum, buppa, bum, buppa, bum…’ He’s got this little kind of almost military thing going. Well, that really was, ‘Aah, great, different!’ It made a world of difference.”
While the third verse about “Pakistanis” was omitted on this day, Paul, George and John were all instrumental in working out the song’s structure. Since both John and Billy Preston were to perform individual solos, Paul thought to vocally introduce them individually by either of the two main characters in the song’s lyrics. “Which do you want to be, Jojo or Loretta?,” Paul asks John, demonstrating, “‘Get back to sweet Loretta! He’s waiting for you,’ and it’s an old drag queen back on the ranch in Tucson, ‘wearing his hi-heel shoes!'” George notes the song’s similarity to a classic Motown hit by The Four Tops. “It’s like ‘Reach Out.’ Remember in ‘Reach Out’ where everything stops and then…’I’ll be back! (sic)’ That’s what the song needs, it needs a catchy riff.” Paul then decides to include a subdued chorus after the first solo and then introduce the next solo section with a descending keyboard riff by Billy Preston during the break that George suggested. After a second guitar solo from John is decided upon, they decide to try standing up to rehearse the newly arranged song, which results in a humorous medley of “Help!” and “Please Please Me” that sends everyone into a laughing fit. Although a final “Beatles break” and coda was yet to materialize, the final arrangement as we know it was getting close.
Fourty-three rehearsals of “Get Back” were performed on this day, at least ten of these being attempted as official recordings with Glyn Johns and George Martin in the control room. “What are you calling this,” George Martin called out before the first official take was recorded, Paul answered, “Sht,” to which John added, “Sht Back!” “’Sh*t’ take one,” George Martin designated before the tapes started rolling. A young Alan Parsons made his debut as tape operator on this day, his long-standing career as engineer, producer and musician beginning by witnessing The Beatles formalize the song “Get Back” before his eyes. Interestingly, while listening back to recordings of the song on this day in their control room, George Harrison asked the others what their last single was and how long ago it released. When Paul answered it was “Hey Jude” and it was roughly five months ago, George suggested, “It’d be nice to do takes until we get it and just have it (out) before the show…Just put it out as a single next week.” John showed that he was on board, stating, “Let’s finish it off for a single tomorrow, and we’ll do ‘Part Two’ on the back side!” With this decided, nixing John’s idea to put “Get Back (Part Two)” on the b-side, they had a definate goal for their next session.
From beatlesebook.com
Conversations
At this stage, the goal was to create a commercial film from these sessions, intended to become the third Beatles movie. The film’s climax would feature a live performance. The previous day, Primrose Hill — a grassy hill offering stunning views across London — had been considered as a potential location for this event. On this day, discussions focused on timing, and a consensus emerged that the performance should take place within a week to ten days. It was also acknowledged that weekend work might be required to meet this timeline.
Michael Lindsay-Hogg: Well, the current thought is that we’ll try to do it at the end of next week, maybe.
Ringo Starr: You know, if we did ten days straight from now…
George Martin: Well, you’re working so well together now. Let’s keep it going.
John Lennon: Well, you know, I won’t say no.
Michael Lindsay-Hogg: Mightn’t be able to speak.
Ringo Starr: You know, I’d rather work the weekend than make it last out an extra week or so.
Michael Lindsay-Hogg: I think the thing is we’ll aim for Thursday, ’cause if we don’t make Thursday, just as a…
Ringo Starr: Then we won’t get outside, will we?
John Lennon: Michael was talking in terms of next Thursday. And working over the weekend. So, it’s gonna be stupid.
Paul McCartney: Yeah, let’s work Saturday, but not Sunday. Just to have one day. ‘Cause it does help next week… If you get one day.
John Lennon: Oh, yeah. I’m so tired though. It’s amazing.
From Peter Jackson’s film “The Beatles: Get Back“, 2021
Paul McCartney: For this show, though, we should all have our hair greased back!
John Lennon: Yeah, like rockers!
George Harrison: Way back in the ’50s.
Paul McCartney: ‘Course, you probably don’t remember the ’50s. When the great names were around. Eddie Cochran, Gene Burke.
John Lennon: George Hemingway, Frida Starr.
Paul McCartney: Foster Dulles.
From Peter Jackson’s film “The Beatles: Get Back“, 2021
Given the progress made on “Get Back” during the day’s session, George Harrison proposed the idea of rush-releasing it as the next Beatles single. While the suggestion was considered by the others, no final decision was made at the time. Ultimately, “Get Back” was released as the next Beatles single in April 1969.
George Harrison: It’d be nice to just put it out as a single. Just do a single of it now.
John Lennon: Let’s knock it off for a single maybe.
Paul McCartney: Let’s finish it off…
George Harrison: Just make it now and have it as a single, put it out next week.
Paul McCartney: Oh, yeah?
George Harrison: It’s easy. Just take it in there, cut it in the master. You have the master back tomorrow. We’ll finish it in half an hour.
Paul McCartney: I’m easy, lads.
George Harrison: What was the last one we had?
Paul McCartney: “Hey Jude”.
Glyn Johns: It would be unbelievable.
Paul McCartney: And the on the show we’d be doing the…
John Lennon and Ringo Starr: … single.
John Lennon: And we’d have film of it to send out as well.
George Harrison: It’s great. Remember how we used to have it? One record would be coming out, and we’d put another one out. Like in the old hustling days.
Paul McCartney: Yeah.
George Harrison: It’d be great. “Get back” in time.
Denis O’Dell: Never save a good idea, do it!
Paul McCartney: Well, I’m going home now. Knocking off.
From Peter Jackson’s film “The Beatles: Get Back“, 2021
Session activities
The performances are sequentially numbered using the nomenclature from the book "Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image" by Doug Sulpy. DDSI 2.01 is, for example, the first performance from January 2nd, while DDSI 31.65 is the sixty-fifth performance from January 31st. This numbering is at times different from the DDSI numbers used on the bootleg collection "A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions", likely because "Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image" was updated since the release of this collection.
- Filter by:
- All songs
- Covers only
- Improvisations only
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Octopus's Garden
Recording • DDSI.23.01 • 1:52
Performed by : Ringo Starr
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Hey, Hey Georgie
Recording • DDSI.23.02 • 8:12
Performed by : Ringo Starr
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Recording • DDSI.23.03 • 1:32 • Performed in the style of Stevie Wonder
Performed by : Paul McCartney • John Lennon
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Recording • DDSI.23.04 • 3:18
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Recording • DDSI.23.05 • 1:34
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Recording • DDSI.23.06 • 1:46
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Recording • DDSI.23.07 • 5:23
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Recording • DDSI.23.08 • 1:31
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Recording • DDSI.23.09 • 2:38
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Recording • DDSI.23.10 • 1:02
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"If You Need Me"
Recording • DDSI.23.11 • 1:55 • Brief R&B improvisation
Performed by : Paul McCartney
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Recording • DDSI.23.12 • 2:00
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Recording • DDSI.23.13 • 3:38
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Recording • DDSI.23.14 • 2:57
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Recording • DDSI.23.15 • 4:30
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Recording • DDSI.23.16 • 2:26
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Recording • DDSI.23.17 • 10:14
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Recording • DDSI.23.18 • 3:22
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Recording • DDSI.23.19 • 0:11
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Recording • DDSI.23.20 • 9:55
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Recording • DDSI.23.21 • 11:08
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Recording • DDSI.23.22 • 0:55
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Recording • DDSI.23.23 • 12:17
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Recording • DDSI.23.24 • 1:10
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Recording • DDSI.23.25 • 10:07
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Recording • DDSI.23.26 • 2:32
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Recording • DDSI.23.27 • 0:23
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Words of Love
Recording • DDSI.23.28 • 1:24
Performed by : John Lennon • George Harrison
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Recording • DDSI.23.29 • 2:47
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Blues instrumental
Recording • DDSI.23.30 • 8:59
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Recording • DDSI.23.31 • 0:22
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Written by Eddie Cochran, Ned Fairchild
Recording • DDSI.23.32 • 3:29
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
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Recording • DDSI.23.33 • 0:36
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Recording • DDSI.23.34 • 0:06
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Recording • DDSI.23.35 • 1:01
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Recording • DDSI.23.36 • 2:26
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Recording • DDSI.23.37 • 2:52
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Recording • DDSI.23.38 • 6:08
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Recording • DDSI.23.39 • 3:25
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Recording • DDSI.23.40 • 16:14
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
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Recording • DDSI.23.41 • 4:33
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Instrumental
Recording • DDSI.23.42 • 1:05
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Recording • DDSI.23.43 • 1:48
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Guitar Instrumental
Recording • DDSI.23.44 • 0:31
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Guitar Instrumental
Recording • DDSI.23.45
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Recording • DDSI.23.46 • 2:48
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Improvisation
Recording • DDSI.23.47 • 3:44
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Recording • DDSI.23.48 • 0:13
Performed by : Paul McCartney
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Improvisation
Recording • DDSI.23.49 • 0:28
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Improvisation
Recording • DDSI.23.50 • 4:09
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Written by Kal Mann, Dave Appell
Recording • DDSI.23.51 • 3:01
Performed by : Paul McCartney
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Recording • DDSI.23.52 • 0:25
Performed by : Paul McCartney
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Recording • DDSI.23.53 • 2:44
Performed by : Paul McCartney
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Love Is The Thing To Me
Recording • DDSI.23.54 • 1:48
Performed by : Billy Preston
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Everything's Alright
Recording • DDSI.23.55 • 1:43
Performed by : Billy Preston
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I Want To Thank You
Recording • DDSI.23.56 • 3:03
Performed by : Billy Preston
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You've Been Acting Strange
Recording • DDSI.23.57 • 1:18
Performed by : Billy Preston
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Use What You Got
Recording • DDSI.23.58 • 2:02
Performed by : Billy Preston
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Together In Love
Recording • DDSI.23.59 • 1:34
Performed by : Billy Preston
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Feedback Improvisation
Recording • DDSI.23.60 • 3:18
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Written by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Yoko Ono
Recording • DDSI.23.61 • 5:02
Paul McCartney : Drums John Lennon : Electric guitars Yoko Ono : Vocals
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Improvisation
Recording • DDSI.23.62 • 8:21
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Happiness Runs
Recording • DDSI.23.63 • 0:09
Performed by : John Lennon
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"It Blew Again"
Recording • DDSI.23.64 • 0:33
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Written by Duane Eddy, Lee Hazlewood
Recording • DDSI.23.65 • 2:15
Performed by : Paul McCartney • John Lennon
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Recording • DDSI.23.66 • 4:55
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Recording • DDSI.23.67 • 2:24
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Recording • DDSI.23.68 • 2:45
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Recording • DDSI.23.69 • 3:28
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Recording • DDSI.23.70 • 5:34
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Recording • DDSI.23.71 • 1:45
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Recording • DDSI.23.72 • 0:36
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Recording • DDSI.23.73 • 2:16
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Recording • DDSI.23.74 • 2:29
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Recording • DDSI.23.75 • 3:12
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Recording • DDSI.23.76 • 3:30
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Recording • DDSI.23.77 • 2:00
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Recording • DDSI.23.78 • 0:30
Performed by : Paul McCartney
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Recording • DDSI.23.79 • 1:18
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Recording • DDSI.23.80 • 2:37 • This performance was marked best and Glyn Johns mixed it and prepared some acetates for The Beatles
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Recording • DDSI.23.81 • 0:17
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Recording • DDSI.23.82 • 0:41 • On January 24, 1969, Glyn Johns mixed this track along with several others. These mixes were never intended for official release — they served as reference versions to evaluate how the tracks sounded on record and for The Beatles to take home and review.
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
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Recording • DDSI.23.83 • 0:46
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
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You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Recording • DDSI.23.84
Performed by : Billy Preston
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Recording • DDSI.23.85 • 2:04
Performed by : Paul McCartney
Staff
Musicians
- Performed by : Paul McCartney
- Performed by : Ringo Starr
- Performed by : John Lennon
- Performed by : George Harrison
- Performed by : Billy Preston
Production staff
- Mal Evans : Road manager
- Glyn Johns : Recording engineer
- Alan Parsons : Tape operator
- Michael Lindsay-Hogg : Film director
- Kevin Harrington : Roadie
- Tony Richmond : Director of photography
