The Beatles - Abbey Road
The last album to be recoreded by the Beatles, and in my opinion, their greatest work.
Coming into this album it could hardly of expected to be such a success. The elements of the band not talking to each other, the two principle songwriters had fallen out big time. So step forward Mr George Harrison. It is his growing talent that makes a good album GREAT. The astoundingly beautiful “Something”, a love song to his wife patti (Later written about by his best mate Eric Clapton in “Layla”) and the brilliant “Here come the sun”. These songs are amazing. Frank Sinartra said “Something” was the greatest love song of the last fifty years.(even if he did think it was a Lennon/McCartney!)The latter song (HCTS) reminds me of beach boys elements meets vintage Beatles.
The album starts off well with “Come togehter”. A cool, atmospheric song that grabs you and forces you listen. It is so compelling.
The album is marred by some arsing about. “Maxwells Silver Hammer” is fun, but looks sorely out of place next to the classics that surround it, and “Octapuses Garden”. Hmmmmmm. We all know Ringo couldn’t sing, so why force him to?
Lennon’s contribution here is his most dark, and bleak, showing signs of what was to come.
The second half of the album is a musical tour de force. A slection of 30 second to 1 minute pieces, seemlesly blended together to produce the blueprint for the next 10 years. The lyrics might not mean much, but here they are used as another instrument, rather than trying to make a point. Ending of the McCartney classic “Carry that weight/ The end”