The BEATLES


Abbey Road
MINI-DOCUMENTARY (Insert into Computer to View)

(1969 / 2009)



1. Come Together 4'19
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 21, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 22, 23, 25, 29 and 30, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
2. Something 3'03
(George Harrison)
Recorded: April 16, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England and remade May 2, 1969 with overdubs added May 5, 1969, July 11, 1969, July 16, 1969 and August 15, 1969
HNRRISONGS Ltd.
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer 3'28
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 9, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 10-11, 1969 and August 6, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
4. Oh! Darling 3'27
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: April 20, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added April 26, 1969, July 23, 1969, August 8, 1969 and August 11, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
5. Octopus's Garden 2'51
(Richard Starkey)
Recorded: April 26, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added April 29, 1969 and July 17-18, 1969
STARTLING MUSIC Ltd.
6. I Want You (She's So Heavy) 7'47
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: February 22, 1969 at TRIDENT STUDIOS, London, England with overdubs added April 18, 1969, April 20, 1969, August 8, 1969 and August 11, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
7. Here Comes The Sun 3'06
(George Harrison)
Recorded: July 7, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 8 and 16, 1969 and August 6, 11, 15 and 19, 1969
HNRRISONGS Ltd.
8. Because 2'45
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: August 1, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added August 4-5, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
9. You Never Give Me Your Money 4'03
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: May 6, 1969 at OLYMPIC SOUND STUDIOS, London, England with overdubs added July 1, 11, 15, 30 and 31, 1969 and August 5, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
10. Sun King 2'27
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 24, 1969 (with "Mean Mr. Mustard" as one song) at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 25, 1969 and July 29, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
11. Mean Mr. Mustard 1'06
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 24, 1969 (with "Sun King" as one song) at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 25, 1969 and July 29, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
12. Polythene Pam 1'13
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 25, 1969 (with "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" as one song) at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 28, 1969 and July 30, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
13. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window 1'58
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 25, 1969 (with "Polythene Pam" as one song) at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 28, 1969 and July 30, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
14. Golden Slumbers 1'32
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 2, 1969 (with "Carry That Weight" as one song) at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 3, 4, 30
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
15. Carry That Weight 1'37
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 2, 1969 (with "Golden Slumbers" as one song) at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added July 3, 4, 30 and 31, 1969 and August 15, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
16. The End 2'21
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 23, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England with overdubs added August 5, 7, 8, 15 and 18, 1969
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,
17. Her Majesty 0'25
(John Lennon / Paul McCartney)
Recorded: July 2, 1969 at ABBEY ROAD, London, England
SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC,

Total Time: 47:28


  • John Lennon - Lead Guitar (6, 9), Electric Guitar (1, 8, 10, 12, 16), Lead Guitar Solo (16), Acoustic Guitar (2, 5, 7, 12, 13), Electric Piano (1), Piano (11), Bass Guitar (15), Organ (6), Harpsichord (8), Handclaps (7), Lead Vocal (1, 11, 12), Multi-Tracked Lead Vocal (10), Harmony Lead Vocal (8), Harmony Vocal (1, 7), Chorus Vocal (15), Background Vocal (3-5, 9, 13, 16)
  • Paul McCartney - Bass Guitar (1-10, 12, 14, 16), Fuzz Bass (11), Lead Guitar (12, 13), Lead Guitar Solo (16), Piano (3-5, 14, 16), Acoustic Guitar (17), Harmonium (10), Handclaps (7), Lead Vocal (3, 4, 6, 9, 13-17), Harmony Lead Vocal (8), Harmony Vocal (2, 7, 9, 11), Chorus Vocal (15), Background Vocal (3-6, 10, 12, 13, 16)
  • George Harrison - Lead Guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 15), Rhythm Guitar (9), 4-String Electric Guitar (3, 16), Electric Guitar (6, 11), Lead Guitar Solo (16), Acoustic Guitar (7), Organ (2), MOOG Synthesizer (3-5, 7, 8), MOOG Synthesizer White-Noise (at the end) (6), Bass Guitar (13), Handclaps (7), Tambourine (12, 13), Double-Tracked Lead Vocal (2), Lead Vocal (7), Harmony Lead Vocal (8), Chorus Vocal (15), Background Vocal (3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16)
  • Ringo Starr - Drums (1-7, 9-16), Maracas (1, 12, 13), Anvil (3), Blowing Bubbles through a Straw (5), Tambourine (9, 11), Bongos (10), Lead Vocal (5), Chorus Vocal (15), Background Vocal (3, 7)
  • George Martin - Organ (3, 10)
  • Mike Vickers - Moog Synthesizer

  • Session Musicians - Strings (2, 7, 14-16), Brass (14-16)

    Produced by George Martin
    Principal Engineers: Phillip McDonald and Geoff Emerlck
    This remastered album has been created from the original stereo analogue Master Tapes.
    Remastered by Guy Massey and Steve Rooke
    Project Co-ordinator: Allan Rouse
    Historical Notes: Kevin Howtett and Mike Heatley
    Recording Notes: Allan Rouse And Kevin Howlett
    Project Management for EMI RECORDS Ltd: Wendy Day and Guy Hayden

    An E.M.I, RECORDING.
    Thanks to George Martin, Geoff Emerick and Phillip McDonald.
    Original front and back Cover Photographs by Iain Macmillan, Abbey Road, London, 8 Aug 69

    Thanks To Simon Gibson

    All Tracks Lennon / McCartney
    Except 2 & 7 Harrison and 5 Starkey

    All Songs Published by SONY / ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
    except Tracks 2 and 7, HNRRISONGS Ltd. and 5. STARTLING MUSIC Ltd.

    Digital Remaster ©2009
    Artwork ©2009 APPLE Corps Ltd.
    Photo Retouching: Gavin O'Neill
    Photo Editing and Research: Aaron Bremncr and Dorcas Lynn

    Remaster ©2009 by EMI RECORDS Ltd.
    ©2009 EMl RECORDS Ltd.

    APPLE and PARLOPHONE
    "BEATLES", "APPLE" and the APPLE Logos are Trademarks of APPLE Corps Ltd.

    HISTORICAL NOTES

    Released on 26th September, 1969, Abbey Rood was The BEATLES' eleventh UK album and, although not their final LP, it did feature the last songs they recorded together. For the first and only time, the front cover of a Beatles album included neither their name nor a title - just the now iconic picture taken by lain Macmillan. He photographed the group walking across Abbey Road in North London, a few yards away from the entrance to EMI's studios where the majority of their songs had been recorded since 1962. However, The BEATLES had begun work in 1969 not at Abbey Road but on a vast sound stage at Twickenham Film Studios, surrounded by cameras as they rehearsed songs for a televised concert. This plan was eventually abandoned and an album containing recordings made in their own Apple studio was much delayed until a documentary film of the January sessions was ready. However, two of the songs - 'Get Back' and 'Don't Let Me Down' - were released on The BEATLES' nineteenth single in April. It was a worldwide number one and was soon joined in the charts by its follow-up 'The Ballad Of John And Yoko*. Their recently launched Apple label was also proving successful with hits by Mary Hopkin and Billy Preston and the regular creative contribution of The BEATLES for a growing roster of artists. In addition to their demanding commitment to running Apple, The BEATLES worked intensively on their next album during the summer. In contrast to the earliest sessions of 1969, which were done 'as live' with no overdubs, they had returned to Abbey Road studios to create with George Martin carefully crafted recordings with ambitious musical arrangements. Interestingly, twelve of the seventeen songs recorded for Abbey Road were played during the filmed rehearsals and sessions in January.
    Abbey Road entered the British album chart at number one in October and stayed there for a total of seventeen of its 81 weeks in the chart. The LP also reached number one in the USA and spent eleven weeks at that position. Its initial stay in the list of 200 best selling albums lasted for 83 weeks In the UK, Abbey Road was the only Beatles LP from which tracks were issued on a single after the album had been released. Their third hit of the year coupled 'Something' and 'Come Together' and, in the States, both titles were shown at number one in November, 1969.

    RECORDING NOTES

    The BEATLES' recorded legacy was completed in a little over seven years. During this prolific period, their collaboration with producer George Martin and the engineers at Abbey Road had challenged the way that popular music was created. Indeed, on many occasions this team re-wrote the rule book and set a new standard to which their contemporaries had to aspire. How fitting then that their last recordings together should be included on an album named after the road where EMI's studios are located. In the early part of 1969, the BEATLES had recorded in their own studio in the basement of the Apple office building and also at independent studio Trident. However, from April onwards, all the remaining Beatles recordings were made at Abbey Road. Work intensified on their new album in the summer and Studio Two was booked from Ist July to the end of August. In fact, such was their productivity, Studio Three was sometimes used simultaneously. Even though they were now using eight-track machines, they still ran into the perennial problem of having an insufficient number of tracks to cope with the ambitious arrangements. This was solved by copying - or 'bouncing down' - to a second eight-track tape, while at the same time mixing some of the tracks together. In this way, free tracks were created on the new tape to overdub additional instruments or vocals and seven songs required this process. To five of those an orchestra was added, which was recorded on 15th August during nine and a quarter hours in Studio One.
    Remaining true to the spirit of musical adventure on their previous albums, The BEATLES were one of the first pop acts to use a newly invented instrument. George Harrison had purchased one of only a few Moog synthesizers in existence and this large, unwieldy contraption was transported to Abbey Road in August. The electronically generated sound of the 'Moog' can be heard on 'Because', 'Here Comes The Sun', 'I Want You (She's so heavy)' and 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer'. When their first two albums - Please Please Me and With The BEATLES - were recorded on twin-track tape, it was primarily to allow the mono mix to be focussed on at another time. Still in its infancy in 1963, stereo was not given the same significance. Even in 1967 when making Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, mono was still viewed as the dominant format. However, two years later, mono was completely disregarded and the Abbey Road LP was mixed solely in stereo. A few years after the album was released, the name of EMI Recording Studios was officially changed to 'Abbey Road* and tourists dodge London traffic every day to have their photos taken on the pedestrian crossing adjacent to the building!





    1. Come Together

      Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
      He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
      He got hair down to his knee
      Got to be a joker he just do what he please

      He wear no shoeshine he got toe-jam football
      He got monkey finger he shoot coca-cola
      He say "I know you, you know me"
      One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
      Come together right now over me

      He bag production he got walrus gumboot
      He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker
      He got feet down below his knee
      Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease
      Come together right now over me

      He roller-coaster he got early warning
      He got muddy water he one mojo filter
      He say "One and one and one is three"
      Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see
      Come together right now over me

    2. Something

      Something in the way she moves
      Attracts me like no other lover
      Something in the way she woos me

      I don't want to leave her now
      You know I believe her now

      Somewhere in her smile she knows
      That I don't need no other lover
      Something in her style that shows me

      Don't want to leave her now
      You know I believe her now

      You're asking me will my love grow
      I don't know, I don't know
      You stick around now it may show
      I don't know, I don't know

      Something in the way she knows
      And all I have to do is think of her
      Something in the things she shows me

      Don't want to leave her now
      You know I believe her now

    3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer

      Joan was quizzical, studied metaphysical
      Science in the home
      Late nights all alone with a test-tube
      Ohh-oh-oh-oh ...
      Maxwell Edison majoring in medicine
      Calls her on the phone
      "Can I take you out to the pictures
      Joa-oa-oa-oan?"
      But as she's getting ready to go
      A knock comes on the door ...

      Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
      Came down upon her head
      Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
      Made sure that she was dead

      Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again
      Teacher gets annoyed
      Wishing to avoid an unpleasant sce-e-e-ene
      She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away
      So he waits behind
      Writing 50 times "I must not be so-o-o-oo ..."
      But when she turns her back on the boy
      He creeps up from behind

      Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
      Came down upon her head
      Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
      Made sure that she was dead

      B.C. Thirty-One said "we caught a dirty one"
      Maxwell stands alone
      Painting testimonial pictures ohh-oh-oh-oh
      Rose and Valerie screaming from the gallery
      Say he must go free (Maxwell must go free)
      The judge does not agree and he tells them so-o-o-oo
      But as the words are leaving his lips
      A noise comes from behind

      Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
      Came down upon his head
      Bang, Bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
      Made sure that he was dead

    4. Oh! Darling

      Oh! Darling, please believe me
      I'll never do you no harm
      Believe me when I tell you
      I'll never do you no harm

      Oh! Darling, if you leave me
      I'll never make it alone
      Believe me when I beg you
      Don't ever leave me alone

      When you told me you didn't need me anymore
      Well you know I nearly broke down and cried
      When you told me you didn't need me anymore
      Well you know I nearly broke down and died

      Oh! Darling, if you leave me
      I'll never make it alone
      Believe me when I tell you
      I'll never do you no harm

      When you told me you didn't need me anymore
      Well you know I nearly broke down and cried
      When you told me you didn't need me anymore
      Well you know I nearly broke down and died

      Oh! Darling, please believe me
      I'll never let you down
      Believe me when I tell you
      I'll never do you no harm

    5. Octopus's Garden

      I'd like to be under the sea
      In an octopus' garden in the shade
      He'd let us in, knows where we've been
      In his octopus' garden in the shade

      I'd ask my friends to come and see
      An octopus' garden with me
      I'd like to be under the sea
      In an octopus' garden in the shade

      We would be warm below the storm
      In our little hideaway beneath the waves
      Resting our head on the sea bed
      In an octopus' garden near a cave

      We would sing and dance around
      because we know we can't be found
      I'd like to be under the sea
      In an octopus' garden in the shade

      We would shout and swim about
      The coral that lies beneath the waves
      (Lies beneath the ocean waves)
      Oh what joy for every girl and boy
      Knowing they're happy and they're safe
      (Happy and they're safe)

      We would be so happy you and me
      No one there to tell us what to do
      I'd like to be under the sea
      In an octopus' garden with you

    6. I Want You (She's So Heavy)

      I want you
      so bad
      it's driving me mad

      She's so heavy

    7. Here Comes The Sun

      Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
      and I say it's all right

      Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
      Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
      Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
      and I say it's all right
      Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
      Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
      Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
      and I say it's all right

      Sun, sun, sun, here it comes ...
      Sun, sun, sun, here it comes ...
      Sun, sun, sun, here it comes ...
      Sun, sun, sun, here it comes ...
      Sun, sun, sun, here it comes ...

      Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
      Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
      Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
      and I say it's all right
      It's all right

    8. Because

      Because the world is round it turns me on
      Because the world is round...aaaaaahhhhhh

      Because the wind is high it blows my mind
      Because the wind is high......aaaaaaaahhhh

      Love is all, love is new
      Love is all, love is you

      Because the sky is blue, it makes me cry
      Because the sky is blue.......aaaaaaaahhhh

      Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh ....

    9. You Never Give Me Your Money

      You never give me your money
      You only give me your funny paper
      and in the middle of negotiations
      you break down

      I never give you my number
      I only give you my situation
      and in the middle of investigation
      I break down

      Out of college, money spent
      See no future, pay no rent
      All the money's gone, nowhere to go
      Any jobber got the sack
      Monday morning, turning back
      Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go
      But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go
      Oh, that magic feeling
      Nowhere to go

      One sweet dream
      Pick up the bags and get in the limousine
      Soon we'll be away from here
      Step on the gas and wipe that tear away
      One sweet dream came true today
      Came true today
      Came true today (yes it did)

      One two three four five six seven,
      All good children go to Heaven

    10. Sun King

    [Italian lyrics broken down phoenetically]

      Here comes the sun king
      Here comes the sun king
      Everybody's laughing
      Everybody's happy
      Here comes the sun king

      Quando paramucho mi amore de felice carathon
      Mundo paparazzi mi amore cicce verdi parasol
      Questo abrigado tantamucho que canite carousel

    11. Mean Mr. Mustard

      Mean Mister Mustard sleeps in the park
      Shaves in the dark trying to save paper
      Sleeps in a hole in the road
      Saving up to buy some clothes
      Keeps a ten-bob note up his nose
      Such a mean old man
      Such a mean old man

      His sister Pam works in a shop
      She never stops, she's a go-getter
      Takes him out to look at the queen
      Only place that he's ever been
      Always shouts out something obscene
      Such a dirty old man
      Dirty old man

    12. Polythene Pam

      Well you should see Polythene Pam
      She's so good-looking but she looks like a man
      Well you should see her in drag dressed in her polythene bag
      Yes you should see Polythene Pam
      Yeah yeah yeah

      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

    13. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window

      She came in through the bathroom window
      Protected by a silver spoon
      But now she sucks her thumb and wanders
      By the banks of her own lagoon

      Didn't anybody tell her?
      Didn't anybody see?
      Sunday's on the phone to Monday,
      Tuesday's on the phone to me

      She said she'd always been a dancer
      She worked at 15 clubs a day
      And though she thought I knew the answer
      Well I knew what I could not say

      And so I quit the police department
      And got myself a steady job
      And though she tried her best to help me
      She could steal but she could not rob

      Didn't anybody tell her?
      Didn't anybody see?
      Sunday's on the phone to Monday,
      Tuesday's on the phone to me
      Oh yeah

    14. Golden Slumbers

      Once there was a way to get back homeward
      Once there was a way to get back home
      Sleep pretty darling do not cry
      And I will sing a lullabye

      Golden slumbers fill your eyes
      Smiles awake you when you rise
      Sleep pretty darling do not cry
      And I will sing a lullabye

      Once there was a way to get back homeward
      Once there was a way to get back home
      Sleep pretty darling do not cry
      And I will sing a lullabye

    15. Carry That Weight

      Boy, you gotta carry that weight
      Carry that weight a long time
      Boy, you gotta carry that weight
      Carry that weight a long time

      I never give you my pillow
      I only send you my invitation
      And in the middle of the celebrations
      I break down

      Boy, you gotta carry that weight
      Carry that weight a long time
      Boy, you gotta carry that weight
      Carry that weight a long time

    16. The End

      Oh yeah, all right
      Are you going to be in my dreams
      Tonight?
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      And in the end
      The love you take
      Is equal to the love you make

    17. Her Majesty

      Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl,
      but she doesn't have a lot to say
      Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl
      but she changes from day to day

      I want to tell her that I love her a lot
      But I gotta get a bellyful of wine
      Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl
      Someday I'm going to make her mine, oh yeh,
      someday I'm going to make her mine