"Get Back" sessions

[MK]

I haven't touched this stuff in a year and a half, and then my brother shows me a 16mm print (faded, worn, but watchable), I hear the DVD's finally coming out in the fall, and now I'm wading through this again.

An 8 disc box set of the Twickenham sessions is up on bittorrent. Individual discs covering everything circulating from a specific day are also up there, but I haven't bothered with any of them because 90% of what I've heard over the years is plain bad, musically speaking. So how about suggestions for what's worth hearing?

Here's mine so far:

The Beatles - "Let It Be" Rehearsals, Vol. 1: The Legendary Rooftop Concert, January 30, 1969

Easily the best thing about these sessions is the rooftop concert, far better than the drip-drop, water torture that is the Twickenham sessions. There may be some missing takes, I'd have to check into it, but most if not all of it is here, including takes used in both "Let It Be" and "Naked" (the chatter bookending certain tracks are dead giveaway). The mix stinks, George's guitar and Preston's keyboards are really low in the mix but still audible. Paul's bass has little definition. But, this CD doesn't seem to use any NR or compression, pretty soft, very dynamic and open. There's also bonus tracks from earlier "Get Back" sessions, and on paper, it LOOKS interesting ("Stand By Me," "Across The Universe," etc.) but it's very, very disappointing to hear. "Oh Darling" and "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" get decent rehearsals, though, with the former featuring Paul singing solo (the vocal is similar to what you'd find on the Anthology 3 version, but that take was a duet with John, with John making an announcement on Yoko's divorce).

Notable outtakes:

I've Got A Feeling (incomplete take) 1/23/69
This is from the Anthology 3, and it's really good, even a wrong note at the beginning sounds right, but it breaks down (you can do a cross-fade splice with the "Let It Be" version to complete it; yeah, you're making an outfake, but it makes a nice version regardless). Apparently this is the one Glyn used for the original acetates, too.

I Lost My Little Girl - Twickenham studios 1/24/69
When I first heard this, I kind of thought John was doing a Lou Reed impression. Actually a nice outtake, and a solid performance that doesn't noodle, breakdown, or get sabotaged by bad harmonizing.

Teddy Boy ("master" take)
It's the "master" take because it's the one selected - and repeatedly rejected - for use, but like Lewisohn has said, it doesn't sound like an attempt to do a good performance. I wasn't a big fan of this on McCartney's solo debut. As much as I dislike the song, it had some charm there, but man, this version just plain stinks, partially 'cause John sings it like he hates it, too, with the square-dance calling. Phil Spector made some better-sounding mixes, one's an edit, one complete, more dynamic but the same performances. Anthology 3 takes the "master" and splices it with some other take; not an improvement.

Get Back (No Pakistanis) - Twickenham studios 1/9/69
Commonwealth Song/Enoch Powell - Twickenham studios 1/9/69
From beatles-discography.com:
The first few versions consist of nothing more than a few loose jams and some scat singing by Paul (which went on to form the basis of the second verse). He also nicked a little line (“Get back to where you once belonged,”) from George's 'Sour Milk Sea' (where he sings “Get back to where you should be”) which had just been given to Jackie Lomax. (Paul acknowledges this lift by shouting out “C'mon Jackie!” during the second verse.) Two days later Paul inserted some words from Enoch Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech, and started off one of the great Beatle rumours...Powell had recently caused an uproar in the press by claiming that Britain would soon be running in a “river of blood” if the current immigration levels were allowed to continue. This promptly got him demoted from his post, and booted out of the Tory Shadow Cabinet. There's a notorious bootleg going round called 'The Commonwealth Song' with a take from this day, where Paul sings: “If you don't want trouble then you better go back home”, and urging them to “get back” to where they came from. A take from the following day became known as 'No Pakistanis', and contained references to “Pakistanis taking all the people's jobs.” (You can read these lyrics here and here.) 'The Commonwealth Song' doesn't actually sound like 'Get Back' at all, but it's important because it leads directly into 'No Pakistanis' - which clearly does. If he left the lyrics the way they were, then Paul would have easily topped John's 'Revolution' for political shit-stirring. But he became so worried that his satire would be taken the wrong way he toned it down so the only words to make the master were the ones in the chorus. (But this didn't stop the papers accusing Paul of racism in the late '80s when the tape turned up!)

Anyway, sloppy, but the former is actually cool to hear because it rips through "Get Back" with Paul hooting all the way through, and the latter is a pretty amusing novelty.

Child Of Nature - Twickenham studios 1/2/69
Later redone as "Jealous Guy" for "Imagine." Not a big fan of this version, the performance never gels. The Kinfauns/Esher/White Album demo is better if you want this.

Across The Universe - Anthology 2 (Feb. 4, 1968 Take 2)
Lewisohn says it was recorded Feb. 3, but some say it was really the fourth (whatever difference a day makes). Not a "Get Back" outtake, but this is the best acoustic version, IMO. A phasing effect on John's guitar and one overdub, but it sounds like it could've been live. By "Get Back" they ditched the Indian instruments, so this sounds out of place, but I really like the arrangement and the performance. Maybe a few rough edges, but this could've been issued as is. The stripped down version with the loud kick drum that was used later on LIBN sounds too much like a demo, even though John's vocal is a bit better.

All Things Must Pass - Twickenham studios 1/8/69
The only good Beatle-era version is probably the Anthology 3 demo with just George. The best version from the "Get Back" sessions still sounds too ragged. George was trying to do something 'Band-y' with the ragged harmonies, but it doesn't work. It may be the mix (if they mixed Paul down a bit, since he overwhelms everyone else on the version I have), but the rest isn't too sharp either (John first hits the piano like a guy who's had enough; most performances later omit the piano altogether). Could've been really cool if they pulled it off, though.

The Long And Winding Road (film version) - 1/31/69 "Take 2"
I actually think the vocal on the Anthology 3 version is better, probably why Phil Spector picked it (he only needed the vocal) and the bass playing is mixed down pretty low so the mistakes can barely be heard. Johns also picked it for his acetates. The film version on LIBN does have Preston's solo that some probably want (Paul talks through that part on the A3 version); Paul still hums through Preston's solo, but I can't remember if LIBN mixed this out.

Two Of Us - early Twickenham performance
The upbeat version in the film is all right, worth finding. Words may not have been finalized, but who cares? Moves at a brisk performance, less earnest and more fun with some goofy moments. Much more interesting than the Anthology 3 version that sounds less chirpy and bit tired, FAR better than the tired and crappy "put-me-out-of-my-misery" take selected by Johns.

Dig A Pony
The rooftop versions are all you need, but Phil did pick the best take. You get that with the disc I mentioned above, with that bit Paul sings ("All I want is you...") left in, which was heard in the film, but not on "Let It Be" or LIBN. The Anthology 3 version isn't too interesting or that different; even the chatter ("like a fine wine, really...") isn't interesting.

Watching Rainbows - Twickenham studios 1/14/69
Actually a complete performance, and like Chris says, an original, not a cover (my mistake). John sings lead, and the band really gets in a groove by the end.

George also does Let It Down, Isn't It A Pity, and Hear Me Lord for the group, but they just don't give a shit about his songs, and they're MUCH better on his triple-Lp magnum opus. One sad moment in the movie is when George is playing I Me Mine for Ringo (this was going to be used for the album, but they realized how crappy that run-through really was, so they re-recorded it in 1970 to much better effect; Anthology 3 has this unadorned without the repeat-edit, with some amusing chatter at the beginning), and it looks so pathetic. John and Paul aren't around, and Ringo looks uninterested.

Sad because George seemed enthusiastic about the project, throwing out ideas like "Every Little Thing" (only plays a fragment), pushing Dylan and the Band into the music, even doing brief but earnest solo renditions of "I Shall Be Released" and "I Threw It All Away." GET BACK would've totally fit into the 1968-1969 roots movement exemplified by the Band, Dylan, the Byrds/Gram Parsons, Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones, CCR, etc. Anyway, other 'performances' like "To Kingdom Come" and even "A Quick One" (played right after George walks out on the group, pretty abruptly and non-chalantly, so much you almost miss it) don't come off so well.

I can't think of any other covers that I actually like hearing. The golden oldies, including the Lieber-Stoller covers, "The Walk," or stuff like the complete "Dig It," etc., I don't really like listening to those start to finish. Listen to "Hippy Hippy Shake" done early at Twickenham and compare it to the released BBC recording. NO comparison.

Anyway, once I sift through this some more, I'm going to do my OWN deluxe edition of "Get Back." Funny, I actually posted a recommendation a few years ago at some random audio forum about GET BACK, and how the original concept was still a good idea, how they could do a TWO disc set that's half a good album and half making-of (I think I pictured it being shuffled together, almost following the flow of the film but paced better). I feel like LIBN was kind of done that way, but with really bad results. They should've done a two-disc compilation of the best stuff, maybe even a four-disc box set: one disc for Paul's revisionism, and the other three for the best stuff like the concert and the best outtakes. Eh, it probably wouldn't have sold as well.

[Beatlesfan03]

I haven't touched this stuff in a year and a half, and then my brother shows me a 16mm print (faded, worn, but watchable), I hear the DVD's finally coming out in the fall, and now I'm wading through this again.

Hopefully that is indeed the case. They certainly have been sitting on it long enough.

I've got some tapes of the Twickenham stuff and much like Glyn Johns and the other Beatles, I just don't have the patience to wade through it because like you said, a lot of it is crap. Of course to use the old cliche, the magic really happened once they got back to Apple and Billy Preston came along.

I'd love to get a decent sounding version of the Rooftop concert. Had one boot that was sounded like the source was someone's handheld tape recorder.

[MK]

I'm HOPING the DVD will have an uninterrupted version of the rooftop concert. I doubt they'd release every take, but it would be great to see at least the best take of each song presented unedited and without cutting away.

Didn't they have secondary/back-up recorders running with the cameras? Maybe that's the source of the Let It Be rehearsals Vol. I. The Anthology 3 does a good job of mixing the final "Get Back" performance, you can hear all the instruments pretty well in good balance. Unfortunately it cuts out John's famous "...I hope we passed the audition" and it sounds a bit hard and bright, and less dynamic than the "Let It Be" CD (may be from the mastering).

[CitizenDan]

I admire your patience, MK. What's been released from those sessions is nothing special; I can't imagine wading through 90 hours of what Lennon himself called "the shittiest load of badly recorded shit with lousy feeling to it."

Still, if some discerning soul could cull the absolute cream of that Twickenham stuff, I'd give it a listen.

[Chris M]

A couple of random notes

- they can't remix anything from Twickenham as those sessions weren't recorded to multitrack

- Watching Rainbow's is a Lennon original

The only outtakes from the Get Back sessions I can stomach are the early Don't Let Me Down that Glyn Johns picked (I think) , the Save the Last Dance with the fast bit of Don't Let Me Down at the end, I Lost My Little Girl and the fast Two of Us. They should of used that version for Anthology 3. Also, some of the early Get Back takes are kinda cool.

[lukpac]

- they can't remix anything from Twickenham as those sessions weren't recorded to multitrack

According to someone who worked with Ron Furmanek on a restoration of LIB years ago, much of those sessions *was* recorded to 8-track. It's unclear exactly when they brought one in, but he indicated there are a ton of non-EMI 8-tracks in Apple's film vault that go along with those sessions. I believe there is a shot in the Anthology videos where Mal Evans is unloading an 8-track at Twickenham, although I've never seen it myself.

[Chris M]

Wow. Now that you mention it I remember you posting that on the old DCC forums and no one believed you. Very interesting. I wonder if those 8 tracks were auditioned when the Anthology CD's were compiled...

[lukpac]

There's a thread on rmb somewhere too.

[MK]

Here's the track-listing for that disc I referred to at the top, but taking a second listen, I found a mistake on my copy: They used the SAME take of "I've Got A Feeling" TWICE, neither of which appear to be the released master take. I don't know if it's a mistake on my CD-R (I got it in a trade years ago), but the time's are the same and elsewhere on the web, they're listed with different track times, so maybe it's just my disc. Just be warned.

The Beatles - "Let It Be" Rehearsals, Vol. I: The Legendary Rooftop Concert
January 30, 1969

(take 1 of Get Back was a warm-up - not included)
1. Get Back (Take 2) 4:06
2. Get Back (Take 3) 3:19
3. Don't Let Me Down (Take 1) 3:18
4. I've Got A Feeling (Take 1) 5:28
5. One After 909 (Master Take) 3:42
6. Dig A Pony (Master Take) 4:29
7. I've Got A Feeling (Take 2) 3:56
8. Don't Let Me Down (Take 2) 3:16
9. Get Back (Take 4) 3:17
Bonus tracks:
10. Oh! Darling - recorded January 7, 1969
11. The Walk (McCracklin/Gorlic) - complete version, recorded January 27, 1969
12. Maxwell's Silver Hammer - recorded January 7, 1969
13. Across The Universe - recorded January 7, 1969
14. Gone, Gone, Gone (Carl Perkins) - recorded January 7, 1969
15. Because I Know You Love Me So (Wake Up In The Morning) - recorded January 3, 1969
16. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
17. Sausages And French Fries/Honey Hush (Waller/Kirkeby) - recorded January 18, 1969
18. Stand By Me (King/Leiber/Stoller) - recorded January 18, 1969
19. Harry Pinkster (Hare Krishna Mantra) (Trad.) - recorded January 18, 1969
20. Two Of Us - up-tempo version - recorded January 18, 1969

[MK]

BTW, if you have bittorrent, you can now download EVERY single circulating performance from the "Get Back" sessions. That's right, EVERY one ever leaked. Each torrent is broken up by days, some days into parts, and most seem to be two discs, some three. Thank GOD each one has a tracklist so you can cherry-pick (who the hell wants two-discs of shitty "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" performances?)

If this sounds both enticing and tedious (like "Man, I want some stuff but there's just so much crap..."), I suggest downloading the Jan. 30 torrent first, and maybe the 31st (which seems to have the Johns acetate performances as bonuses - plus it's a small one, only 326 MB).

[JWB]

I made my own compilation utilizing dozens of bootlegs, but I can't begin to tell you which days the songs are from or which takes they are. I just pulled this one and pulled that one.

[MK]

Listening to some of this stuff, they could've made a far more interesting documentary with a REAL dramatic arc.

Listen to the "13th" if you have the patience - for most of it, it's really Ringo waiting around and getting discouraged, then Paul and Linda coming in and getting REALLY discouraged, trying to pass the time talking about various topics (Alan Freed, other films, etc.), snacking, and then these long awkward silences where you hear them sigh in exasperation. Paul later says it's like a strike because George still refuses to come back, and John is not just late as usual, he isn't answering the phone or anything. Absolute tedium, no way you could put the whole thing on a film, but there's a good half hour where basically they have a frank talk about Yoko where underneath the surface Paul's basically admitting that he's been replaced by Yoko, and then the state of the band (Paul half-jokes "and then there were two"), and later when John and Yoko FINALLY show up, they talk about how shitty they were to George and what to do to get him back. They still dismiss some of his work later on, but it's cool to hear Paul actually try to make something good out of All Things Must Pass, coming up with arrangements, etc. early on and later hearing John help George when he says he's absolutely stuck with "Something." George does mention John to an engineer later about how John disparaged one of his songs, I think it was "Let It Down," and he's the most blunt through the whole thing. Interesting to hear them touch on things like home-taping (a controversy then), John talking about taking too much drugs and that's why he feels crappy, etc.

None of this new, they cover it in the Anthology series. Too bad it didn't make the film in 1970, but I doubt some of this stuff would've been used with everyone's permission.