portrait of this blog's author - by Stephen Blackman 2008

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Yesterday saw the anniversary of the release of my top three Beatles album 'Abbey Road', it rotates with Revolver, Sgt Pepper and Rubber Soul so it's a foursome really but some folks only allow me a top three (huh? - ED

If I want cheering up I can still rely on what has come to be known as the Abbey Road Medley with the alternating guitar break legend, Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End although personally I like to conclude Mean Mr Mustard, Polythene Pam segueing into the last three, put it on, it will cheer you up I guarantee!










Beatles - Abbey Road Medley Golden Slumbers from dave christian on Vimeo.
On this day in music history: September 26, 1969 - “Abbey Road”, the eleventh album by The Beatles is released (US release is on October 1, 1969). Produced by George Martin, it is recorded at EMI Abbey Road Studios and Trident Studios in London from February 22 - August 20, 1969. Following the acrimonious recording sessions for “Get Back/Let It Be” earlier in the year, the band decide to put aside their personal differences, to record one more album free of the conflict that marred those sessions. Though it isn’t exactly like their past working relationship, the sessions are productive and largely problem free. The first half of the album consists of individual songs, while the second half comprises mostly of a nearly side long medley running nearly sixteen and a half minutes with most of the songs written by Paul (“You Never Give Me Your Money”, “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”, “Golden Slumbers”, and “Carry That Weight”, with “Mean Mr. Mustard” and “Polythene Pam” being written by John). The end result of the sessions is one of the strongest albums of the bands career. Though at the time of its releases, it receives mixed reviews from critics who also complain about its then record high list price of $6.98. The albums iconic cover by photographer Iain Macmillan (with graphics designed by John Kosh “aka Kosh), is taken in the zebra crossing in front of the famed recording studio. It spins off the double A-sided single "Come Together/Something” (#1 Pop). “Abbey Road” spends eleven weeks at number one (non-consecutive) on the Billboard Top 200. It is the first of The Beatles albums to pass the ten million mark in sales worldwide in 1980, becoming their largest selling studio album. It is the first Beatles album to be issued on CD, when it is released by EMI/Odeon in Japan in 1983 as part of the “Black Triangle” disc series. However, it remains in the marketplace for only a brief time before it is withdrawn, as it has been released without legal clearance from Apple Corps. “Abbey Road” is officially released on a worldwide basis in 1987, and is remastered and reissued in 2009. The vinyl release of the album, out of print since the mid 90’s is remastered and reissued as a 180 gram LP in 2012.  "Abbey Road" is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1995, and is certified 12x Platinum in the US by the RIAA, receiving a Diamond Certification.

P.S I love the back cover photo nearly as much as the front . . . . such a particular mood and we bought this classic album when it came out and it was never off the turntable for weeks on end. Well you should see Plothene Pam, she's so good looking though she looks like a man . . . . yeah John sure! 😉 I have no memory of it being expensive over here but hey, it's a Beatles album for pity's sake! 

thanks to Jeff Harris' wonderful blog Behind The Grooves

Paul & Linda in 1989/90 tour

"And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make . . . . . . "

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