01	Come Together						04:20
	02	Something						03:03
	03	Maxwell's Silver Hammer						03:27
	04	Oh! Darling						03:26
	05	Octopus's Garden						02:51
	06	I Want You [She's So Heavy]						07:47
	07	Here Comes The Sun						03:05
	08	Because						02:45
	09	You Never Give Me Your Money						04:02
	10	Sun King						02:26
	11	Mean Mr Mustard						01:06
	12	Polythene Pam						01:12
	13	She Came In Through The Bathroom Window						01:57
	14	Golden Slumbers						01:31
	15	Carry That Weight						01:36
	16	The End						02:19
	17	Her majesty						00:23

Abbey Road
Date of Release Sep 26, 1969


The last Beatles album to be recorded (although Let It Be was the last to be released), Abbey Road was a fitting swan song for the group, echoing some of the faux-conceptual forms of Sgt. Pepper, but featuring stronger compositions and more rock-oriented ensemble work. The group were still pushing forward in all facets of their art, whether devising some of the greatest harmonies to be heard on any rock record (especially on "Because"), constructing a medley of songs/vignettes that covered much of side two, adding subtle touches of Moog synthesizer, or crafting furious guitar-heavy rock ("The End," "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," "Come Together"). George Harrison also blossomed into a major songwriter, contributing the buoyant "Here Comes the Sun" and the supremely melodic ballad "Something," the latter of which became the first Harrison-penned Beatles hit. Whether Abbey Road is the Beatles' best work is debatable, but it's certainly the most immaculately produced (with the possible exception of Sgt. Pepper) and most tightly constructed. - Richie Unterberger

1. Come Together (Lennon/McCartney) - 4:20
2. Something (Harrison) - 3:03
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer (Lennon/McCartney) - 3:27
4. Oh! Darling (Lennon/McCartney) - 3:26
5. Octopus's Garden (Starkey/Starr) - 2:51
6. I Want You (She's So Heavy) (Lennon/McCartney) - 7:47
7. Here Comes the Sun (Harrison) - 3:05
8. Because (Lennon/McCartney) - 2:45
9. You Never Give Me Your Money (Lennon/McCartney) - 4:02
10. Sun King (Lennon/McCartney) - 2:26
11. Mean Mr. Mustard (Lennon/McCartney) - 1:06
12. Polythene Pam (Lennon/McCartney) - 1:12
13. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (Lennon/McCartney) - 1:57
14. Golden Slumbers (Lennon/McCartney) - 1:31
15. Carry That Weight (Lennon/McCartney) - 1:36
16. The End (Lennon/McCartney) - 2:19
17. Her Majesty (Lennon/McCartney) - :23



Come Together
Composed By John Lennon/Paul McCartney


AMG REVIEW: The opening track on Abbey Road and a number one single in 1969 as part of a double-side with "Something," "Come Together" was one of the Beatles' tougher and bluesier late-'60s rockers. Introduced by an unforgettable Paul McCartney bass line, the verses are not so much mid-tempo as a funky trudge through the swamp, the murky feel drawn out by John Lennon's clipped, distant-sounding vocals. The pop appeal of the song rests mostly with the chorus, which is among the most anthemic and instantly catchy of any in late-period Beatles songs. Other than the chorus, the lyrics consist mostly of the absurdist collages of images that Lennon was fond of running together in several of the Lennon- McCartney songs of the era in which he was the primary writer, such as "I Am the Walrus" and "Happiness Is a Warm Gun." Lennon came in for his share of controversy regarding authorship of these lines from two directions. "Come together, join the party" was the slogan of LSD guru Timothy Leary's campaign for governor of California; Lennon was made aware of the slogan when Leary sang on the chorus of Lennon's 1969 "Give Peace a Chance" single. Lennon even made a brief tape of a song built around the "come together" phrase that Leary used as a campaign theme song of sorts. Leary recalled that he was slightly miffed to find that song expanded and rewritten into the song that the Beatles recorded. More troublingly, some of the lyrics were taken from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me," eventually resulting in Lennon placating the song's publisher by recording it (and two other songs administered by the publisher) in the mid-'70s. Sometimes it has been mooted that "come together" refers to sexual climax and is one of numerous subtle sexual double entendres buried in Beatles songs, but it should be noted that Lennon himself didn't acknowledge any hidden meaning in that direction in interviews. "Come Together" also became a Top 40 hit in the late '70s in a hard rock version by Aerosmith. - Richie Unterberger


Something
Composed By George Harrison


AMG REVIEW: "Something" is unquestionably George Harrison's most famous composition. It is also one of the most popular Beatles ballads of all, reaching number one as part of a double-sided single (with "Come Together") in late 1969, and other than "Yesterday," it might be the most frequently covered Beatles composition. In short, it is a popular music standard, the first one George Harrison came up with (and one of the few). At a time when most of the Beatles' songs were dealing with non-romantic topics or presenting cryptic and allusive lyrics even when they were writing about love, "Something" was an unabashedly straightforward and sentimental love song inspired by Harrison's wife of the time, Patti. In fact, the opening line about the way his love moves was directly inspired by - some would say lifted from - the early James Taylor tune "Something in the Way She Moves," recorded for the Beatles' label, Apple Records. In its classic pop melody, "Something" could have been (but was not) the work of Lennon- McCartney, the principal hook being the tangy curling, ascending guitar line that opens the song and reappears throughout the track. Its appeal to middle-of-the-road pop listeners was ensured by a rather gushing string arrangement by George Martin. Although for the most part the song is lighthearted and confident, a slightly more ambiguous element is introduced by the soaring bridge, Harrison posing questions about whether the love will grow and answering that he doesn't know. An early demo version (available on Anthology 3) contains a new verse with a counter-melody placed where the instrumental break occurs on the official take, although it was wise to omit these lines since they're superfluous and don't really add any meaning to the song. Oddly, Harrison didn't seem to know what he had with "Something" at first, offering it to Joe Cocker to record before deciding to do it with the Beatles on Abbey Road. Cocker's version came out in late 1969, certainly among the first (and possibly the very first) of an army of covers of "Something" recorded by artists as diverse as Ray Charles (whom Harrison had in mind as the singer when he wrote it), Elvis Presley, and the O'Jays. Like "Yesterday," the song was easily adapted into the repertoire of popular musicians of all kinds, including easy listening singers and instrumental jazz players. Frank Sinatra also recorded it. - Richie Unterberger



Octopus's Garden
Composed By Starkey/Ringo Starr


AMG REVIEW: One of the most instantly likeable songs on Abbey Road is Ringo Starr's "Octopus' Garden". Written in his rather charming country style, it's undeniably silly, but of course it's meant to be, and it has a rather unpretentious charm about it. With a traditional chord structure, the reason the song works is basically Starr's vocal, which is enormously appealing and friendly. The tune's catchy, and the guitar solo is a complete joy. Unlike many of The Beatles consciously simple or juvenile songs ( "Yellow Submarine" springs to mind), "Octopus' Garden" does not seem forced, and it's certainly the best song Ringo Starr ever wrote (although "It Don't Come Easy" pushes it close. - Thomas Ward




I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Composed By John Lennon/Paul McCartney


AMG REVIEW: "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is one of the most complex studio recordings the Beatles would ever make. The song, which began recording in February of 1969 in Trident Studios, was not full completed until August following a multitude of edits and various overdubs. "I Want You" is a prime example of the group's insatiable appetite for digesting the latest recording techniques in a constant search for new sounds in the rapidly changing world of studio recording technology. Lennon seemed bent on matching some of the heavier sounds of the day, such as Jimi Hendrix and Cream, using a rather sinister blues-soaked riff with thick layers of guitar, Moog synthesizer effects, and a minimalist, soul-searching vocal melody. After 35 takes of the basic track, an edit was made of the best three portions of the song, which feature a number of tempo changes, swinging alternately from a slower, plodding, dense riff to a light almost jazz lounge feel and tempered by a repeated staccato break. Lennon mimics his own vocal melody with clear, bending notes from his guitar. Lennon's voice shifts in intensity, ranging from an aching croon to gruff soul-bearing screams, repeating the song's few simple lyrics, "I want you/I want you so bad, babe/I want you/I want you so bad/It's driving me mad/It's driving me mad." Guest keyboard player Billy Preston adds the appropriate textures through the many changes, from a laid-back cool bed of organ notes in the lighter jazzy sections to a gospel swagger during the song's heavier moments. The band displays an impressive fluidity, particularly Paul McCartney, showing considerable chops on bass, pulsing a steady flow of notes from his instruments through these various changes. It wasn't until an August 11th session that Lennon introduced the "She's so heavy" backing line, powerfully sung by Lennon, McCartney, and George Harrison, appearing during the song's heavy circular guitar riff sections and leading into the song's extended finale. The last three minutes of the song are consumed by a droning swirl of guitars, overdubbed by Lennon and Harrison in many layers using newly expanded studio tracking capabilities. Lennon also built a monstrous swirl of dense sound using one of the first Moog synthesizers, a then cumbersome machine requiring extensive wiring, just purchased by George Harrison, combined with a white noise generator. As the churning guitars hammer away, the wall of white noise eventually begins to swallow the rest of the music before the plug is pulled in dramatic fashion, leaving a deafening silence. It had been rumored in the past that the tape had simply run out, creating this unique ending, but it has since been refuted by session engineer Alan Parsons in Mark Lewisohn's detailed book, -The Beatles Recording Sessions: The Official bbey Road Studio Session Notes, recalling, "We were putting the finishing touches to that side of the LP and we were listening to the mix. John said 'There! Cut the tape there.' Geoff Emerick cut the tape and that was it. End of side one!" - Tom Maginnis



Here Comes the Sun
Composed By George Harrison


AMG REVIEW: After years of residing in the heavy shadow of the awesome Lennon- McCartney writing partnership, George Harrison obtained equal recognition for his songwriting on the Beatles' final album, Abbey Road, with both "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun." Although "Something" remains his most famous composition, "Here Comes the Sun" is of equal quality and almost as well known, and like "Something" has been frequently covered by other artists. Most of Harrison's Beatles songs were fairly noted for their dour, brooding qualities. One reason "Here Comes the Sun" (and "Something") attracted so much more attention than his usual efforts was that it displayed a much brighter and livelier attitude than much of his previous work. Indeed, "Here Comes the Sun" radiates goodwill and hope from its opening classic acoustic guitar figures, bringing to mind someone sitting in a field playing on a beautiful day. That image does not turn out to be far from the truth; Harrison wrote it in the garden of his friend Eric Clapton on one of the first nice days of spring, after deciding to skip one of the enervating business meetings that were beginning to tear the Beatles apart. Another reason that "Here Comes the Sun" received so much acclaim was that it, like "Something," boasted a melody on par with Lennon- McCartney's finest efforts. That's especially apparent in the chorus, where the keys ascend with a lovely grace, complemented by nice vocal harmonies and a timely segue back into the acoustic guitar riff that opened the song. George Martin did his part to help the track with a string arrangement (that was understated in comparison with the one he added to "Something"). In keeping with the cosmic image Harrison had developed by the late '60s, the song also features early use of the Moog synthesizer, again in an understated fashion that underscores the song's upbeat mood instead of overwhelming it. Among the more notable of the many covers of "Here Comes the Sun" were a folk-rock one by Richie Havens and another by eclectic soul/ jazz-pop singer Nina Simone; Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel took a version to the British Top Ten in 1976. - Richie Unterberger



Sun King
Composed By John Lennon/Paul McCartney


AMG REVIEW: "Sun King" was the first of John Lennon's three-song contribution to the famous side-two "medley" that concludes the Beatles' final studio recording, the brilliant farewell album Abbey Road. "Sun King" was actually recorded as one take along with "Mean Mr. Mustard" as part of the "medley" concept. Although Lennon has downplayed his involvement in the idea, saying, "They are only finished bits of things I wrote in India. We always have tons of bits and pieces lying around. It was a good way to get rid of bits of songs." In fact, "Sun King" is a wistful snippet of breathtaking beauty, providing one of the most tender moments on the entire album.
The song segued from the preceding track, "You Never Give Me Your Money," from homemade tape loops of crickets chirping and soft bell tones provided by Paul McCartney, creating the perfect cross-fade into the delicate hush of "Sun King." A gentle, low guitar riff begins the song proper, Ringo Starr adding a brushed cymbal and soft-beating kick drum, with McCartney using high, lilting notes on his bass as counterpoint. After a brief pause, a wall of layered harmony vocals hold a soothing "Aaaaaaaaah." The title and the song's short lyrics are sung with astoundingly precise and tight vocal harmonies, giving the atmosphere a lush, gently seductive energy: "Here comes the sun king/Everybody's laughing/Everybody's happy/Here comes the sun king." The song's only other verse is sung by Lennon and McCartney, harmonizing in a kind of mock Spanish/Italian jumble of nonsense phrases. Lennon has commented that it was the result of an off-the-cuff ad-lib: "When we came to sing it, to make them different we started joking, saying 'cuando para mucho.' We just made it up. Paul knew some Spanish words from school, so we just strung any Spanish words that sounded vaguely like something." After just two minutes and 26 seconds, the track dissolves seamlessly into the next song of the "medley," "Mean Mr. Mustard." - Tom Maginnis


Mean Mr. Mustard
Composed By John Lennon/Paul McCartney


AMG REVIEW: "Mean Mr. Mustard" was actually part of a double recording performed in tandem with the preceding track, "Sun King," as part of John Lennon's three-song contribution to Abbey Road's famous closing "medley" that concluded the Beatles' recording relationship as a group. Although Lennon often distanced himself from the "medley" concept, dismissing it as purely a McCartney idea, he did offer three excellent song fragments that were worked into the finale, along with the following. Lennon admitted to playing along, even willing to fudge lyrics to create more of a common thread between songs: "In "Mean Mr. Mustard," I said, his sister Pam - originally it was his sister Shirley in the lyric. I changed it to Pam to make it sound like it had something to do with it."
The song is a brief one, lasting all of one minute and six seconds, with oddball lyrics and a simple, infectious melody consisting of a two-chord progression with jouncing piano and a fuzzed bass guitar. Lennon sings in a laid-back voice, relating this ornery character's various eccentricities: "Mean Mr. Mustard sleeps in the dark/Shaves in the dark, tryin' to save paper/Sleeps in a hole in the road/Saves enough to buy some clothes/Keeps a ten bob note up his nose." McCartney joins in the short chorus with some tight vocal harmonies, repeating the line, "Such a mean old man/Such a mean old man." Following the second verse, the beat becomes choppy, accenting a descending progression as Lennon and McCartney harmonize on the final chorus line, "Such a dirty old man/Dirty old man," the last note being cut off as the song segues directly into the next track of the "medley," "Polythene Pam."

That last note did not go unheard, however. Mark Lewisohn's incredibly detailed book -The Beatles Recording Sessions: The Official bbey Road Studio Session Notes cites an early rough mix of the side two "medley," originally placing "Her Majesty" in between "Mean Mr. Mustard" and "Polythene Pam." McCartney later decided against including the short track, instructing an assistant engineer to "throw it away." The engineer had been instructed by his superiors never to throw anything away from a Beatles recording session and dutifully saved the short piece of tape, attaching it to the end of this early mix, accidentally including the last crashing note of "Mean Mr. Mustard" at the beginning of "Her Majesty." The event was eventually deemed a happy accident by the group and left in the final album version of Abbey Road. - Tom Maginnis




Polythene Pam
Composed By John Lennon/Paul McCartney


AMG REVIEW: " 'Polythene Pam' was me remembering a little event with a woman in Jersey and a man who was England's answer to Allen Ginsberg. I was just looking for something to write about." Indeed, Lennon must have been taken with the colorful characters he had met at a dinner party given by poet Royston Ellis, specifically a girl named Pam who made the daring fashion statement of wearing polythene, or some kind of man-made plastic material, that evening. Lennon offered this brief fragment as his final contribution to Abbey Road's famous closing "medley," the song segueing directly into the following McCartney track, "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window." In fact, these two tracks were recorded in tandem, played as a single take as part of the "medley" concept, marking the first and only time a song composed entirely by Lennon and a song composed entirely by McCartney were recorded as one continuous song.
The song leaps in from the previous song, "Mean Mr. Mustard," the result of a jump-cut edit shaving off the last note of the preceding track. Lennon leads the charge with slashing chords from his 12-string acoustic guitar. McCartney helps pump up the quick tempo with a stabbing, round-note bass line, with Ringo Starr contributing a kind of polyrhythmic, tom-heavy beat against a lush backing vocal holding steady "ah ah ah"s. Lennon gives the track a regional flair, singing in a clipped Northern accent, "Well you should see Polythene Pam/She's so good lookin'/But she looks like a man/Well, you should see her in drag/Dressed in a polythene bag." He also employs a kind of local rhyming slang with exaggerated, hard-syllable sounds: "Get a dose of her in jackboots and kilt/She's killer diller when she's dressed to the hilt/She's the kind of a girl/That makes the news of the world/Yes you could say she was attractively built/Yeah, yeah, yeah." Following a brief, echo-effected guitar solo, the arrangement transitions into a descending progression, blending seamlessly into the next track without any tape edit, continuing the "medley." - Tom Maginnis



She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
Composed By John Lennon/Paul McCartney


AMG REVIEW: "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" was one of the most popular parts of the medley that comprised most of side two of the Beatles' Abbey Road. Other than "You Never Give Me Your Money," it was the most developed of the Lennon- McCartney songs in the medley, although even so it only lasted a minute and 58 seconds. Despite the absurd phrase of the title, it was a relatively straightforward rock song, with a typically memorable Paul McCartney melody and the sort of excellent harmonies found consistently throughout the Abbey Road album. The words are also typical of McCartney's knack for clever wordplay that doesn't necessarily mean anything, but sounds good, even profound. For those determined to locate profundity in Beatles lyrics, there was no shortage of enigmas to ponder. Who was the woman who came in through the bathroom window? Some thought it was his recent bride, Linda Eastman, who had entered his life in 1968 and quickly become his inseparable companion, although it actually referred to the Beatles' fans who would break into his London house to take souvenirs. Why was she protected by a silver spoon? (Another possible reference to Linda Eastman, who came from a very well-off family?) Why did the narrator make a big deal out of quitting the police department? (No easy answer for that one.) The upbeat verses are rejoined by a few lines of a minor melody, inscrutably wondering why no one told the woman of the...well, the song never got around to saying what the woman wasn't told. As he had previously done with another Lennon- McCartney song, "With a Little Help From My Friends," Joe Cocker radically reinvented "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" with an agonizingly slow soul-rock cover, which made number 30 in the U.S. in early 1970 when Abbey Road was still riding the top of the charts. - Richie Unterberger





The Beatles - Abbey Road

Member: Constable Napweed 7/21/03

It was crisis time in the camp of the Fab Four. The band were evaporating to be no more, the bitty White Album had surely proved this. It was a collection of solo songs, very little in trademark vocal harmomies and non existent as a band pulling together. Yeaaaah but isn't Abbey Road the same? Well yes and no. Yes because it still was an album mostly written solo by the members, and no because on Abbey Road though the solo writing was still evident, the songs were much stronger and there was no filler (the White Album would have been better as a single album).

The cool laid back sound of "Come Together" had John once again showing his talent for teasing the public with oblique lyrics like only he could do ('warlus gumboot' yea? echoing back to '67). Paul's "Oh Darling" was a slumbering but nifty blues number that included one of his best aggressive vocal performances for many albums. Paul spits the chorus out like a young spikey punk...full of angst and in a way he would sadly never do again.

Frank Sinatra may not be very cool to members of this site, but all due respect to old blue eyes, and when he says that George Harrison's "Something" is the best love song ever written, you must sit up and take notice. "Something" is one of two Harrison penned numbers on the album and although a tad sugary, it never gets too sickly due to the strong lyrics. Even Ringo chimes in with his "Octopus's Garden", adding some light relief.

What can be said about "I Want You (She's so Heavy)"? The Beatles get in "Peter Green" style blues here with Lennon being his usual brilliant and evocative self. The track ends with snarling guitar and inventive bass.....not much in lyrics but the music is the key here. Dark and brooding blues that proved that the band could re-invent any musical genre they chose. Lennon's blood curdling scream on this track is a matter of taste. To some its Yoko inspired crap. For me its Lennon letting loose his soul, and I like that honesty in a person. Yea that scream is tuneless...but it's HONESTY.

Next up is George Harrison's brilliant "Here Comes the Sun", not remotely groundbreaking or progressive but one of the most beautiful songs ever written. George writes about optimism and that is displayed in this gem of a song. George may have been in the main the underling of that Lennon/McCartney hit writing machine, but when he weighed in with his pound of flesh George proved that if he was a member of any other band, he would have been a main songwriter. The rest of the album is where we get more progressive, being as the remaining tracks are, a part of a suite that has each song seamlessly joining to the next in true proggy style.

Alan Parsons engineered this album and you can see where he got his ideas for his later (excellent) solo ventures. Orchestras, acoustic guitars, melancholic harmony vocals, rocking riffs and lead solos are part of this excellent suite of music that to me were the real peak of the Beatles. It all winds down with the short but tear jerking "The End" which soon wakes you up with the lunacy of "Her Majesty". One can only muse over what might have been if the Beatles had survived the bitter wrangle of Klein and Eastman....but sadly that is now past. The very least I can do is hopefully through this review spark a light in some people to go out and buy this excellent album which as far as im concerned has lived in the shadows for too long.

Happy listening ( Im sure it will be )
CN

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