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Abbey Road

UK Release: September 26, 1969

Apple PCS 7088

US Release: October 1, 1969

Apple SO 383

Produced by: George Martin

Side One

 

  1. Come Together

  2. Something

  3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer

  4. Oh! Darling

  5. Octopus's Garden

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

 

* Not originally listed on the album's track listings.

Side Two

 

  1. Here Comes the Sun

  2. Because

  3. You Never Give Me Your Money

  4. Sun King

  5. Mean Mr. Mustard

  6. Polythene Pam

  7. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

  8. Golden Slumbers

  9. Carry That Weight

  10. The End

  11. Her Majesty *

Additional Musicians:

 

  • George Martin – piano; electric harpsichord, electronic organ, harmonium and percussion

  • Billy Preston – Hammond organ (on “Something” and “I Want You (She's So Heavy)”)

  • Mal Evans – “anvil” (on “Maxwell's Silver Hammer”)

 

NOTE: Most radio formats have split Side Two tracks as two separate medleys:

 

"Abbey Road Medley"

  • Mean Mr. Mustard

  • Polythene Pam

  • She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

 

"Golden Slumbers Medley"

  • Golden Slumbers

  • Carry That Weight

  • The End

It's been said by many over the years that Abbey Road  is the last TRUE Beatles album, making next year's Let It Be  kind of like the janitor's clean-up before shutting out the lights in the studios. Songs on Abbey Road  and Let It Be  were written, and some recorded during the same sessions, whereas Abbey Road  was a polished product of those sessions and the best songs chosen to form this album, and Let It Be  are the leftovers.

However, Let It Be  would still garner two #1 U.S. hits, "Let It Be" and "The Long And Winding Road", with "Get Back" being a former #1 hit in 1969. it's still argued over which is the REAL final album by The Beatles - outside of the release date factors.

 

But Abbey Road  had produced many of the most well known Rock Radio classics heard daily, if not hourly somewhere on the internet or all over the world. "Come Together" and "Something" were released as a double-sided single, giving George Harrison his first #1 single with "Something". Harrison's "Here Comes The Sun" was never released as a single but is still played daily on radio stations. And, as mentioned above, the two Side Two medleys get much rock station airtime - and where I worked, a classic rock station in East Tennessee, we played "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", "Oh Darling" and "Octopus's Garden" often, as well.

Abbey Road  is The Beatles 11th U.K. release and the 14th in the U.S. The album immeidately hit #1 in over eight countries and has sold well over 11 million copies. It remains one of the most successful Beatles album regarding sales - bested only by Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band  and 1. 

Abbey Road's After Effect [from Wikipedia]: By September 1969, after the recording of Abbey Road, Lennon had formed a new group, the Plastic Ono Band, in part because the Beatles had rejected his song "Cold Turkey".

 

While Harrison worked with artists such as Leon Russell, Doris Troy, Billy Preston and Delaney & Bonnie through to the end of the year, McCartney took a hiatus from the group after his daughter Mary was born on 28 August. On 20 September, Lennon formally announced his departure to the other Beatles.

 

Abbey Road  was released in September. The "Something"/"Come Together" single followed in October, with Lennon releasing the Plastic Ono Band's version of "Cold Turkey" the same month.

 

The Beatles did not promote Abbey Road  directly, but no public announcement was made of the band's split until McCartney announced he was leaving the group in April 1970, at which point they officially disbanded.

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