Show Notes
In late May 1969, producer Glyn Johns turned in a draft album, culled from hours of tape recorded in January 1969 during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions. His work reflected the original concept: catching The Beatles as they really were in the studio, with off-the-cuff performances of oldies, warm-ups, false starts and blown takes. It would have made for a fine tie-in with the original cut of the Let It be film, but ultimately, the group rejected the idea, instead moving back to their established productions values, with Abbey Road being the result.
The tapes, handed off to Phil Spector, emerged in May 1970 with a new tie-in: the group's break-up. Let It Be, the album, drew the worst reviews of their career, being a neither fish-nor-fowl collection of tunes bearing Spector's worst impulses (choirs and lush orchestration) alongside vestiges of the original concept (studio chat and tossed off improvisations).
In this episode, Robert and Olympiad partner Gary Wenstrup re-imagine the group's history - what if Get Back HAD been accepted and released in spring 1969, the missing link between the White Album and Abbey Road? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Something About the Beatles
The opening chord of "A Hard Day's Night" is one of the most famous sounds in rock history. Musicians still argue about what it is. In this deep dive into the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night album, we break down the chord note by note: John Lennon's and George Harrison's guitars, Paul McCartney's bass and George Martin's piano.
There were two John and Yoko documentaries produced in the last year that covered their political activism during their first year in New York, culminating in the pair of One To One concerts in August 1972. The first was a documentary detailing the context with the shows in the background; the other placed the show front and center. Author Erika White (Meat The Beatles!) and podcaster Gary Wenstrup (Classic Rock Album Olympics) join me in a discussion of the films One To One: John and Yoko and Power To The People. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sixty years ago, The Beatles took their final bow before a paid audience in San Francisco. The occasion was auspicious because they knew this was it: they made sure it was recorded (by Tony Barrow) and photographed (by Jim Marshall). Among the well-wishers in attendance was Joan Baez, who brought her sisters and an 11 year-old friend.
To anyone familiar with '60s Top 40 music, The Cyrkle remain a fond memory, notable for their two hits, 1966's "Red Rubber Ball," a Paul Simon co-write, and "Turn Down Day," an exquisite piece of sunshine pop. They also possess a couple of other distinctions, being the only US act managed by Brian Epstein as well as being one of the supporting acts on The Beatles' final tour, sixty years ago. Don Dannemann was/is their lead singer. Along with his musical partner Tom Dawes, through talent and luck the group managed to hitch the ride of lifetime, making the transition from fans to traveling companions during the most challenging phase of The Beatles' live career. After the hits stopped, both Dan and Tom pivoted into careers in the jingle industry, providing a further soundtrack for those of a certain age. Don has got the stories to tell as a witness to history at a time when popular music was evolving fast. Through happy circumstance, The Cyrkle are back, having recorded a new collection of songs and can be seen in live shows around the country. Visit their website for updates and their YouTube channel for loads of video, past and present.
Imagine having our world rocked by The Beatles as a 1st-gen fan living in New York City. You are a budding musician yourself, and with every release, they inspire you as they advance their art. You see them live - twice - the first time at a renowned event caught on film.