The Beatles are the greatest band that ever was. No one could match then back then, and no one has since. The Beatles remain unmatched because of two important things:
1. The continuity of their brilliance with each and every album and each and every song.
2. The progression of improvement and constant experimentation (besides Let It Be) in the studio and in the writing to pave new roads continuously.
Here is the last album The Beatles were able to give us as a group.
Note: This is the first and only album recorded by the Beatles using an eight-track recorder. Most of the others were done either in mono, two-track, and four-track.
The songs:
COME TOGETHER:
This is a John Lennon composition. When he came in with this song as he written it, it was very much like the Chuck Berry song "Can't Catch Me." Paul McCartney noticed the similarity, and worked with John to change it into the way it is now. This song is a classic. The bass riff (Paul's creation) sets the mood and makes the whole song. Very slow groove. John loved the finished song, and for some reason could not duplicate the groove of the song whenever he did it live. By the way, Chuck Berry still brought Lennon to court.
SOMETHING:
Awesome song. This one is written by George Harrison and is another classic. A ballad he wrote about Patti Boyd, his wife back then. This song has great harmonies by George, Paul & Ringo. John is absent on this track. George's solo sound very Claptonish.
MAXWELL'S SILVER HAMMER:
This song is written by Paul McCartney. You can see the progress of the song's development in the Let It Be film. It has clever funny lyrics about Maxwell Edison who carries a silver hammer with him at all times so he could kill people by smashing people's heads in. The song is poppy and up tempo. Background harmonies by all four Beatles. I love when Ringo sings.
OCTOPUS'S GARDEN:
Speaking of Ringo, he wrote this one, his second and last with The Beatles. This song was inspired by a story Ringo heard about how Octopi would collect rocks and other things to make a garden where they live under the sea. You can also see the progression of this song's development in the Let It Be film. George helped flesh out the song on it's rough edges.
OH! DARLING:
Written by Paul again. This is a slow bluesy piano number. Paul's vocal is exceptional here. John often said that this was his favorite on Abbey Road. He said that he should have sang it, he thinks he could have did a better job. I guess we'll never know.
I WANT YOU (She's So Heavy):
This song was written by Lennon. This one may be my favorite track on this CD. It has that same swampy feeling of Come Together but much heavier and more groovy. The bass playing is among Paul's greatest. He plays almost with a free style feeling. The same with Ringo's drumming. He sounds like he is just laying back with a cigarette and giving his best groove. Ringo later said that the drumming on Abbey Road was influenced by a gift he got,... a new tom tom. It's true too, you hear a lot of tom tom drumming here and the whole album.
HERE COMES THE SUN:
George again. I love this song. The acoustic guitar is structured so perfectly. It totally flows. The moog synthesizer is very prominent here. Great harmonies. George said that he wrote this song in Eric Clapton's garden on a very sunny day, and it projects that summery feeling. Another classic.
BECAUSE:
John Lennon wrote this one. He said that he was listening to Yoko playing some classical piano, I think Beethoven, and he asked her if she could play the chords backwards. When she did, out came 'Because.' This song is famous for the perfect three part harmonies by John, Paul and George. They are double tracked too, so there are six of them. Anthology 3 even has the song with just the voices and no instruments.
YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY:
Written by Paul. This song starts off the 8 song medley. This is Paul at the piano. Very catchy, great harmonies. The lyrics, especially the title, are Paul's complaints about their then evil manager, Alan Klein, (brought in by Lennon), stealing from them.
SUN KING:
Lennon wrote this. This song has a very mellow, acoustic Latin feel. It has a bunch of words that sound Spanish/Italian that really make no sense, but it works. I like the harmonies here too.
MEAN MR. MUSTARD:
Song again by Lennon. He wrote this one in 1968 in India as we can see from the Anthology 3 demo version of this song. The song has really shaped up nicely here opposed to that early demo. The song is fairly simple with a three chord progression throughout the song. The song sounded unfinished on that demo, so it fits in nicely during this 8 song medley as it segues right into the next.
POLYTHENE PAM:
Again by John Lennon. Lennon had said that he always hated side 2 of Abbey Road because of the medley. He said that that was all Paul's idea, but John has three songs here. This song was also an unfinished demo idea as seen on Anthology 3. It was also written in India in 1968. This is very up tempo, and John Lennon gives a great vocal performance here. The harmonies lend to the atmosphere of the song and the segue---
SHE CAME IN THROUGH THE BATHROOM WINDOW:
Song written by Paul. This song has come a long way from the Anthology 3 jam session version of the song to here. On Anthology is was much slower and took it's time, here on Abbey Road there's no time to waste during this medley. The lyrics are fairly odd, but humorous as well. There is only a slight pause of maybe one-second between this song and the next.
GOLDEN SLUMBERS:
Written by Paul. Although the lyrics are not written by Paul or any Beatle, the music and melody is written by Paul. This song is not so fast paced as the last three songs in the medley, hence the slight pause between the last song and this one. These next three songs, if I didn't no better, would think that they are all one song. I am not sure what the story behind these songs being written as three separate by Paul, or all together. If they were all written as one song and then later separated for some reason I wouldn't be surprised. This song has Paul singing solo with his piano playing and orchestra backing him.
CARRY THAT WEIGHT:
This song has all four Beatles singing the song. The orchestra comes more to the front for this song as well as Ringo's drumming, so it is a bit heavier. This song segues seamlessly into the next:
THE END:
Fitting title for the last Beatle song. Written by Paul. This song is pretty heavy rock and roll, including a drum solo by Ringo, and then Paul, George & John each taking turns doing guitar solos. This last part of the medley starting from Golden Slumbers until this song have become a staple in Paul's later concerts. The only lyric, "and in the end the love you take, is equal to the love you make" is confirmed years later in an interview by Chris Farley, from Saturday Night Live, with Paul McCartney that Paul does think that's true.
Her Majesty
This song is the shortest track by The Beatles. It is just Paul solo with one track vocal and an acoustic guitar. The acoustic playing is very intricate, especially for a Beatle. This is Paul's tribute to the Queen.
the songs
1. Come Together
2. Something
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer
4. Octopus's Garden
5. Oh! Darling
6. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
7. Here Comes the Sun
8. Because
9. You Never Give Me Your Money
10. Sun King
11. Mean Mr. Mustard
12. Polythene Pam
13. She Came In Through the Bathroom Window
14. Golden Slumbers
15. Carry That Weight
16. The End
17. Her Majesty
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