Beatles "The End" is a great end to a great band

"Her Majesty" at the very end reminds me of how the national anthem of the winning country gets played at the end of major sporting events, like the Olympics or the World Cup. The event is over, but there's still one final moment for the winners to revel in the glory, while reminding themselves and everyone else that they're contributing to something bigger and more important.

 

This is the way I feel about "Good Night".

 

U

Underrated song, one of my favorites, absolutely gorgeous arrangement

 

OK, I pulled my copy of Lewisohn's The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions off the shelf. From page 181:

"Right from take one this was a tight recording, picking up with some lead guitar notes and paving the way for Ringo's one and only drum solo on a Beatles song. The group had seven attempts at the song and, interestingly, the style of the drum solo changed with each. The final edition, take seven, was a highly effective one, the solo lasting almost 16 seconds. . . . Interestingly, the final eight-track tape reveals that when this song's many overdubs had been recorded, other instruments featured alongside Ringo's drum piece: two lead guitars and a tambourine. But these were omitted in the final remix to leave the solo just that—solo."

 

It's worth remembering that there was no carefully scripted farewell...at least not a planned farewell as a band. "The End" wasn't written to be the final song of the final album. Indeed, Paul was still talking about future projects the band could do when he met with the others in September 1969 (only a couple of days before Abbey Road was released), suggesting that they tour and play small clubs under pseudonyms. (To which John responded "You're daft. I'm leaving the group. I want a divorce.")

The last song recorded as The Beatles was actually Harrison's "I Me Mine" recorded in January 1970 to help finish off the Let It Be LP. Some might argue that song was also a somewhat fitting farewell, as the band's future would soon be reduced to lawsuits and squabbles about money.

 

Thanks for looking that up!

 

Well, they're good, but hardly as good as The Beatles...

 

I always thought it fitting that the one Beatles song recorded in the so-called "me decade" was I Me Mine.

 

Got a sudden urge to listen to Abbey Road last night. Was thinking the same thing as the last lines played.
What an incredible end to an incredible career and band.

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

 

Serves as the perfect epitaph for the band.

 

Perfect finale, however it came about. 'The End' was the end, and 'Her Majesty' is the encore and serves to remind that the group didn't take themselves overly seriously. It's nice to go out on a lofty pronouncement, but really, they're just guys playing songs.

I don't disagree that 'The End' is Ringo's only drum solo with the group, but how is that eight bars of Ringo, beating a drum, solo, during 'Birthday' not at least technically considered a drum solo?

 

Paul probably wanted to have the last word/note anyways, so it worked out in his favor. It also points out, as a postscript, that they weren't really taking it all too seriously anyways, even if they were much of the time.

 

When I heard this on Anthology 3 I thought it sounded more like the guitarists were just "fiddling about" in the lead up to playing their solos. It doesn't sound structured alongside the drum solo part, so I think they always intended it to be a drum solo.

 

I always felt "The End" was the perfect way to finish The Beatles ... like one last hurrah... even if during the recording they may not have known for 100% certain that this was going to be The End.

 

yes, a rocking swansong!

 

It's in Lewishon's book The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions. Here is a link with other details. Most of which I quote here:

 

I own that plus several others and I would say that Dowlding's book is not necessarily authoritative. However, I would say that Lewisohn's Recording Sesssions isn't either. Among all my references, there's plenty of inconsistency to go around.

 

Love "Let it Be".

 

I worked with John Kurlander on the soundtrack for the Lord of the rings The two towers movie. A great guy who had lots of interesting stories to share.

 

I didn't realize you already answered VinylRob. I should have read one more post down.

 

Wow, that must have been fun.

Did he have any other Beatles stories?

 

and they kicked ass!

 

by far his best!

 

Hard to say. In any event, I wasn't actually addressing the question of their intentions; I was just reporting Lewisohn's brief account of what happened.

 

I was more interested in hearing about how he started working at Abbey Road as a kid in high school. I also asked him about working with Syd Barrett. I have a nice photo of the two of us on the steps of Abbey Road studios but I don't know how to post it.