I understand it works for some. But IMO, the band wanted to go back to basics and would probably would have been best if it was left to Martin for those reasons.
The Beatles Don't Break Up in 1970 - A Timeline
- Thread starter YellowSubmarine93
- Start date
I wonder if the ITTL Let It Be song contains both guitar solos from the album and single OTL layered over top of each other like originally planned. The two solos together sound great
I know a lot of people who also love the choir on T.L.a.W.R but I always thought it sounded off because the Beatles never used back-up singers on any of their recordings, they didn't need them.
I do like Spector's take on Let it Be but I personally would've preferred the Beatles original idea for a rough and live sounding album. They should've performed Let it Be live for a small select audience and recorded the performance.
March 1970 - May 1970 ("Let It Be" released)
Not as much as he did in OTL On another note, he didn't get full on into Indian music ITTL either. He just liked the sound of it and incorporated it into the group's songs whenever he could (such as in "Norwegian Wood"). Glad to hear you're enjoying the timeline, I'm enjoying it too.
March 12, 1970 - George and Pattie Harrison, along with their daughter Louise, move into their new home at Friar Park in Oxfordshire.
April 10, 1970 - John Lennon releases a statement to the press denying rumors that The Beatles have broken up. The rumors are fueled by the fact that the group has been rarely seen together as of late. John explains that the group is merely taking a much needed break from each other and that they still record together in the studio. Note: In OTL, this was the day that the group's breakup was all but confirmed as it came out that Paul was leaving the group.
May 8, 1970 - The album Let It Be is released in the UK. This album not only continues the back-to-basics rock trend The Beatles have been going on for the last couple of years, it also marks the beginning of the group's experimentation with background vocals and instrumentation, featuring it on two tracks ("Let It Be" and "The Long And Winding Road"). With the approval of the group, George Martin, drawing inspiration from both Phil Spector's wall-of-sound and Chet Atkin's Nashville sound, adds a chorus to "Let It Be" and strings and chorus to "The Long And Winding Road". This adds a bit more depth to the songs. These additions continue to be debated by fans to this day. Let It Be becomes the group's 11th #1 UK album. Note: In OTL, this was the last album of new Beatles material. George's song "The Art Of Dying" replaces "The One After 909" on Side 2 (since that song was already released on With The Beatles). Paul's version of "Come And Get It" has also been added as a sixth track on Side 2.
"Let It Be"
Apple 7096
All tracks written by Lennon-McCartney unless otherwise noted
SIDE 1
1. Two Of Us
2. Dig A Pony
3. Across The Universe
4. I Me Mine (Harrison)
5. Dig It (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starkey)
6. Let It Be
7. Maggie Mae (arr. Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starkey)
SIDE 2
1. I've Got A Feeling
2. The Art Of Dying (Harrison)
3. The Long And Winding Road
4. For You Blue (Harrison)
5. Get Back
6. Come And Get It (McCartney)
May 11, 1970 - "The Long And Winding Road" b/w "For You Blue" is released in the US as Apple 2832. The single becomes their 23rd #1 hit in the US. The B-Side also charts in Cash Box, reaching the #71 position. This is at a time when both Billboard and Record World have begun listing both sides of a double-sided hit at one chart position. Note: In OTL, this was the group's final single release in the US.
May 18, 1970 - The album Let It Be is released in the US as Apple 34001. As was the case with Abbey Road, this US release is identical to the UK release. The album tops the US album chart to become their 23rd #1 in that country. Note: In OTL, this was their last album release in the US.
May 20, 1970 - The documentary film Let It Be, about the recording of the album and the events surrounding it, premieres at the London Pavilion Theatre. None of The Beatles attend, however Cynthia Lennon and Jane McCartney (who is quite pregnant by this point) are present. Note: In OTL, this was The Beatle's last film release.
Alright everyone, we've come to the point where in OTL, The Beatles were over. So, did I do it? Are The Beatles still together? Assuming that they are, what happens next? I have a few ideas but I'd like to hear some thoughts from you guys.
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You did it, the Beatles are a little different (alternate) individually but they're still together, nicely done.
I would have the Beatles take a small break at this point, they've produced a hell of a lot of music up to this point in just eight years, time for a nice long vacation.
You could have the individual Beatles sit in with with some other bands during this time and this has them get the yearning to play live again. I would think the Beatles would write and record a lot of their solo OTL material as the Beatles ITTL but some songs would be butterflied and some completely new material would be produced as well.
I also think some of the Beatles early solo material might still get written but might be released later than in OTL (certain song might not work on certain albums but fit in nicely on later recordings). I also wonder if George might do a solo album ITTL, he might not feel the need to but then again he might.
Ringo would still make some movies (maybe more than IOTL) and also might do a solo album.
I could see the Beatles doing a world tour eventually and it would be the music event of the year and probably be filmed as well.
I wonder if the Beatles would make another movie, I think they still owe United Artists a film in their contract because UA didn't consider "Yellow Submarine" a true Beatles film because they only really appeared in the end of the film. It could be a concert film but it might be something fictional that features Ringo more prominently like "HELP!" did.
I think the Beatles first post 60's album would be more of a rocker and rawer (maybe inspire Punk a bit) and maybe the second one as well but then they might get a bit progressive like ELO and other prog rock bands of the time, maybe do Band on the Run as a concept album?
Looking forward to the next decade of Beatles.
We're coming up to a particularly heated time in OTL.. the McCartney/Lennon feud that played out from the Plastic Ono Band album up to Ram & Imagine.
I wonder what happens to those songs like 'God', 'How do you sleep', 'Too Many People', '3 Legs' etc?
Do they just not get written.. or does this timelines Beatles have a shared enemy that inspires John and Paul to write pointed songs in collaboration against whoever it is?
Maybe there's a feud between the Beatles and some other band.. or maybe someone in their circle gets found embezzling or wasting money, and is cut loose.. or a new business deal (like a concert tour) that turns sour due to a bad promotor? *shrugs*
I wonder what happens to those songs like 'God', 'How do you sleep', 'Too Many People', '3 Legs' etc?
Do they just not get written.. or does this timelines Beatles have a shared enemy that inspires John and Paul to write pointed songs in collaboration against whoever it is?
Maybe there's a feud between the Beatles and some other band.. or maybe someone in their circle gets found embezzling or wasting money, and is cut loose.. or a new business deal (like a concert tour) that turns sour due to a bad promotor? *shrugs*
That sounds good. I also am going to have the group make another film to fulfill their three film contract with UA. Definitely stay tuned for that.
I think they just don't happen at all ITTL.
I agree, the Beatles have up to this point had things go too smoothly and been too mellow.
Things need to be shaken up a bit. I would also think the Beatles would be pro-active in the 70's, did John still speak out against the Vietnam war ITTL? Will Paul still become a vegetarian? Will George still do the concert for Bangladesh and become religious?
I tried to capture a little bit of tension when the Get Back album got delayed and earlier when Paul was the last to be convinced that the group needed to stop touring. But yes, there needs to be something more major. As to what that would be I don't know yet. John is still against the Vietnam War but isn't as vocal about it as he was in OTL (at least for now). Paul probably won't become vegetarian since he was influenced to do so by Linda. Lastly, seeing as "My Sweet Lord" was included on Let It Be, George has already become religious. The concert for Bangladesh probably won't happen though.
How so? the butterflies haven't really hit the political side of things ITTL, and Bangladesh's independence is still going as OTL it seems.
Also, the Beatles are still together at this point, yet with rock entering its arguable golden age in the early 70s, they'll have a lot of competition for "best rock band in the world". Around this time their pals the Rolling Stones spent most of their time outside the UK due to being tax exiles, dunno what's going on with the Beach Boys (did Brian Wilson have a breakdown TTL?), and you have up and coming acts like Led Zeppelin and Queen on the horizon.
June 1970 - August 1970
June 6, 1970 - The Beatles release a statement to the press reinforcing the fact that they have not broken up. They announce that they will be taking a break from recording until the middle of the next year at the latest, citing that they have spent eight years almost constantly recording music. The members of the group will make appearances individually during that time. The statement is released eight years to the day from when they first recorded at the Abbey Road studios.
June 15, 1970 - Paul McCartney travels to the US to supervise the mixing of CCR's upcoming album, Cosmo's Factory and discover other possible American bands to sign to Apple.
June 20, 1970 - John Lennon and George Harrison travel to Greece to visit Aphrodite's Child.
July 8, 1970 - Paul returns from the US and presents to the group four American bands that he is considering adding to the Apple roster. They are: Grand Funk Railroad, Crosby Stills & Nash, Fleetwood Mac, and The Four Tops.
July 27, 1970 - James Paul McCartney II is born to Paul and Jane McCartney at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London. John Lennon and his mother Julia attend, as do Brian Epstein and Paul's brother Mike. Now all the members of The Beatles have children.
August 23, 1970 - In an interview on ITV, John Lennon states that he is firmly against the Vietnam War. This is the first time he has spoken publicly on the subject. The statement makes waves on both sides of the Atlantic:
June 15, 1970 - Paul McCartney travels to the US to supervise the mixing of CCR's upcoming album, Cosmo's Factory and discover other possible American bands to sign to Apple.
June 20, 1970 - John Lennon and George Harrison travel to Greece to visit Aphrodite's Child.
July 8, 1970 - Paul returns from the US and presents to the group four American bands that he is considering adding to the Apple roster. They are: Grand Funk Railroad, Crosby Stills & Nash, Fleetwood Mac, and The Four Tops.
July 27, 1970 - James Paul McCartney II is born to Paul and Jane McCartney at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London. John Lennon and his mother Julia attend, as do Brian Epstein and Paul's brother Mike. Now all the members of The Beatles have children.
August 23, 1970 - In an interview on ITV, John Lennon states that he is firmly against the Vietnam War. This is the first time he has spoken publicly on the subject. The statement makes waves on both sides of the Atlantic:
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June 20, 1970 - John Lennon and George Harrison travel to Greece to visit Aphrodite's Child.
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I assume they'll leave Vangelis to produce 666. I also assume John will enjoy the instrumentation on the recording album and George will enjoy the religious overtones
June 20, 1970 - John Lennon and George Harrison travel to Greece to visit Aphrodite's Child.
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I assume they'll leave Vangelis to produce 666. I also assume John will enjoy the instrumentation on the recording album and George will enjoy the religious overtones
No need to apologize, its just a guess on my part, he might be doing something completely different.
Ringo is focusing on films during the break. He is working on Frank Zappa's film 200 Motels which will be released in the Fall of 1971.
With regards to Eric Clapton and George Harrison, how strong was that friendship to survive Clapton stealing George's first wife, Pattie Boyd, from him (hell, Clapton dedicated an entire album to it)?!?
That's one of the more remarkable things in music history, IMO (to be fair, George admits that he was a bad husband to Pattie towards the end of their marriage; in addition, he and his second wife, Olivia, did have a long marriage until his death in 2001 (1))…
(1) When George Harrison was attacked in 1999 by Michael Abram, a deranged schizophrenic, Olivia beat him up with a fireplace poker and lamp; Tom Petty sent him a message saying "Aren't you glad you married a Mexican girl?" In addition, as he was being stretchered out, he saw groundskeepers who had just begun working there a week earlier and asked "So, how do you like the job so far?"
That's one of the more remarkable things in music history, IMO (to be fair, George admits that he was a bad husband to Pattie towards the end of their marriage; in addition, he and his second wife, Olivia, did have a long marriage until his death in 2001 (1))…
(1) When George Harrison was attacked in 1999 by Michael Abram, a deranged schizophrenic, Olivia beat him up with a fireplace poker and lamp; Tom Petty sent him a message saying "Aren't you glad you married a Mexican girl?" In addition, as he was being stretchered out, he saw groundskeepers who had just begun working there a week earlier and asked "So, how do you like the job so far?"
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