'Abbey Road' vs. 'Let It Be': Which Was the Beatles' Last Album? - Rolling Stone The 100 Greatest Beatles Songs It's a grey area what counts as a Beatles album and what's merely a Beatles project. (In the 1970s, fans argued over whether Hey Jude and Hollywood Bowl were official Beatles albums. Nobody argues about that anymore.) Capitol, for obvious reasons, would probably like to err on the side of counting projects as albums, although they still show heroic restraint and taste when it comes to respecting the core canon. (Like, they count Magical Mystery Tour as an official album, but they know better than to make claims for The Beatles' Reel Music.) Anyone would have to agree Let It Be is in the grey area, but from my fan perspective, it's on the Hey Jude side of the line, along with Yellow Submarine. If you want to claim the Beatles made 11 studio albums, I can see that, and if you want to claim the Beatles made 13 studio albums, counting Let It Be and Yellow Submarine, I can see that too. I can even see stretching it to 14 with Hey Jude.

(That one was a Capitol hodgepodge from early 1970.) Magical Mystery Tour is in the grey area – the Beatles released it as a 6-song U.K. EP, but it got padded into a U.S.-only 1967 album, so it's about as legit as Hey Jude. But it's been a long time since I've heard anyone try to read it out of the canon, and it's a case where sheer quality makes a difference. (Not even a strict-constructionist hardliner would claim the EP is better because it leaves out "Strawberry Fields Forever.") If someone tried to argue the Beatles only made 10 albums, because Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine and Let It Be are mere footnotes, I would basically assume they were an idiot, regardless of whether or not it's a valid point. (All idiots have a valid point, right? Not having a valid point doesn't make you an "idiot," just a "rock critic.") So let's put it this way. Let It Be is the final Beatles album, not Abbey Road. . . but only if it's a Beatles album.

Can you argue that Let It Be is a Beatles album, yet not the Beatles' final album? No, not really, because it includes a tiny amount of music they made in 1970. So here's my reluctant conclusion, at least as of today. I like Abbey Road better. Sentimentally, for me, it's the one I think of as the end. However, unfortunately, Let It Be is the last Beatles album. I would love it if you could change my mind about that. Don’t Miss a Story Sign up for our newsletter to receive breaking news directly in your inbox. We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy How we use your email address Trending Ranked on a scale from 1 to 10, the trending score reflects the number of users reading a story in real time. What is this? Let It Be (album) | The Beatles Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Let It Be (album) Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising.

We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Let It Be Abbey Road next Let It Be is the twelfth official and last album recorded by The Beatles . It was released on 8 May 1970 (three months after the break-up). Most of Let It Be was recorded before Abbey Road , but The Beatles were unhappy with the results and the album was temporarily shelved. Therefore, Let It Be was released after Abbey Road , making it their last album released even though Abbey Road was the last one recorded. Contents Edit While The Beatles were recording Let It Be, they were being filmed at almost all times. The footage would eventually be used for the film of the same name . Tensions were high in the studio, with George Harrison and Paul McCartney often feuding. John Lennon also brought his partner, Yoko Ono , to many of the sessions, which caused some of the band members to be uncomfortable. The Beatles performed hundreds of songs during the then-called Get Back sessions. Many of the songs would be included on Abbey Road or were used on the band members' solo albums.

The Beatles stopped working on Let It Be when arguments reached an all-time high. Production Edit After the disastrous Get Back sessions, the album was shelved for a year until Phil Spector decided to produce it. Using the "Wall of Sound", Spector produced the album in a way different to Glyn John's. The Beatles, and the public were not satisified and called the album a "second class send off." Paul McCartney later re-released the album as Let It Be... Naked , without Spector's additions. Tracks All songs written by Lennon/McCartney , except where noted otherwise. Side one Let It Be | The Beatles Get Back The final Beatles album was first released on 8th May, 1970, just prior to the launch of the cinema film of the same name. Rehearsals and recording sessions for the album had taken place in January, 1969 first At Twickenham Film Studios and later in the basement and on the roof of their Apple headquarters in London's Savile Row.

A single comprising of "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down" was released in April, 1969 but as The Beatles focussed their energies on a new album mainly recorded at Abbey Road, The "Get Back" album as it was then called remained unreleased. Once Abbey Road had been issued and the completion of the documentary film now imminent, it was noticed that rehearsals of George's song "I Me Mine" featured prominently in the film but had not been recorded in the studio. This was remedied on 3rd January, 1970 when George, Paul and Ringo performed it without John who was in Denmark. A second single from the album, which was now titled Let It Be appeared on 6th March. Up to now the idea behind the album had been to capture the group "live in the studio" without overdubs or effects but this changed when producer, Phil Spector was brought in to re-produce the tracks. The Long And Winding Road, which had been given a new musical arrangement featuring orchestra and choir, was released as a single in the US and other markets but not the UK and became the group's final # 1 single. The album reached no.

1 for a three week stay during its 59 week chart stay. In the US, the album enjoyed a four week stay at #1 during an initial chart life of 55 weeks. 4Tr3P_0xC3U The Making Of Let It Be "I think the original idea was Paul's idea to rehearse some new songs and then we were going to pick a location and record the album of the songs in a concert.

I suppose kind of like they do these days on unplugged except you know it wasn't to be unplugged it was to do a live album." GEORGE Twickenham Studio was very cold and not a very nice atmosphere so we decided to abandon that and go up to Savile Row into the recording studio GEORGE Filming of The Beatles' final public performance, on the roof of the Apple offices "One After 909 it was our childhood coming back to us it was the sort of raw energy from our youth and I think it reminded us of those teenage years and so it surfaced as did Maggie Mae and a few things like that during the Let It Be sessions where we were just dredging up anything." PAUL "They were quite good sessions once we got into Apple I remember you know sitting round quite enjoying the music, it was interesting music to play and we ended up on the roof." PAUL "I think it shows on the record that when we were excited the track's exciting.

It doesn't matter what we're going through as individuals, you know on a bullshit level when it gets to the music you know when you can see that it's really cool, we've all put in a thousand percent." RINGO "The whole Let It Be project was really to see work in progress to see the Beatles working." PAUL Filming of The Beatles' final public performance, on the roof of the Apple offices "We'd made Let It Be we then mixed it once with Glyn Johns who'd done a very straight forward mix, very plain but I loved it, Alan Klein was around by this time and he sort of said I don't think it's good enough, he called in Phil Spector to try to sort of help reproduce it as it said on the record." PAUL A very sentimental tone to the whole album. great creative muic. I love it! soapy33 sad album beacause it was ther last album MccartneyPlus789 This album makes me depressed... A Day in the Li...

12 Mar 2011 It was the last album by The Beatles but still have great songs like Let It Be and The Long and Winding Road...but my favourites are: I Me Mine, Dig A Pony, Across The Universe, I've Got A Feeling and Get Back. drew8889 10 Aug 2009 Wat could you say of this? Idk, all ik that it really went across the universe. Nothing gonna change the world, well, not like the beatles did peto 9 Aug 2009 my first vinyl i ever had it was the 45' "Let it be - You Know My Name (look at the number) NEON Abbey Road | The Beatles fab4bob 30 Jun 2016 This is probably what the next Beatles album would have been (in the format of the White album.). all tracks were issued by solo Beatles in 1970 on three albums. McCartney, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and George Harrison-All Things Must Pass.

Ringo's track was a single Most Solo Beatles singles were left off (as they would have been Beatles singles) Make a playlist - It plays well the title -Beatles 70 1-That Would Be Something (McCartney) 2-Hold On (Lennon) 3-All Things Must Pass (Harrison) 4-Teddy Boy (McCartney) 5-Rembember (Lennon) 6-Beware of Darkness (Harrison) 7-Every Night (McCartney) 8-Love (Lennon) 9-Oo You (McCartney) 10-What Is Life (Harrison) 11-Well, Well, Well (Lennon) 12-Isn't It A Pity (Harrison) 13-Maybe I'm Amazed (McCartney) 14-Look At Me (Lennon) 15-Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Harrison) 16-Isolution (Lennon) 17-Suiside (McCartney) 18-Junk (McCartney) 19-Let It Down (Harrison) 20-I Found Out 

21-It Don't Come Easy 22-Run Of The Mill (Harrison) 23-Man We Was Lonely (McCartney) 24- Singalong Junk (McCartney) 25-Working Class Hero (Lennon) 26-Behind That Locked Door (Harrison) 27-Mother (Lennon) 1970 solo songs notes- (Ringo plays Drums on John & George's songs) (Paul plays all instruments on his songs) (George plays guitar on Ringo's song) Make a playlist - It plays well fab4bob 30 Jun 2016 Their best production for sure.

I Want You is faultless. So is the Medley..and of course George's Something. It was almost too good to be their last?? BlondGuy 13 Jun 2016 A couple more points: Lennon's fading interest in keeping the band going by this point is reflected in his relative lack of contributions to the album. The production is grand, but it sometimes becomes overly-slick, almost as if Paul and George Martin wanted to make the Beatles palatable to an MOR radio listening, older audience. What brings the album down a bit is that it contains what may be the two worst songs the band ever recorded ("Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and "Octopuss' Garden"), and one that is lyrically simplistic to the point of redundancy and musically monotonous ("I Want You (She's So Heavy)"). But then side two starts up and all is right in the world again. The album also has a rather melancholy, wistful tone to it that REALLY does sound like the group is saying goodbye for good, and for me, that gives the record a rather sad, depressing overall feeling.

BlondGuy 11 Jun 2016 Side two = probably the best side of an album a rock band has ever made. Side one = kind of uneven once you get past the two brilliant opening tracks ("Come Together" and "Something", both of which are works of genius). Mr.paul66 12 Dec 2015 What a masterpiece! I Love this Album so much. My favorite track is "Something" by George! It's one of the geratest lovesongs ever! FelixW60 25 Jul 2015 I received the album as a music cassette and listened to these iconic songs till the tape was completely through. It means a lot to me and I always say this would be the only album I'd take with me on a desert island. FelixW60 25 Jul 2015 I received the album as a music cassette and listened to these iconic songs till the tape was completely through. It means a lot to me and I always say this would be the only album I'd take with me on a desert island.

Phil O'Brien 15 Jun 2015 their last recorded LP was my first Beatle LP and has always been my #1 overall alltime LP/CD,.. tha lst section, from "Golden Slumbers" on is timelessly fantastic and surely a reason Ringo deserved to be in HOF too.. Hope they release different versions other than on Anthology series.. maybe try it mono..All songs are timeless.. Capt.sanjay 21 Apr 2014 The last song recorded was I want you and we can hear that it stopped abruptly what was the reason, is it the exit from Abbey road, but you guys can not exit our hearts and we have real love for you, for ever. Capt.sanjay 21 Apr 2014 Abbey rd is one of my favorite albums, we sometimes regret another album should had been recorded (studio) after this, but we should say what if there was no Abbey road (album) itself, in any case fans had to wait for quarter of a century for the reunion and magic of songs, free as a bird and real love could be experienced - thank you very much.

The Beatles — Listen for free on Spotify The Beatles Play on Spotify The Beatles recorded together for a little over seven years. Between October 1962 and May 1970, they released thirteen albums and a number of tracks issued on standalone singles. The catalogue created in that short period has sold more than that of any other group in history and its commercial success continues - the world’s best selling album during the first decade of the 21st century was a collection of The Beatles’ chart-topping singles called 1. But the group’s significance stems not just from huge sales figures. Their music has inspired generation upon generation of musicians, songwriters and producers. As Mark Ronson put it: ‘Everything we take for granted - they absolutely invented it.’ Tom Petty was a teenager during the years The Beatles’ records appeared in quick succession: ‘They were just out in front. There was The Beatles …and then there was everyone else. And everyone else could be great, but The Beatles were leading the way and that’s just irrefutably true.’ The Beatles’ story began in Liverpool in March 1957, when John Lennon (born 9 October 1940) formed a group named The Quarry Men.

His life was changed by the excitement of rock ’n’ roll music - heralded by Bill Haley and His Comets, but taken to another level when Elvis Presley stormed the charts during 1956. The next year saw the arrival in the UK of hits by Little Richard, Buddy Holly and The Crickets, the Everly Brothers and, in movie theatres, the exciting rock film The Girl Can’t Help It!, featuring Eddie Cochran singing ‘Twenty Flight Rock’. Introduced to John on 6 July 1957 at a church fete in Woolton, Liverpool, Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) sang Eddie’s song word perfect. Impressed, John invited the fifteen-year old to join his group. In February 1958, Paul’s younger school pal George Harrison (born 25 February 1943) won his place in The Quarry Men when he impressed the others with his guitar skills, especially on the current hit instrumental ‘Raunchy’ by Bill Justis. With a constant nucleus of John, Paul and George, the group underwent a series of line-up changes and names.

Having gained a dependable drummer - Pete Best - in August 1960, The Beatles made their first visit to West Germany to perform in the clubs of Hamburg. Playing long sets through the night, they spent hundreds of hours onstage during five visits to the city. Back home in Liverpool, their regular stomping ground was The Cavern Club, where they played nearly 300 times. The experience gained in Hamburg and at The Cavern helped to make The Beatles the most proficient and popular group on Merseyside. At this time, a group from Liverpool had the odds stacked against them when trying to gain a foothold in a record business focused on London. In early 1962, they had acquired an ambitious and rather refined manager, record shop boss Brian Epstein. He faced regular rejection from music companies until George Martin signed the group to EMI’s Parlophone label. By fate, The Beatles had found both the ideal manager and perfect producer. The last piece of the picture slotted into place just three weeks before recording their first single on 4 September 1962. Ringo Starr (born 7 July 1940) was asked to take over as drummer.

He had been playing with Rory Storm & The Hurricanes - another Liverpool group who played long stints in the clubs of Hamburg. Ringo’s personality, sense of humour and rock solid, inventive drumming proved to be just right for The Beatles. Their first Parlophone single was released on 5 October 1962. Both sides of the disc were original compositions - a remarkable statement of intent from a group making their first steps in the music business. In fact, George Martin had urged them to record Mitch Murray’s ‘How Do You Do It?’, which he felt was a sure-fire hit. They had reluctantly agreed, but were able to persuade George to shelve the recording in favour of their own songs ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘P.S. I Love You’. Just one example of how The Beatles’ story might have been very different with a less open-minded record producer. George Martin’s faith in The Beatles, and in John and Paul as songwriters, was soon vindicated by the release of ‘Please Please Me’ in January 1963. The single reached the top of all but one of the UK charts.

It was followed by the number one ‘From Me To You’ and their first album Please Please Me, which topped the chart for 30 weeks until their next LP replaced it at number one. The debut album featured eight Lennon/McCartney compositions and six cover versions of recent American Rhythm and Blues records. The selection, a result of The Beatles’ constant search for the unusual, showed their impeccable taste. Compared to the sophisticated arrangement of an R&B original like ‘Twist And Shout’, their versions were stripped down reinventions for a four-piece beat group. George Martin has confirmed that ‘it was primarily the American Rhythm and Blues sound that was their inspiration. It’s probably what the so-called Beatles sound was, because all the black music was a tremendous influence on them.’ However, that source was unknown to the majority of their British fans. The super-confident second album With The Beatles was issued in November 1963 when the single ‘She Loves You’ was at number one. Once more, it featured eight original compositions - including ‘All My Loving’ and George Harrison’s first recorded song ‘Don’t Bother Me’ - and six cover versions.

A week later, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ was released and also reached number one. The group had become the biggest musical phenomenon in British show business - ever. Among the key factors that led to this success were the chemistry between the four personalities in the group, their immense charm and a daring image - nobody had worn their hair that long. Their interviews were funny and articulate, they had a charismatic presence when performing, and girls screamed and swooned over them. The term ‘Beatlemania’ was coined by the press to describe the hysteria aroused by the group but, as an appearance on The Royal Variety Show demonstrated, their popularity stretched way beyond the teenage market. What The Beatles did next was extraordinary for a British act. In February 1964, they arrived in the USA to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show. They performed to 73 million viewers, the biggest television audience to date, and with ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ at the top of the charts, America was suddenly held spellbound by The Beatles. As their success spread across the world, almost everything the group did from then on was unprecedented.

In addition to unparalleled success on record - they held all top five positions in the American chart in the first week of April - their first movie A Hard Day’s Night was a box office hit and acclaimed for its wit, invention and unbeatable self-composed songs. Premiered in July 1964, it was perfectly timed to capitalise on their international breakthrough. They rounded off the year with Beatles For Sale and the massive hit single ‘I Feel Fine’. In 1965, they starred in the film Help!. Like their first movie, it was directed by Richard Lester and featured a brilliant batch of songs on its accompanying album. Tucked away towards the end of the LP was a performance by Paul McCartney of his composition ‘Yesterday’. Not even released as a single in the UK, it was a number one in America. It quickly became - and remains - the most covered song of all time. ‘Yesterday’ is an example of how The Beatles and their producer did not compromise; whatever best served the song was always pursued. In the case of ‘Yesterday’, the bold choice was a classical arrangement for string quartet. For the next album Rubber Soul, more studio time was made available to try out unusual instrumentation and adventurous recording techniques.

The words of the songs were more mature and the vocal blend, heard on tracks such as ‘Nowhere Man’ and ‘Michelle’, is one of the album’s most distinctive qualities. The Beatles’ sound is, of course, distinguished by the character of their voices. Few groups were blessed with two powerful lead singers as versatile as John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Furthermore, George Harrison not only contributed at least one lead vocal to every album, his voice was integral to the intricate harmony vocals on many Beatles tracks. Ringo Starr usually sang a solo on albums, making such Lennon/McCartney songs as ‘Yellow Submarine’ and ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ unimaginable without his voice. Released on the same day as Rubber Soul, 5 December 1965, ‘We Can Work It Out’/‘Day Tripper’ was the first of The Beatles’ double A-Sides. They ended another frantically busy year with their final British tour. There was a deadline to complete their next album, because concerts had been scheduled for the summer of 1966 all over the world. But this did not affect their approach to recording at all.

The Revolver sessions saw the group reach a new peak of creativity in performance, songwriting and innovative studio techniques. In addition to the songwriting mastery displayed by John and Paul, the LP contained the biggest contribution to date from George with three songs. His caustic ‘Taxman’ was given the status of the album’s opening track. ‘Eleanor Rigby’ is now regarded as a fully realised masterpiece, but when released in August 1966 on Revolver and as a single coupled with ‘Yellow Submarine’, its solemn subject matter and stark arrangement were radically different. A year before, in August 1965, their appearance in front of 55,600 fans at Shea Stadium in New York had broken the record for concert attendance and box-office revenue. But live performance had become an unsatisfying charade ...and dangerous too. Who cares how lucrative it was? That had to stop. The Beatles’ final concert for a paying audience took place at Candlestick Park, San Francisco on 29 August 1966. At the end of 1966, The Beatles started work on ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

Its long evolution showed the musical imagination and technical experimentation heard on Revolver would be continued. To stop the long wait for new material, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and ‘Penny Lane’ were released in February 1967. Although songs were always credited to Lennon and McCartney, it soon became clear that whoever sang the lead vocal was usually the main composer. The double A-sided single shows how their different stylistic approaches established a perfect counterbalance. Having set themselves a task of writing about their Liverpool childhoods, John’s song is dreamy and steeped in melancholy, while Paul’s is uplifting and brimming with brilliantly observed vignettes. Many were shocked when the unconventional promotional films for both songs were broadcast. Even their moustaches and John’s spectacles were considered to be evidence of how weird The Beatles had become. The square world worried. Everyone else listened over and over until they ‘got it’. Released on 1 June 1967, the immediate artistic and commercial success of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band vindicated the new approach taken by The Beatles. It was the album that provided the soundtrack to the so-called ‘summer of love’, but its appeal is ageless.

The Beatles performed their next single ‘All You Need Is Love’ for the first time on the TV programme Our World - broadcast live to an audience of 350 million around the globe. Their place at the top of contemporary pop music was indisputable. Sadly, soon afterwards, The Beatles were shaken by the sudden death of their manager Brian Epstein in August 1967. They rallied to write and direct Magical Mystery Tour - a film shown on television in the UK at Christmas. Some of the millions who saw it, did not like it. As Paul McCartney remembered: ‘They were looking for the plum-pudding special. That’s what they were expecting, and they very much didn’t get it! We were giving it to the young kids. Why shouldn’t they see something far out?’ The music was as successful as ever. The six new songs in the film and the number one ‘Hello, Goodbye’ completed a momentous year of recording. Three more tracks from 1967 remained unreleased until they were heard in the movie Yellow Submarine premiered in 1968. The film’s imaginative animation evoked the ‘psychedelic’ spirit of Sgt. Pepper to reveal the triumph of Love over Evil.

Nowadays, following a year as busy as The Beatles had in 1967, an artist would take an extended break. In fact, the group did allow themselves a little time off. The first music of 1968 came in March on their seventeenth single ‘Lady Madonna’. Soon after it was recorded, The Beatles flew to Rishikesh, India for several weeks of meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. At this remote and peaceful location, they enjoyed a prolific period of songwriting. As George Harrison explained: ‘When we came back, it became apparent that there were more songs than would make up a single album.’ Recorded in five months, the double LP The Beatles was soon known as ‘The White Album’ because of its plain white cover. ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Revolution’ were the first songs to be heard from the sessions when they were released as a single on 30 August 1968 - the first Beatles record to be pressed with the Apple label. Never interested in repeating themselves, The Beatles took a different approach in the studio in 1968.

Ringo Starr remembered: ‘On “The White Album” we ended up being a band again and that’s what I always love. I love being in a band.’ Discussing his songwriting, John Lennon reflected: ‘It was a complete reversal from Sgt. Pepper. My songs on the double album were fairly simple and basic.’ It is still astonishing to hear The Beatles moving through every style of popular music imaginable, including a pastiche of a Hollywood musical number (‘Honey Pie’), an intense blues (‘Yer Blues’) and heavy rock (‘Helter Skelter’). As with Sgt. Pepper, no singles were released from ‘The White Album’ in the UK and USA during the 1960s. But it is full of tracks that could have been huge hits, such as ‘Back In The USSR’, ‘Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da’ and ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’. In January 1969, while ‘The White Album’ was still at number one, The Beatles assembled to write and rehearse brand new songs for a televised live concert. The plan changed so that, in the end, their work was documented in a movie released over a year later.

Its final scene showed The Beatles performing on the roof of their Apple office building in Savile Row, London with most of the audience gathered in the street below. ‘Get Back’, a number one single from the sessions at Apple, was swiftly followed by ‘The Ballad Of John And Yoko’ - a chronicle of John’s marriage to Yoko Ono and their honeymoon/‘Bed-In’ for peace in Amsterdam. Recorded mostly during the summer of 1969, the last album The Beatles made together was named after the street where EMI’s studios are located. It was a fitting tribute to the place where the majority of their songs had been recorded. The Beatles’ collaboration with producer George Martin and the engineers at Abbey Road had challenged the way that popular music was created. On many occasions this team re-wrote the rule book and set a new standard to which their contemporaries had to aspire. In contrast to the January recordings at Apple, which were ‘as live’ with no overdubs, their return to Abbey Road studios with George Martin resulted in carefully crafted tracks with ambitious musical arrangements.

The album’s varied highlights include ‘Come Together’ and two songs that showed George Harrison’s songwriting had hit a peak - ‘Something’ and ‘Here Comes The Sun’. However, the character of Abbey Road is dominated by the sophisticated medley the group called ‘The Long One’. It brought the album, and The Beatles’ recording career, to an impressive conclusion. What a farewell. Measured in terms of its enormous popularity and musical ingenuity, Abbey Road now challenges the status of Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band as The Beatles’ greatest achievement. When the earlier set of recordings from 1969 was finally released as Let It Be in May 1970, news had already broken that the group had split up. The album’s title track and ‘The Long And Winding Road’ took the total of American number ones by The Beatles to twenty in six years - a feat unequalled by any other artist. When The Beatles began making records, no one anticipated that they would be listened to far into the future. Pop music was regarded as disposable. But the timeless appeal of The Beatles’ catalogue ensured it was built to last and highly valued.

In 1979, the distinguished conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein wrote: ‘Three bars of “A Day In The Life” still sustain me, rejuvenate me, inflame my senses and sensibilities.’ There is also another dimension to the seductive power of The Beatles’ music. Filled with the spirit of the era in which it was born, it is joyous and generous. ‘All You Need Is Love’. ‘With our love - we could save the world.’ ‘The love you take is equal to the love you make.’ Tom Petty felt it: ‘We grew up with The Beatles and grew up trusting them. They could have chosen to do anything and they chose to do good, which is a great example for the rest of us.’ Kevin Howlett 10 April 1970: Paul McCartney announces The Beatles' split | The Beatles Bible Q: Will they be so credited: McCartney? A: It's a bit daft for them to be Lennon/McCartney credited, so "McCartney" it is. Q: Did you enjoy working as a solo? A: Very much. I only had me to ask for a decision, and I agreed with me.

Remember Linda 's on it too, so it's really a double act. Q: What is Linda's contribution? A: Strictly speaking she harmonizes, but of course it's more than that because she's a shoulder to lean on, a second opinion, and a photographer of renown. More than all this, she believes in me - constantly. Q: Where was the album recorded? A: At home, at EMI (no. 2 studio) and at Morgan Studios (Willesden!) Q: What is your home equipment (in some detail)? A: Studer four-track machine. I only had, however, one mike, and as Mr Pender, Mr Sweatenham and others only managed to take six months or so (slight delay) I worked without VU meters or a mixer, which meant that everything had to be listened to first (for distortion etc...) then recorded. So the answer - Studer, one mike, and nerve. Q: Why did you choose to work in the studios you chose? A: They were available. EMI is technically very good and Morgan is cozy. Q: The album was not known about until it was nearly completed. Was this deliberate?

A: Yes, because normally an album is old before it even comes out. (aside) Witness GET BACK. Q: Why? A: I've always wanted to buy a Beatles album like people do and be as surprised as they must be. So this was the next best thing. Linda and I are the only two who will be sick of it by the release date. We love it really. Q: Are you able to describe the texture or the feel of the album in a few words? A: Home, family, love. Q: How long did it take to complete? A: From just before (I think) Xmas, until now. THE LOVELY LINDA was the first thing I recorded at home, and was originally to test the equipment. That was around Xmas. Q: Assuming all the songs are new to the public, how new are they to you? Are they recent A: One was from 1959 ( HOT AS SUN ). Two are from India - JUNK and TEDDY BOY , and the rest are pretty recent. VALENTINE DAY , MOMMA MISS AMERICA and OO YOU were ad-libbed on the spot. Q: Which instruments have you played on the album?

A: Bass, drums, acoustic guitar, lead guitar, piano and organ-mellotron, toy xylophone, bow and arrow. Q: Have you played all these instruments on earlier recordings? A: Yes, drums being the one that I normally wouldn't do. Q: Why did you do all the instruments yourself? A: I think I'm pretty good. Q: Will Linda be heard on all future records? A: Could be. We love singing together and have plenty of opportunity for practice. Q: Will Paul and Linda become a John and Yoko ? A: No, they will become Paul and Linda. Q: What has recording alone taught you? A: That to make your own decisions about what you do is easy, and playing with yourself is very difficult, but satisfying. Q: Who has done the artwork? A: Linda has taken all the photos, and she and I designed the package. Q: Is it true that neither Allen Klein nor ABKCO have been nor will be in any way involved with the production, manufacturing, distribution or promotion of this new album? A: Not if I can help it. Q: Did you miss the other Beatles and George Martin ?

Was there a moment when you thought, 'I wish Ringo were here for this break?' A: No. Q: Assuming this is a very big hit album, will you do another? A: Even if it isn't, I will continue to do what I want, when I want to. Q: Are you planning a new album or single with the Beatles? A: No. Q: Is this album a rest away from the Beatles or the start of a solo career? A: Time will tell. Being a solo album means it's "the start of a solo career..." and not being done with the Beatles means it's just a rest. So it's both. Q: Is your break with the Beatles temporary or permanent, due to personal differences or musical ones? A: Personal differences, business differences, musical differences, but most of all because I have a better time with my family. Temporary or permanent? I don't really know. Q: Do you foresee a time when Lennon-McCartney becomes an active songwriting partnership again? A: No. Q: What do you feel about John's peace effort? The Plastic Ono Band? Giving back the MBE? Yoko's influence? Yoko?

A: I love John, and respect what he does - it doesn't really give me any pleasure. Q: Were any of the songs on the album originally written with the Beatles in mind? A: The older ones were. JUNK was intended for ABBEY ROAD , but something happened. TEDDY BOY was for GET BACK, but something happened. Q: Were you pleased with ABBEY ROAD? Was it musically restricting? A: It was a good album. (No. 1 for a long time.) Q: What is your relationship with Klein? A: It isn't. I am not in contact with him, and he does not represent me in ANY way. Q: What is your relationship with Apple? A: It is the office of a company which I part own with the other three Beatles. I don't go there because I don't like offices or business, especially when I am on holiday. Q: Have you any plans to set up an independent production company? A: McCartney Productions. Q: What sort of music has influenced you on this album? A: Light and loose. Q: Are you writing more prolifically now? Or less so? A: About the same.

I have a queue waiting to be recorded. Q: What are your plans now? A holiday? A musical? A movie? Retirement? A: My only plan is to grow up! Reply robert Sunday 19 July 2015 I think worth remembering here is that at the time Paul was just shy of 28 years old. That’s young, still a kid really. I suggest that his emotional immaturity (as with any 28 year-old) got the best of him and he used this Q&A as a passive aggressive way to get back at the other three and promote his new album. John’s immediate reaction was that Paul used the break-up and promo piece to sell an album – that he was a great PR man and John wished he’d done that. I think John (also a young man at the time) was spot on. John later said that every time Paul was about to put out an album he would hint at a Beatles reunion – there’s a lot of credence to that statement. I was abut 13 when this came out and it was really confusing because of the obvious anger in it.

This was sort of the first public chink in the armor of the Beatles’ friendship – which in the day was a key part of their unique popularity – that they were friends as well as great music etc. So I think this press release was the deliberate act of a young man who was hurt, angry and yet very astute on how to manipulate the media. Let It Be - The Beatles — Listen and discover music at Last.fm Let It Be pop Let It Be was officially The Beatles' last album. Although most of the songs were initially recorded in January 1969 –before the recording of Abbey Road in September 1969– only Get Back and Don't Let Me Down were released on single later that April '69, and the rest of the recordings left unpublished due to The Beatles' busy schedule and personal difficulties in the band-/production-team. When The Beatles finally decided they would split up, the unreleased material was prepared… read more Don't want to see ads? Subscribe now Tracklist

Question: What is the name of the last Beatles album to be recorded before the band split up?
Answer: Abbey Road