Ringo. Parrott says, “We were merely told George had gone home to visit his mother in Liverpool and we would resume filming after a short break.” The rest of the group returned and ran through, oddly enough, covers of “Don’t Be Cruel” and “It’s Only Make Believe,” before concluding with “The Long and Winding Road,” “Adagio For Strings,” and, from
The White Album,
“Martha My Dear.” “At the end of the day I was told to wrap the gear and take it back to the rental company and await instructions,” says Parrott.
Tensions had been evident in the studio, long before the “Get Back” sessions. Richard Langham, an engineer who worked at Abbey Road over many years, remembered how the mood at Beatles sessions changed over the years. “You could feel tensions,” he stated. “[The Beatles] were all very nice to us. We never got the bruntof it all. A lot of people didn’t want to work on Beatles sessions. The in-joke sort of was, if you were naughty you were put on a Beatles session.”
Discussions ensued on how to proceed without Harrison. There was, oddly enough, almost a sense of complete denial of the fact that he was gone. Lindsay-Hogg even suggested that for the live concert they could simply say he was sick. As for John Lennon, his famous quote was, “If he doesn’t come back by Tuesday, we’ll just get Clapton.”
While Harrison’s departure in retrospect may seem cataclysmic, one doesn’t get that impression when listening to the bootlegs of that day. Some bootlegs reveal that the breaking point for Harrison may have come after a messy version of “Two of Us.” After the opening guitar chords of “I Saw Her Standing There” break down, it appears that Harrison is indeed leaving the group. He rather casually says, “I’m leaving the band now. You can place an ad in the
NME.”
He also seems to be making a comment about how Apple’s publicity department could deal with the reasons for his leaving the group.
Without missing a beat, the other three launch into ragged, rushed, near hysterical versions of “I’ve Got a Feeling,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” and “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” All the songs were done in an obvious jocular manner, and John and Paul’s vocals are sung in a feverishand comedic way. John’s near-primal scream comedy vocal approach shows either his complete lack of concern that George has left or a nervous disgust over how much these sessions have completely fallen to pieces.
The seven days of filming were unlike anything the group had ever done before. With their live performing days behind them, they had not rehearsed in years. Also, there was no clear plan on what the rehearsals would lead to. The fact that they were being filmed at the chilly, fishbowl-like Twickenham soundstage obviously must have added to the tension of the rehearsals.
What was going through the Beatles’ minds while they played at Twickenham? Whatever tension there was, there still must have been a bittersweet feeling as well. As they played some of their old songs and especially covers of songs that were part of their early stage show, memories of their hungry years must have crossed their minds. As they spontaneously ran through songs like “Hippy, Hippy Shake,” “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” and “Money,” did they recall those sweaty nights in the dank Cavern cellar in Liverpool? Did they remember how tired and wired they were as they blasted out set after set at the Kaiserkeller, the Star Club, and the Top Ten Club in Hamburg, Germany? The incessant touring in the U.K., in America, and in the East, and all the television shows they had done must have come to mind as they played certain songs. Did it add to their misery,recalling the exhausting schedules of the past, or did it inspire sadness, knowing they had now come full circle with the end clearly in sight? There had to be that sense of what happens when old friends, who have long drifted apart, get back together. As
The White Album,
“Martha My Dear.” “At the end of the day I was told to wrap the gear and take it back to the rental company and await instructions,” says Parrott.
Tensions had been evident in the studio, long before the “Get Back” sessions. Richard Langham, an engineer who worked at Abbey Road over many years, remembered how the mood at Beatles sessions changed over the years. “You could feel tensions,” he stated. “[The Beatles] were all very nice to us. We never got the bruntof it all. A lot of people didn’t want to work on Beatles sessions. The in-joke sort of was, if you were naughty you were put on a Beatles session.”
Discussions ensued on how to proceed without Harrison. There was, oddly enough, almost a sense of complete denial of the fact that he was gone. Lindsay-Hogg even suggested that for the live concert they could simply say he was sick. As for John Lennon, his famous quote was, “If he doesn’t come back by Tuesday, we’ll just get Clapton.”
While Harrison’s departure in retrospect may seem cataclysmic, one doesn’t get that impression when listening to the bootlegs of that day. Some bootlegs reveal that the breaking point for Harrison may have come after a messy version of “Two of Us.” After the opening guitar chords of “I Saw Her Standing There” break down, it appears that Harrison is indeed leaving the group. He rather casually says, “I’m leaving the band now. You can place an ad in the
NME.”
He also seems to be making a comment about how Apple’s publicity department could deal with the reasons for his leaving the group.
Without missing a beat, the other three launch into ragged, rushed, near hysterical versions of “I’ve Got a Feeling,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” and “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” All the songs were done in an obvious jocular manner, and John and Paul’s vocals are sung in a feverishand comedic way. John’s near-primal scream comedy vocal approach shows either his complete lack of concern that George has left or a nervous disgust over how much these sessions have completely fallen to pieces.
The seven days of filming were unlike anything the group had ever done before. With their live performing days behind them, they had not rehearsed in years. Also, there was no clear plan on what the rehearsals would lead to. The fact that they were being filmed at the chilly, fishbowl-like Twickenham soundstage obviously must have added to the tension of the rehearsals.
What was going through the Beatles’ minds while they played at Twickenham? Whatever tension there was, there still must have been a bittersweet feeling as well. As they played some of their old songs and especially covers of songs that were part of their early stage show, memories of their hungry years must have crossed their minds. As they spontaneously ran through songs like “Hippy, Hippy Shake,” “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” and “Money,” did they recall those sweaty nights in the dank Cavern cellar in Liverpool? Did they remember how tired and wired they were as they blasted out set after set at the Kaiserkeller, the Star Club, and the Top Ten Club in Hamburg, Germany? The incessant touring in the U.K., in America, and in the East, and all the television shows they had done must have come to mind as they played certain songs. Did it add to their misery,recalling the exhausting schedules of the past, or did it inspire sadness, knowing they had now come full circle with the end clearly in sight? There had to be that sense of what happens when old friends, who have long drifted apart, get back together. As
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