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1970

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1970 highlights

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On September 16, 1969, John Lennon informed the other Beatles that he was leaving the band. However, due to the new contract with Capitol / EMI, it was decided to keep the news confidential for the time being.

In November 1969, it was agreed that a film would be released based on the January 1969 “Get Back” sessions, under the new title “Let It Be.” A soundtrack album would accompany the film. 

As George Harrison’s “I Me Mine” was included in the film but had not been properly recorded, George, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reconvened at Abbey Road on January 3 and 4, 1970, with engineer Glyn Johns to record the track (John was on holiday in Denmark at the time). This was the last time Paul, George and Ringo were in the same recording studio until 24 years later, for the “Anthology” project.

Once done, Paul continued working on his first solo album that he started recording at the tail end of 1969.

In March, rejecting the work Johns had done on the “Let It Be” project, Beatles manager Allen Klein gave the session tapes to American producer Phil Spector, who had recently produced Lennon’s solo single “Instant Karma!” In addition to remixing the material, Spector edited, spliced and overdubbed several of the recordings that had been intended as “live”. Paul was unhappy with the producer’s approach and particularly dissatisfied with the lavish orchestration on “The Long and Winding Road“, which involved a fourteen-voice choir and 36-piece instrumental ensemble. Paul’s demands that the alterations to the song be reverted were ignored.

On April 10, “McCartney”, the first solo album by Paul, was released. In the press release, Paul made it clear that The Beatles were over.

On May 8, the “Let It Be” album was released, followed a month later by the “Let It Be” film, released in theaters.

After some time spent in their Scottish farm, Paul, his wife Linda and their two kids travelled to New York in October, to start the recording of Paul’s second solo album, “RAM”.

On the last day of the year, Paul filed a suit for The Beatles’ band dissolution.

I woke up and didn’t have a job anymore! Oh Jesus! No band. What do I do? I’ve got to work out something for myself now.

Paul McCartney

Singles and EPs released in 1970

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