Throwback Thursday: Abbey Road, by The Beatles

By 1969 The Beatles had built a tremendous legacy with their slew of legendary albums. However, due to a myriad of stressful factors that created a great deal of internal tension the band was on the verge of total collapse. The members were fighting with one another and their management kept getting in the way of a great deal of things going as smoothly as they should have. A year later and they would be no more. However, before that happened they put out one of the most fan favored albums they ever created: Abbey Road.

Abbey Road was the last album to feature that cheery upbeat kind of jaunty acid trip music the Fab Four had been famed for making, as their next album Let It Be was considered to be more of a funeral march. In a way, some fans refer to Abbey Road as the last true Beatles album. Abbey Road featured hits such as Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Oh! Darling, Something, Here Comes the Sun, Carry That Weight, and Come Together. The Beatles' proficient progressive musicianship had truly come to a pinnacle at this point in time. Everything is melodic, warm, and passionate.

Come Together is the best known tune from Abbey Road. It's been covered to death by countless famous bands like Aerosmith. The smooth melodic bass line is iconic. Nothing is more instantly recognizable than it. The lyrics are probably some of the most tripped out ones I've heard from The Beatles except for maybe I Am the Walrus. Then again, that was kind of John Lennon's thing. He is the only one I know of who could get away with making such nonsense so famous and highly regarded. Props to him for that.

Oh! Darling is definitely one of the crown jewels of Abbey Road. Paul McCartney reportedly sang this song balls to the wall every day for a week before he finally recorded it because he wanted the vocals to have the worn down tired feel of someone who has been shouting and crying themselves to death for a week to them. It really comes through on the recording. In this swaying bluesy pop rock number you can really feel the angst and pain McCartney wanted to get across. Besides his clever lyrics and song writing, one thing you can truly praise Sir Paul for is his honesty.

Despite all of the in-fighting and tension going on this album really does feature some of the best music The Beatles ever composed and recorded. I guess when you can put aside all of the drama for just long enough to focus on what really matters no amount of loathing of one's partners can get in the way of a true masterpiece coming to life. That being said, Abbey Road is an essential piece of any Beatles and general rock n' roll or pop aficionado. Every track fills you with this warm presence that makes you feel you're on this fantastic journey where everything will be just great. You don't even need to be stoned to feel that way.

Abbey Road, by The Beatles receives 5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Come Together
2. Something
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer
4. Oh! Darling
5. Octopus's Garden
6. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
7. Here Comes the Sun
8. Because
9. You Never Give Me Your Money
10. Sun King
11. Mean Mr. Mustard
12. Polythene Pam
13. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
14. Golden Slumbers
15. Carry That Weight
16. The End
17. Her Majesty

Buy the album on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Abbey-Road-Remastered-Beatles/dp/B0025KVLUQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429850311&sr=8-1&keywords=Abbey+Road