The Beatles
continued from page 20
Comes the Sun” reveals that he thought of
the song’s descending bridge as “son of
‘Badge’,” the song he co-wrote with Eric
Clapton for Cream’s Goodbye album. Notes
accompanying the demo for non-album
single “The Ballad of John and Yoko”
reveal that Lennon was well aware his
autobiographical song would spark con-
troversy, both due to Spain’s dispute with
England over Gibraltar and due to recep-
tion of the song’s hook by Christian con-
servatives. “I’m a big Christ fan,” Lennon
nonetheless insists when discussing the
song. “The song is a prayer.”
Given that the Beatles were approach-
ing their end, it’s not shocking that Abbey
Road isn’t always cohesive or representa-
tive of the Beatles’ peak potential. Lennon
may have put a bit more heart into contem-
porary solo fare like the bracing “Cold
Turkey” than he did with his miry “I Want
You
(She’s
So
Heavy).”
McCartney’s
subversive
“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” has
its fans, but arguably doesn’t
quite measure up to Sgt. Pepper’s
“Fixing a Hole” of the White
Album’s “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.”
Starr’s “Octopus’s Garden” is
frivolous but fun, imagining
what Captain Fred might have
seen on the ocean floor while
cruising
in
his
Yellow
Submarine. The strength of the
band’s raw ideas, however, is
48 illinoisentertainer.com november 2019
fully evident on the album’s second side.
McCartney’s demo for debut Badfinger
hit “Come and Get It” was recorded dur-
ing the rush of a spare hour, but Macca got
it just right. “Please don’t change this,” he
said to the Badfinger players when pro-
ducing the session soon afterward. “I can
guarantee it’s a hit.” A different take of
Harrison’s “Old Brown Shoe” from the
version that landed on The Blue Album is
ramshackle fun. Probably the best feature
of the session discs is being a fly on the
wall and catching the happenings behind
the scenes. Following a truncated take of “I
Want You (She’s So Heavy)” at Trident
Studio, George Martin asks the band to
turn it down because a studio neighbor is
complaining about the racket. “We’ll try it
once more very loud,” answers Lennon. “If
we don’t get it, we’ll try it quiet.” Then he
adds, to the band, “Last chance to be
loud!” Billy Preston makes the most of the
opportunity, playing thrilling, rafter-split-
ting gospel organ as the Beatles go down
swinging.
Rating: 9 out of 10