ABBEY ROAD

Some of the albums released by The Beatles are very linked to happy memories of my chidlhood because my late father bought some of their albums in the late sixties. Maybe some of my reviews for these albums are boring for some readers, but I`m sorry... these albums were the "soundtrack" of some of these memories.

During the last weeks I listened again to some very old singles, all released in the sixties and early seventies. Great music which was played in the Radio then, and were bought by my father. Songs like "Eloise" (Barry Ryan, 1968), "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (Procol Harum, 1968), "I`m So Glad" (Deep Purple, 1968), etc. The sixties was, musically speaking, IMO, a great decade. The Beatles closed, IMO, that decade with the release of this great album in September 1969. The Beatles said goodbye at the right time, with a very good album. Recorded after the "Let It Be" sessions, it sems like they wanted to say goodbye with a better album, and they achieved it. George, Ringo and Paul started recording this album in early July 1969, without John for several days, because John had suffered a car crash with Yoko, but he later joined the other three Beatles in the studio.

The songs:

"Come Together": a very good song about a "simultaneous orgasm".

"Something": one of the best songs that George Harrison composed and recorded with The Beatles. Paul said that it was the best song that George composed during his time with The Beatles. John didn`t participate, but agreed to release this song as a single, the only song comoosed by Harrison which wa released as a n"A" side.

"Maxwell`s Silver Hammer": a "funny" song with "dark sense of humour" about a serial killer, composed by Paul. John hated this song!

"Oh! Darling": an intense "heavy-ballad" composed and sung by Paul, with heavy piano played by John.

"Octopus`s Garden": a good and funny song composed and sung by Ringo.

"I Want You (She`s so Heavy)": a heavy Proto-Prog song with has several guitars recorded by John and George, with a bit of Moog noises added at the end of the song.

"Here Comes the Sun": another great song composed by Harrison, also recorded without John. It also includes a bit of Moog playing.

"Because": a song composed by John, with great vocal harmonies by John, George and Paul.

"You Never Give Me Your Money": a song about Apple Corps` finantial problems.

"Sun King": orignally titled "Here Comes the Sun-King", composed by John, but he changed the title to avoid confusion with George`s song.

"Mean Mr. Mustard" and "Polythene Pam": both songs composed by John, about two weird characters.

"She Came in Through the Bathroom Window": another good song composed by Paul, it also was recorded by Joe Cocker for one of his albums (which also included "Something").

"Golden Slumbers": composed by Paul, and recorded by Paul (piano and vocals), George (bass) and Ringo (drums), linked to "Carry that weight", also composed by Paul, and also recorded by Paul, George and Ringo, including backing vocals by Ringo too.

"The End": also composed by Paul, and recorded with guitar solos by Paul, George and John. It closes the album very well.

"Her Majesty": an irreverent song composed by Paul, and originally included in the album as a "hidden track" only listed in the L.P. label.

This album was bought by my father in late 1969 or maybe until 1970, because he liked "Here Comes the Sun". He also bought it again in 1979, in a "Picture Disc" limited edition release. He even bought the C.D. in the late `80s.