The Beatles - 'Abbey Road' Album Review
- Mar 16
- 3 min read
Very few albums in music history capture the essence of artistic brilliance, technical innovation, and emotional resonance quite like The Beatles’ final recorded album, ‘Abbey Road’. One more ‘like we used to’ was how Paul McCartney framed it. A chance to make a ‘good album’ was George Harrison’s take. Released in 1969, I’d say they did that and so much more. Tensions flared a number of times while recording the record, but thankfully, what became of that was nothing shy of a masterpiece.
Artist(s) | The Beatles |
Release Date | 26th September 1969 |
Genre | Rock |
Rating | 10/10 |
Side One: A Showcase of Songwriting Mastery
They kick off the album with a song that became one of their biggest and most covered today. Of course, it’s ‘Come Together’. A track that blends both groovy blues with a hint of rock 'n roll. McCartney's hypnotic bassline, along with Ringo Starr's subtle (though undoubtedly masterful) drumming, combined with John Lennon's unconventional yet commanding lyricism, keeps you coming back for more!
Something. A ballad featuring elegantly constructed melodies and perfectly fitting guitar solos. It’s one of the first to come to mind as a great in the Beatles’ catalogue. Frank Sinatra once called it ‘the greatest love song of the past 50 years.’ Harrison, for many years, was overshadowed by Lennon and McCartney; however, this song firmly cemented himself with these two giants of the songwriting field.
Following this is the side of the Beatles that is an under-appreciated staple in the definition of their musical style. Two silly, charming, childlike songs. McCartney’s ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ and the first (on this album) of Starr’s rare songwriting contributions, ‘Octopus’s Garden’. Both of these offer a rich storytelling feel that we see countless times in the band’s discography.
Not long after this, we fire back to more evidence of Harrison’s genius.
A song that I’m sure will resonate with generations to come. Of course, it’s ‘Here Comes the Sun’. The acoustic-driven song is one that is so bright and full of hope, just as the title would suggest. The song is still so relevant almost 50 years after its release and is one of the band’s most popular to date.
Side Two: The Legendary Medley— A Perfect Farewell
The second half of Abbey Road is where the album defines itself and becomes what it is. Spanning just shy of 16 minutes, it is a stunning example of musical unity. To some, it may seem these are merely fragments or even just unfinished ideas of songs. However, when woven together in the way The Beatles did, it all comes together to form a cohesive, exhilarating experience that not many forget.
It begins with ‘You Never Give Me Your Money’, a melancholic yet hopeful piece of music that shifts between immense piano balladry and rock theatrics that wouldn’t sit out of place in today’s charts. The transition into the atmospheric ‘Sun King’ brings a dreamlike feel, with the harmonies portraying an almost out-of-body experience. Following on from this is ‘Mean Mr. Mustard’ and ‘Polythene Pam’. Both short but bursting with character.
A few songs follow; however, they are all leading to ‘The End’. The most unprecedented moment in the band’s history. The song really showcasing and bringing to the limelight the individual brilliance of each member: Starr’s only drum solo as well as alternating guitar solos from Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison. The album closes with the spine-tingling words ‘And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make’. This single line encapsulates the entire Beatles ethos. It was an ideal curtain call from a band that just a few years earlier had been a bunch of punk kids from Liverpool with more confidence than skill. This is how you finish a career.
At almost 50 years later, Abbey Road remains at the top of the pedestal and the gold standard against which all other albums are measured.
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