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ABBEY ROAD, recorded in the summer of 1969, was the last album recorded by the Beatles (LET IT BE was released in 1970, but recorded in early '69).
After the laborious disorganization and infighting that characterized early 1969's LET IT BE sessions (as famously captured on film), the fractious four were willing to let George Martin take the reins and to work with him as a cohesive unit for the much more succinct production of their (and the decade's) swan song, ABBEY ROAD. The superb performances make the album an artistic high point for all members of the group. Paul McCartney inspired the suite of songs that begins with "You Never Give Me Your Money." Often thought of as two long medleys, the songs that fill most of the second half of ABBEY ROAD segue seamlessly into one another, but are programmed as separate CD tracks. George Harrison had his first A-side on a Beatles' single ("Something"); John Lennon contributed a pair of heavy rockers ("Come Together" and "I Want You"); and Ringo Starr's "Octopus's Garden" was a favorite with children.
The Beatles: Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass); John Lennon (vocals, guitar, keyboards); George Harrison (vocals, guitar, synthesizer); Ringo Starr (vocals, drums, percussion).
Personnel: Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, piano, bass guitar); John Lennon, George Harrison (vocals, guitar); Ringo Starr (vocals, drums); Billy Preston (organ); Mike Vickers (Moog synthesizer).
Photographers: Ian MacMillan; Ian MacMillan.Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.94) - Ranked #14 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" - "...Superb songs cut with an attention to refined detail, then segued together with conceptual force..." Q (6/00, p.78) - Ranked #17 in Q's "100 Greatest British Albums" - "The last Beatles LP to be recorded...it [has] extremely well-drilled and elaborate song structures....the quick-fire 8 track medley starting with 'You Never Give Me Your Money' and ending with 'The End' is unprecedented in rock..." Down Beat (1/22/70) - 4 Stars - Very Good - "...What is it that makes the Beatles so likeable? Maybe it's that they never seem to strain for effects yet are meticulous craftsman; that their humor, even when rather gruesome ...is never offensive; that their satire is never malicious; their lyricism never maudlin, but their work still has punch and conviction...genuine musicality and poetic imagination..." Paste (magazine) (p.61) - "[T]he album is brilliant. From Lennon's slinky 'Come Together' to McCartney's passionate '50s-style rocker 'Oh! Darling'..."
The Beatles' best, period. Abbey Road is my favorite Beatles album; I listened to it relentlessly as a kid and haven't given it up. I've heard a million times, but it always makes me stop and really listen closely. Try it with headphones in a dark room. It's incredible. Submitted by Abby (Concord, NC) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 7 of 10 found this helpful.
Their finest work. REVOLVER is an incomparable masterpiece, SGT. PEPPER'S is extremely fun, and THE WHITE ALBUM is a gloriously bloated beast. But for me, no Beatles album can match up to ABBEY ROAD.
"Come Together" starts things off with a perfect bass line, surprisingly funny verses, and a haunting chorus. Equally pleasurable is Harrison's "Something", arguably the best love song the Fab Four ever produced. I love "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," which could've easily been written by any bitter and sarcastic 90's band...except for the usual pop touches, which make the frightening and funny lyrics even better. "Octopus' Garden" is beautiful, with a simple message and gorgeous guitar playing. "Here Comes THE Sun", Harrison's masterpiece, is tear-trickling gorgeous, with one of the great alltime beginnings.
What makes ABBEY ROAD special, however, is what we call the Long Medley. Nine songs tied together to form one of the grandest statements in rock:
"You Never Give Me Your Money"...beautiful, multi parted, bitter. A total gamut of emotion. What more could we want? Well...
"Sun King"...this. close your eyes and let soothing guitar and lullaby lyrics flow over you...
"Mean Mr. Mustard"...until you wake up and nod your head to Beatle trademark lyrics: both funny and biting. Still relaxed...
"Polythene Pam"...until now. Tremble and shake to rockabilly tunes and AC/DC-esque lyrics...
"She Came In Through the Bathroom Window"...till you relax again to soaring, extremely clever verses. Take a rest...
"Golden Slumbers"...and let your heart do the dancing for this indescribably gorgeous piece. Just when it can't get more emotional...
"Carry That Weight"...it does. Horns and an immortal chorus. Take us home!...
"The End"...thank you. What better than Ringo's only drum solo and a beautiful closing line: 'And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make'? This is the end, right?...
"Her Majesty"...wrong. It wouldn't be the Beatles, creators of the last 60 seconds of 'A Day in the Life', if they didn't have this beautiful acoustic ender...that takes 20 seconds. An odd but great end to an odd but great album.
ABBEY ROAD will take your breath away. Submitted by Orion (Buffalo, NY, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 8 of 12 found this helpful.
The best. Almost 40 years later, this album has still not been surpassed. Brilliant sound quality ("Here Comes the Sun" is still my test song for any new piece of stereo equipment I get), and only the Beatles could take snippets of throwaway tunes like "Mean Mr. Mustard" and "Polythene Pam" and create something unforgettable. And of no small importance: with this album, George can stand alongside John and Paul as a master songwriter.
There will never be another their equal. Submitted by DTracy (Albany NY) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 4 of 5 found this helpful.
carlin best of all Submitted by thorntoncarlos (los angeles,ca) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
Timeless Clasic Masterpiece This is as wonderful as rock music can be. A classic rock symphony which begs to be listened to over and over again until all the instumentation and harmony is digitized in your head for replay when you are in solitude and need to recall a tune to feel joy and wonder. Submitted by chmuniz (Miami, FL USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
Their finest work.
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