Chapter 18: The Beatles
Despite a flurry of creative activity in 1968 including side projects and experimental ventures the Beatles entered 1969 under growing internal and managerial strain. While John released the provocative Two Virgins with Yoko Ono, and George continued to explore Indian music on his solo debut Wonderwall Music, the band as a whole was struggling to maintain control of their increasingly unwieldy Apple enterprise. After Brian Epstein’s death in 1967, the Beatles attempted to take on the management of their own affairs. One of their most ambitious post-Epstein ventures was the formation of Apple Corps Ltd.—a multimedia company envisioned as a kind of utopian enterprise that would support music, art, film, fashion, and other creative projects. Established in early 1968, Apple was intended to be both a business venture and a cultural movement, allowing the Beatles to channel their fame and fortune into artistic innovation while also helping young, unknown talent find a platform.
But without a strong organizational structure or experienced business leadership, Apple Corps quickly descended into financial disarray. The company’s idealistic “open door” policy resulted in a constant stream of hopeful artists, writers, and filmmakers submitting ideas, many of which were never viable. Employees were hired without clear job descriptions, departments operated chaotically, and extravagant spending went largely unchecked. The Beatles, still creatively driven but now shouldering the responsibilities of business owners, found themselves overwhelmed and increasingly divided about how to handle the situation. As the financial strain mounted, it became clear that someone needed to take control of Apple’s operations. But the four Beatles could not agree on who that should be. The question of leadership would ultimately deepen the fractures already forming within the group.
John Lennon, frustrated with the dysfunction at Apple and emboldened by his evolving partnership with Yoko Ono, pushed strongly for Allen Klein, a hard-nosed manager from New York with a reputation for renegotiating record contracts to favor his clients. Klein had worked with Sam Cooke and had gained further notoriety for managing the Rolling Stones. To vet Klein, the Beatles even contacted members of the Rolling Stones, who offered mixed reviews. While Mick Jagger reportedly warned them to be cautious, John remained enthusiastic and convinced of Klein’s abilities. Ringo Starr and George Harrison eventually sided with Lennon, perhaps wary of Paul McCartney’s growing influence within the band. Paul, however, remained adamant that Klein was untrustworthy. He instead advocated for Lee Eastman, an established entertainment lawyer and the father of his new wife, Linda. Paul believed Eastman could offer more transparent and ethical business guidance.
This disagreement over management became a flashpoint. With John, George, and Ringo backing Klein, Paul found himself isolated. He refused to sign the new contract, setting off a chain reaction of legal and personal tensions that would simmer beneath the surface for the rest of the band’s career. While Klein did succeed in restructuring Apple’s finances and trimming some of the excesses, his arrival marked a decisive split in the band’s unity.
Meanwhile, each Beatle was moving further into his own world. Paul and Linda married in March 1969, opting for a small, private ceremony at Marylebone Registry Office in London. That same month, John and Yoko wed in Gibraltar and immediately launched their first Bed-In for Peace in Amsterdam, using their honeymoon as a stage for their growing anti-war message. Journalists filed in and out of their hotel suite as the couple remained in bed for a week, dressed in white pajamas, surrounded by signs reading “Hair Peace” and “Bed Peace.” In April, the couple took their message further with the conceptual stunt known as “Bagism,” during which they gave a press conference while entirely enclosed in a large cloth bag. Their intention was to remove all visual prejudice and encourage pure, idea-focused communication.
As 1969 wore on, it was becoming increasingly evident that the Beatles were no longer functioning as a unified band. The differences in business philosophy, lifestyle, and artistic direction were growing more pronounced, and the seeds of their breakup had clearly taken root.
At the start of 1969, sensing the growing divide among the band members, Paul McCartney pushed for a return to their earlier unity by suggesting live performances. Several ideas were floated, including a potential live show in India. Paul was also eager for the Beatles to create a new film project. Eventually, they settled on the idea of filming the process of recording a new album, and sessions began in a large London studio.
However, the late-night hours, cold and uninviting studio environment, and mounting tensions within the band made progress difficult. Long hours of recording yielded little finished material, and frustration grew. Disheartened, the Beatles chose to put this project on hold. This unfinished work would later evolve into the Abbey Road and Let It Be albums, along with the documentary film Let It Be, capturing both the creative process and the internal struggles of the band.
Despite the discord, 1969 also saw the release of Abbey Road, an album widely regarded as one of the group’s finest achievements. Named after EMI’s famous London studio where much of the Beatles’ catalog was recorded, Abbey Road demonstrated that even amid personal and professional fragmentation, the band could still create remarkable music together.
One of the most notable developments on Abbey Road is George Harrison’s growth as a songwriter. While his contributions to the White Album had shown significant promise, it was with “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun” that Harrison truly stepped up to stand alongside Lennon and McCartney in both quality and impact. “Something” features sophisticated harmonic progressions, including a distinctive and memorable cadence, along with shifts in tempo that add to its emotional depth. It quickly became a classic, covered by countless artists. “Here Comes the Sun” also showcases Harrison’s skillful use of shifting accents in the chorus and a change of meter during the instrumental break, creating a bright and optimistic tone. These two tracks remain among the most beloved songs on the album.
At the same time, John Lennon was exploring two very different musical paths. On one side, he was delving deeper into avant-garde, experimental work with Yoko Ono. On the other, he was reconnecting with straightforward rock and roll. “Come Together,” the album’s opening track, channels a raw, bluesy rock aesthetic, though Lennon’s lyrics keep their usual cryptic edge. Then there’s “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” a long, intense piece that builds layer upon layer of tension with heavy riffs and electronic effects. Notably, the song ends suddenly and without resolution, cutting off into dead silence that leaves a feeling of suspended tension hanging in the air that can only be broken when the listener physically lifts the needle or flips the vinyl record.
Abbey Road concludes with a medley that stitches together several shorter pieces into a continuous suite, showcasing the Beatles’ collective creativity at its peak. It begins with “You Never Give Me Your Money,” where Paul McCartney leads the listener through shifting tempos and moods, introducing a sense of uncertainty and transition. This gives way to “Sun King,” a serene track from John Lennon, whose smooth harmonies and gentle rhythm create a dreamlike atmosphere.
The sequence continues with “Golden Slumbers,” McCartney’s lullaby-like ballad that captures themes of rest and return. It moves directly into “Carry That Weight,” where the full band joins in, building emotional and musical momentum with bold instrumentation and rich vocal layers.
The medley reaches its climax with “The End,” a triumphant farewell that features a brief but memorable drum solo by Ringo Starr, followed by alternating guitar solos from Paul, George, and John. “The End” embodies the Beatles’ recurring themes of love, reconciliation, and unity. Its hopeful tone feels both like a celebration of their remarkable journey and a poignant farewell, leaving listeners with a sense of closure amid the band’s growing fragmentation.
Abbey Road became the Beatles’ best-selling album, reigning at number one on the charts for 11 weeks. While the band would release more music afterward—primarily in the form of reissues, singles, and previously unreleased tracks—they would never again come together to record a full album as a group.
In April 1970, the Beatles released Let It Be as both an album and a film. Although the recordings had been completed the year before, the band had grown disinterested in the project by the time of its release. After the group’s official breakup, producer Phil Spector was brought in to rework the Get Back sessions. He applied his trademark “Wall of Sound” technique, adding orchestral and choral overdubs—most notably on “The Long and Winding Road,” a decision Paul McCartney later criticized. The result was an album that departed significantly from the band’s original plan for a raw, unembellished sound.
Musically, Let It Be includes a range of styles—from the gospel-tinged optimism of “Let It Be” to the bluesy grit of “Dig a Pony,” and the rock swagger of “Get Back.” The album captures a band in transition, blending their classic pop craftsmanship with hints of emerging individual artistic directions.Paul McCartney wrote “Let It Be” during a period of personal and professional turmoil. The song was inspired by a dream in which his late mother, Mary, appeared and offered him reassurance with the words “let it be.” This message of comfort resonated deeply as tensions within the band continued to grow.
Written during the early 1969 Get Back sessions, “Let It Be” expresses a longing for peace and clarity. As the Beatles faced creative conflicts and business challenges, the song’s open, spiritual tone connected with listeners searching for hope amid widespread cultural upheaval. Musically, “Let It Be” is grounded in a familiar I–V–vi–IV progression in C major, lending a sense of calm and accessibility. The piano anchors the arrangement, supported by electric guitar, bass, and subtle string overdubs added during production. The gradual layering of backing vocals enhances the chorus, creating a quiet sense of uplift.
The Rooftop Concert
The climax of the Get Back project was the unplanned rooftop concert on January 30, 1969, held atop the Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row in London. This surprise live performance lasted approximately 42 minutes and became the Beatles’ final public concert. Despite tensions and struggles behind the scenes, the band delivered an energetic set that included renditions of songs such as “Get Back,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” Passersby on the street below gathered to listen, and the impromptu show even attracted the attention of the London police, who eventually asked the band to end their performance due to noise complaints which prematurely ended the last live perforamce of the band’s career.
The Let It Be Film and Peter Jackson’s Restoration
The original Let It Be documentary, released in 1970, presented a somewhat negative and fragmented portrayal of the band’s final days, For decades, the film shaped popular perceptions of the Beatles’ breakup. However, in 2021, acclaimed filmmaker Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame undertook a comprehensive restoration and re-editing of the original Get Back footage. Using over 60 hours of unseen film and 150 hours of audio recordings, Jackson crafted The Beatles: Get Back, a three-part documentary series that offered a more intimate and nuanced view of the sessions. The restoration highlighted the creativity, humor, and genuine camaraderie between the band members, countering the long-held narrative of acrimony.
Jackson’s work also improved the audiovisual quality, employing state-of-the-art technology to present the footage in stunning clarity and detail. The documentary renewed appreciation for the Beatles’ artistry and the significance of the Get Back project as a final chapter in their storied career.