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This was, for all intents and purposes, the last Beatles album. It was released before Let It Be, though it was recorded after it. The sour taste following the Let It Be fimling/recording made everyone think, especially producer George Martin, think that it was the end, that the Beatles were through. By some act of God, the Beatles met one last time to make what they knew would be their last album. They didn’t want to go out on such a bad note and recorded Abbey Road in a little over three months. And the results were magical.
The Album
1) Come Together
What a way to start an album. John would get sued for swiping the riff from Chuck Berry, but the lyrics are all Lennon’s. Just a great song, lyrically. It’s one of those things that don’t make sense, but you know it means something and it’s just so mind-bending. The guitar is great through the song and sounds very grungy. Great opener, and a number one hit.
Yeah Count: 7
Love Count: 0
2) Something
This would be George’s only number one hit as a Beatle, and it was released as a double-A side with Come Together and both went to number one. This would be considered one of the best Beatles love song, and Sinatra loved it so much, he quipped it was the best Lennon/McCartney tune, ever. The song is just so great. The guitar sounds beautiful, the solo is perfectly fit in and the bass line is incredible. Probably the best song on the album.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 1
3) Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
Paul’s lighthearted number on the tune. This would also be one of the first songs to feature the Moog Synthesizer on popular music, showing that the Beatles experimented on new sounds up to the end. Great song.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
4) Oh! Darling
This would be my least favorite song on the album. I don’t know why, it just seems very by the numbers, if you know what I mean.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
5) Octupus’ Garden
This would be Ringo’s second Beatles song that he wrote himself. It’s a lighthearted number, but George unleashes a seriously underrated guitar solo.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
6) I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
One of the longest numbers the Beatles ever did, (possibly the longest besides Revolution 9) and it’s a tour de force rocker. It starts with a great arpeggiated riff, has a lead solo the whole song (in sync with the vocal line), has a rocking chorus and finally the crescendo at the end. It just builds, and builds to a thrilling climax.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
7) Here Comes The Sun
From the loud, brash nature of I Want You, there’s Here Comes The Sun, a George Harrison acoustic piece saying how better times will be ahead. The cold hard winter (which is when the Beatles recorded Let It Be) will soon be gone and everyone will be happy. A beautiful song and for my money the best acoustic number the Beatles have ever done.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
8) Because
The thing that’s great about this song is the vocals. It’s unbelievable. The Beatles were always great singing together in harmony (This Boy, Yes It Is) and this may the best of the lot. They recorded the voices, then triple tracked it I think to get a chorus of Beatles voices. There’s the anthology without music that is incredible.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 4
9) You Never Give Me Your Money
I usually consider this the start of the mini-opera that closes the B-side of the album. None of the songs make any sense together, but they flow right into each other and it’s just 20 minutes of musical enjoyment leading to the fitting end. This song would have themes that are later repeated in Carry That Weight.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
10) Sun King
Just a song really. Dig the tone though and the Lennon lyrics in the beginning and end (what language is THAT). The song fits in well with the mini opera and goes right into…
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
11) Mean Mr. Mustard
Mean Mr. Mustard with his sister Pam. The guitar stabs on this song really drive it and it leads right into…
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
12) Polythene Pam
This is my favorite song of the mini-opera. Great opening riff, great feel to the song, great solo at the end, great lead into…
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
13) She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Allegedly this is about people breaking into Paul’s bathroom. It’s another great song that fits the mini-opera perfectly.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
14) Golden Slumbers
One of the most beautiful ballads the Beatles have done with an absolutely hauting piano theme.
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
15) Carry That Weight
Ringo sings this one and it repeats themes from You Never Give Me Your Money (which started this whole thing) and leads right into…
Yeah Count: 0
Love Count: 0
16) The End
Great song. How apt is it that the last song listed on the album sleeve would be “The End.” All 3 Beatles get equal opportunity to solo, and Ringo gets a drum solo too! Great song and how awesome is it that the last words uttered on a Beatles record would be about love. The Love you take is equal to the love you make. Amen.
Yeah Count: 1
Love Count: 26
17) Her Majesty
This is a song that’s tacked onto the end of the end. The Beatles are dead, long live the Beatles.
Yeah Count: 1
Love Count: 0
The Liner Notes
Just 4 pages, really simple. The cover, the back, the inside track listings/songwriter credits and the CD info page.
The Sound
This was recorded WAY back in 1969 using analog tapes and only 8 track tapes to boot. It sounds really good for its age. Nowhere near the standards of today, but the Beatles sounding like this is better than anything released now, in my totally unbiased opinion!
The Final Review
Man, this album is pure perfection. It has everything. Some awesome singles at the top of the record (Come Together, Something), the mini-opera at the end, and some great songs in the middle that are both lighthearted and great. This is the utlimate Beatles record, in my opinion, and the closest any band could ever get to musical nirvana. The Beatles are at their best here. The music is amazing, the lyrics are beyond this world and the general feeling was that the Beatles wanted to leave on top, and they did. The best Beatles record, and in my opinion, the best record ever released.
Final Rating:
10.0
1st out of 13
Final Yeah Count: 9
Final Love Count: 31
Cumulative Yeah Count: 240
Cumalative Love Count: 324
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