Exactly what it says on the tin. Is there any way after the end of the Get Back sessions, but before 1970, either Glynn Johns or George Martin could have hobbled something together out of the disastrous Get Back sessions. Glynn Johns did manage to produce two versions of a "Get Back" album, but neither of them were deemed worthy of release. So the trick here is to have a truly releasable Get Back album in 1969, hopefully before the release of Abbey Road.
The Get Back Sessions Produce a releaseable album in 1969.
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I don't see an enormous shift from OTL here, just the albums being switched and perhaps an easier transition into solo projects, i.e. less messy break-up.
Maybe Lennon still works with Spector throughout the seventies, or maybe not, but really, no immediate butterflies spring to mind.
I'll give this some thought, however.
“He was given the shittiest load of badly-recorded shit with a lousy feeling to it ever, and he made something of it.”
- John Lennon's actual quote on how Phil Spector made the finished album.
Given that attitude to the original sessions, it's a tall order.
I think one of the best ways to get a 1969 release of "Get Back" is for the "Get Back" film to be scrapped (ala The Rolling Stones Rock'n'Roll Circus") due to the horror of the band at just how BAD the footage was.
With the film shelved, the attention would turn to just getting a half-decent album out of the sessions - and with no editing / re-editing / re-re-editing of the film holding the whole project up.
ALso, if the fall-out from the filming was especially bad, there may be no "Abbey Road" album. Having no new project to focus on (and no prospect of getting together in the studio soon) could make them keener to put out the best of what's already on tape.
It would knock-on to the solo careers of John, George & Paul - For instance, we could see "Here Comes the Sun" as George Harrison's debut solo single.
I think the release of Get Back probably depends more on Glynn Johns, or perhaps George Martin, than the members of the group themselves. If one producer could tease out an album out of the tape, is it that hard to imagine that another producer could have done the same?
I think Paul's debut album would be very interesting, if the break-up was less messy, he wouldn't need to record the album all in private, perhaps we could see some of the other Beatles making an appearance on the album like with All Things Must Pass and Plastic Ono Band.
McCartney (1970)
Side One (An Experiment)
Album Single: Maxwell's Silver Hammer/Suicide
Paul intended Maxwell's Silver Hammer to be a big single which is why he spent so much time on it. I think some people treat it as something to laugh at because of John calling it Paul's 'granny music'. I think 'Every Night' would work as a good opener to the medley of Side Two, whilst Side One becomes a sort of experimental mishmash of acoustic numbers and instrumentals with a full version of Suicide, it's essentially a tighter version the real McCartney album, whilst Side Two acts as the medley without John's songs.
McCartney (1970)
Side One (An Experiment)
- The Lovely Linda/Man We Was Lonely
- Junk
- Teddy Boy
- Ooh You
- That Would Be Something
- Momma Miss America
- Hot as Sun/Glasses/Suicide
- Every Night
- You Never Give Me Your Money
- Maxwell's Silver Hammer
- Oh Darling!
- She Came In Through the Bathroom Window
- Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/the End
- Her Majesty
Album Single: Maxwell's Silver Hammer/Suicide
Paul intended Maxwell's Silver Hammer to be a big single which is why he spent so much time on it. I think some people treat it as something to laugh at because of John calling it Paul's 'granny music'. I think 'Every Night' would work as a good opener to the medley of Side Two, whilst Side One becomes a sort of experimental mishmash of acoustic numbers and instrumentals with a full version of Suicide, it's essentially a tighter version the real McCartney album, whilst Side Two acts as the medley without John's songs.
I think some people may be confused on the dynamic between Get Back/Let it Be and Abbey Road. Get Back was an album that was Paul's concept; he wanted to get back to basic rock and roll, and didn't want George Martin and his production to oversee it and overproduce it because he wanted core, basic rock. I think it was because he thought if the Beatles could get back to that, they'd find themselves again and stop arguing. Problem was, the sessions weren't very productive. Don't get me wrong, they produced hundreds of hours of tape and hundreds of songs, most of which have never seen official release (albeit keep in mind many were just messing around), but they were more like sketches and rough drafts than finalized takes in many places. And the sessions eventually broke down. The Beatles would hand things over to producer Glyn Johns to take the hundreds of hours of tape and make something out of it. He produced two acetates, neither of which the Beatles were happy with.
The band eventually walked away from the project, and put it on the back shelf. Out of that chaos, Paul went back to George Martin and asked if he could help them make a new album and just get back into things. That became Abbey Road, and the songs from Abbey Road were, in many places, songs that had been demoed or worked on for Get Back. So basically, Abbey Road is like the version of Get Back that actually worked if you wanna think of it that way. The good twin compared to the bad one. And so while Get Back/ Let it Be was worked on first, Abbey Road was released first, so really, Abbey Road was the last real Beatles album.
When the Beatles were really on the rocks after Abbey Road, Allen Klein went to Phil Spector to take the failed Get Back sessions and make an album out of it. The album was renamed Let it Be, and Spector took songs and overdubbed them with orchestral backing and filtered them through his Wall of Sound, and it was released in 1970.
If Get Back is released before Abbey Road, as it was intended, its effects depend on what happens, whether the Beatles are happy with one of Glynn Johns acetates or George Martin manages to oversee them, or the sessions are actually successful. I think the former option would be most likely. Really, Phil Spector's version of it wasn't much different except for the backing orchestras and all that, which made a huge difference sound wise, and undermined the spirit of basic rock that was the project's intent. The John's acetates preserve this. I think the reaction to this album from the critics may be much the same as Let It Be; that it was ok. And later opinion would then improve.
Another effect: Paul McCartney listed in his reasons for leaving the Beatles that "The Long and Winding Road", which he meant to be a simple piano ballad, had been ruined by Spector's overproduction, and this infuriated McCartney. If either of Glyn John's acetates was accepted, this would not have happened. So perhaps this would ease tensions.
If you haven't heard either of those acetates, I suggest finding them. They're basically Let it Be without the backing stuff, which I think it better.
The band eventually walked away from the project, and put it on the back shelf. Out of that chaos, Paul went back to George Martin and asked if he could help them make a new album and just get back into things. That became Abbey Road, and the songs from Abbey Road were, in many places, songs that had been demoed or worked on for Get Back. So basically, Abbey Road is like the version of Get Back that actually worked if you wanna think of it that way. The good twin compared to the bad one. And so while Get Back/ Let it Be was worked on first, Abbey Road was released first, so really, Abbey Road was the last real Beatles album.
When the Beatles were really on the rocks after Abbey Road, Allen Klein went to Phil Spector to take the failed Get Back sessions and make an album out of it. The album was renamed Let it Be, and Spector took songs and overdubbed them with orchestral backing and filtered them through his Wall of Sound, and it was released in 1970.
If Get Back is released before Abbey Road, as it was intended, its effects depend on what happens, whether the Beatles are happy with one of Glynn Johns acetates or George Martin manages to oversee them, or the sessions are actually successful. I think the former option would be most likely. Really, Phil Spector's version of it wasn't much different except for the backing orchestras and all that, which made a huge difference sound wise, and undermined the spirit of basic rock that was the project's intent. The John's acetates preserve this. I think the reaction to this album from the critics may be much the same as Let It Be; that it was ok. And later opinion would then improve.
Another effect: Paul McCartney listed in his reasons for leaving the Beatles that "The Long and Winding Road", which he meant to be a simple piano ballad, had been ruined by Spector's overproduction, and this infuriated McCartney. If either of Glyn John's acetates was accepted, this would not have happened. So perhaps this would ease tensions.
If you haven't heard either of those acetates, I suggest finding them. They're basically Let it Be without the backing stuff, which I think it better.
I've heard the January 1970 version and the "Kum BacK" bootleg. I don't think either of them are really releasable. "Kum BacK" is obviously in a preproduction state, even by a back to basics standards. The latter is mostly good, but for my tastes need some tweaking. Rocker and Save the last Dance don't really belong on an album, though your mileage may vary. So I think an acceptable Get Back album would not include them. I have not heard the original Glynn Johns version in full assuming he used different takes in both attempts. Like I said, I'm no audiophile expert, but the worst part of Glynn John's attempt is the Rocker/Save the Last Dance for Me. I mean I like Maggie Mae and Dig It, but something seems wrong with including Rocker/Save the Last Dance for Me on an official release. Mostly because of the word slurring in the latter.
But yes, the trick is for Glyn Johns to produce something that's acceptable in May 1969. The question is how Johns does that, exactly.
A minor effect if Glyn John's original version is that Teddy Boy would be a Beatles song, not a McCartney solo song.
But yes, the trick is for Glyn Johns to produce something that's acceptable in May 1969. The question is how Johns does that, exactly.
A minor effect if Glyn John's original version is that Teddy Boy would be a Beatles song, not a McCartney solo song.
I've heard the Get Back reprise and one or two other songs, it's really quite a strange listen when you hear how it might have been.
You can listen to all of the versions here: http://www.beatlesource.com/bs/mains/audio/GetBack/gb2intro.html
Just go down until you see the album pictures, and click on any, and in the middle of their respective pages, you'll find MP3 versions of the tracks in order. I don't know what the rules are regarding this, as it's basically like linking to a youtube video of the bootlegs. But if it's against the rules, I apologize, although keep and mind there are no official releases of these.
Rocker/Save the Last Dance shouldn't really be taken as a song in it's own right. It's filler to give the feel like this is the Beatles just doing their thing live in the studio, although only as an illusion since every song is very much edited and cobbled together from the entire session.
On the final acetate, there is no "Teddy Boy".
Btw, Get Back could also come out a completely alternate album from either of the acetates or Let it Be. There were hundreds of hours of recordings, most of which haven't seen release, and many, many, many songs which could have turned into something.
For example, I think this one is pretty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imnE2IrY0tM&NR=1
I'd also like to throw out the possibility of the Beatles not going on the Get Back path like they did right from the get go. Instead of pushing George Martin away, they could have just kept him on and done a standard album. Get Back could be that album still, but it would then be more refined, faster to come out (not being caught up in hectic sessions and Beatles power play) and, as I said, could feature many different tracks.
For example, I think this one is pretty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imnE2IrY0tM&NR=1
I'd also like to throw out the possibility of the Beatles not going on the Get Back path like they did right from the get go. Instead of pushing George Martin away, they could have just kept him on and done a standard album. Get Back could be that album still, but it would then be more refined, faster to come out (not being caught up in hectic sessions and Beatles power play) and, as I said, could feature many different tracks.
Palace of the King of the Birds its a lovely instrumental, Paul planned on putting on his Rupert the Bear soundtrack which never got finished. Which has given me an idea for a timeline on if the Beatles had a more amicable break-up, and Paul is given more credit for his music.
1969 Get Back Album Track Listing
Glyn Johns and George Martin could have cobbled something together that was fit for release after Jan 1969 but before the release of Abbey Road in September 1969
As interesting as they are to hear, the four Glyn Johns acetates present a batch of inferior versions of the songs, it is no wonder the proposed albums were rejected by the band.
The Let It Be Naked Album presents an album that could have been constructed in 1969 - except for Across the Universe - which should have been omitted as it is a 1968 track. This would appear on Beatles Past Masters at a later date, having already been available on a charity album by the time of LIB release..(It should have been released in 1968 before Hey Jude and the White Album as part of an an E.P. with Lady madonna, The Inner Light & hey Bulldog - all recorded in the Feb 1968 recording sessions)
Lets imagine that the Jan 70 recording sessions used to re-record I Me Mine and produce overdubs for Get back tracks (Let it Be Album Version Solo & For You Blue Vocal Overdubs) were held much earlier in April 1969 at the time of the Ballad Of John and Yoko/Old Brown Shoe sessions.
Track List of Possible 1969 Get Back Album (plus suggestions of film versions):
Singles
Perhaps the film idea should have been scrapped and resurrected with digital restoration in 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary (Much like the Rolling Stones Rock n Roll Circus)
The effect would be that the beatles cannon ended with Abbey Road and, with a minor track listing alteration, the song The End.
Breakup was inevitable but 1970 could have seen Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starr solo releases
Glyn Johns and George Martin could have cobbled something together that was fit for release after Jan 1969 but before the release of Abbey Road in September 1969
As interesting as they are to hear, the four Glyn Johns acetates present a batch of inferior versions of the songs, it is no wonder the proposed albums were rejected by the band.
The Let It Be Naked Album presents an album that could have been constructed in 1969 - except for Across the Universe - which should have been omitted as it is a 1968 track. This would appear on Beatles Past Masters at a later date, having already been available on a charity album by the time of LIB release..(It should have been released in 1968 before Hey Jude and the White Album as part of an an E.P. with Lady madonna, The Inner Light & hey Bulldog - all recorded in the Feb 1968 recording sessions)
Lets imagine that the Jan 70 recording sessions used to re-record I Me Mine and produce overdubs for Get back tracks (Let it Be Album Version Solo & For You Blue Vocal Overdubs) were held much earlier in April 1969 at the time of the Ballad Of John and Yoko/Old Brown Shoe sessions.
Track List of Possible 1969 Get Back Album (plus suggestions of film versions):
- Get Back - Single Version from 27th jan with 28th Jan coda (Rooftop Composite Version shown in film plus 3rd version to end concert)
- Dont let me Down - LIBN Rooftop Composite Version (Rooftop Composite Version shown in film)
- Dig A Pony - LIBN Rooftop Version (Rooftop Composite Version shown in film with "All I want is..." intro)
- Ive Got A Feeling - LIBN Rooftop Composite Version (Rooftop Composite Version shown in film)
- I Me Mine - Practised during sessions but recorded later. Short Anthology 3 Version (Composite Edit from rehearsals shown in film)
- One After 909 - LIBN Rooftop Version (Rooftop Composite Version shown in film)
- For You Blue - LIBN remix. 25th Jan Version 2 with some Vocal Overdubs (Version 1 and Version 2 without overdubs shown in film)
- Two Of Us - Take 11 (Take 11 shown in film)
- The Long and Winding Road - Take 19 LIBN Mix (Anthology 3 and LIBN version shown in film)
- Let It Be - Take 27a with Take 27b Solo (LIBN Mix) (Same mix shown in film)
Singles
- Get Back - single version/Don't Let me Down - single version
- Let It Be (LIBN mix With Phil Spector Guitar Solo)/Old Brown Shoe (practised during sessions but recorded later)
Perhaps the film idea should have been scrapped and resurrected with digital restoration in 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary (Much like the Rolling Stones Rock n Roll Circus)
The effect would be that the beatles cannon ended with Abbey Road and, with a minor track listing alteration, the song The End.
Breakup was inevitable but 1970 could have seen Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starr solo releases
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The book Glimpses by Lewis Shiner depicts the Get Back secessions coming together during one of the interludes. The book itself is one of the better what if/time travel novels rather than AH, still a good read though, great message.
1970 Beatles Release?
Here is another interesting 'What If' scenario. Lets say Let It Be was Released mid 1969 (as per previous comment) and Abbey Road Released Late 1969.
How about this for a 15 track 1970 Beatles Release? This compilation also reserves enough material from each of the Beatles for a Solo release in 1970 too.
John Lennon - I left the 1969 Give Peace a Chance Plastic Ono Band releases off the album as it was a very separate project but included the 1969 Cold Turkey Single simply because it is good!! I also left a lot of very personal songs from the 1970 Plastic Ono Band album off this tracklisting, I felt these really are solo tracks. Although recorded and released in 1971 'Gimme Some Truth' was demoed at the Get Back sessions in 1969 and could have been recorded by the Beatles for their next release. The removal of these tracks from John Lennon Solo material still leaves enough tracks for a decent 1970 solo release.
Paul McCartney - I chose the tracks from the 1970 solo album that were demoed at the 1969 Get Back sessions, chances are these would have been on a future Beatles release, plus a 1971 single that was written and recorded in 1970. Also included here is the excellent Maybe I'm Amazed (which should have been a single). The Junk Remix is Singalonga Junk with vocals. This also leaves enough material for an admittedly weak Paul Mccartney 1970 album release.
George Harrison - George Harrison's tracks were the most difficult to whittle down. I left off all religious themed tracks and kept those that were demoed at the Get Back sessions plus other coutstanding tracks. 'If Not For You' is absent even though it is a great song, merely because it is a joint composition with Bob Dylan. This leaves enough material for a very very good George Harrison solo album
Note - Ringo released two albums in 1970 but he only wrote one original track, Coochie Coochie, as a B-Side to Beaucoups of Blues. It is not included on this album.
Here is another interesting 'What If' scenario. Lets say Let It Be was Released mid 1969 (as per previous comment) and Abbey Road Released Late 1969.
How about this for a 15 track 1970 Beatles Release? This compilation also reserves enough material from each of the Beatles for a Solo release in 1970 too.
- Instant karma
- Working Class Hero
- Cold Turkey - 1969 Plastic Ono Band Single
- Love (John Lennon Collection Remix)
- Gimme Some Truth - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Isn't It a Pity - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Beware of Darkness
- All Things Must Pass - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Let It Down - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Run of the Mill - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Maybe I'm Amazed
- Every Night - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Another Day - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Junk (remix) - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Teddy Boy - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
John Lennon - I left the 1969 Give Peace a Chance Plastic Ono Band releases off the album as it was a very separate project but included the 1969 Cold Turkey Single simply because it is good!! I also left a lot of very personal songs from the 1970 Plastic Ono Band album off this tracklisting, I felt these really are solo tracks. Although recorded and released in 1971 'Gimme Some Truth' was demoed at the Get Back sessions in 1969 and could have been recorded by the Beatles for their next release. The removal of these tracks from John Lennon Solo material still leaves enough tracks for a decent 1970 solo release.
Paul McCartney - I chose the tracks from the 1970 solo album that were demoed at the 1969 Get Back sessions, chances are these would have been on a future Beatles release, plus a 1971 single that was written and recorded in 1970. Also included here is the excellent Maybe I'm Amazed (which should have been a single). The Junk Remix is Singalonga Junk with vocals. This also leaves enough material for an admittedly weak Paul Mccartney 1970 album release.
George Harrison - George Harrison's tracks were the most difficult to whittle down. I left off all religious themed tracks and kept those that were demoed at the Get Back sessions plus other coutstanding tracks. 'If Not For You' is absent even though it is a great song, merely because it is a joint composition with Bob Dylan. This leaves enough material for a very very good George Harrison solo album
Note - Ringo released two albums in 1970 but he only wrote one original track, Coochie Coochie, as a B-Side to Beaucoups of Blues. It is not included on this album.
To reduce the Beatles 1970 Album to the more common 12 tracks you could probably drop Cold Turkey (1969 Plastic Ono Band Release), Beware of Darkness (The only George Harrison song listed that wasn't demoed at the Get Back Sessions) and Junk (I just don't think this is a great 'Beatles' song, but then again, neither is Teddy Boy)
- Instant karma
- Working Class Hero
- Love (John Lennon Collection Remix)
- Gimme Some Truth - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Isn't It a Pity - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- All Things Must Pass - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Let It Down - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Run of the Mill - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Maybe I'm Amazed
- Every Night - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Another Day - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
- Teddy Boy - demoed during 1969 Get Back Sessions
My suggestions are that Maybe I'm Amazed, Another Day and Instant Karma are released as singles from the album, known as All Things Must Pass . All end up top 10 hits, but none of them go to No.1, and the band's populatry declines. They go away and do solo stuff for 2 years, with only George and Ringo producing No.1 singles in the US (George would rename his album My Sweet Lord). Paul and John are upset about this, and decide the band must reunite. And so in 1973, they gather solo stuff together to create the album Mind Games (More information later)
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