Side 1
| Track | Composer | Recording Information | Time |
| Come Together | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 21st July 1969 - 9 takes Overdubs 22nd July 1969 onto take 9 Overdubs 23rd July 1969 onto take 9 Overdubs 25th July 1969 onto take 9 Overdubs 29th July 1969 onto take 9 Overdubs 30th July 1969 onto take 9 Final mix - take 9. | 4:16 |
| Something | Harrison | Recorded 25th February 1969 - Demo take 1 Recording 16th April 1969 - 13 takes (backing track only) Re-made 2nd May 1969 - 36 takes (new 1-36) Overdubs 5th May 1969 onto take 36 Overdubs 11th July 1969 onto take 36 creating take 37 Overdubs 16th July 1969 onto take 36 creating takes 38 & 39 Overdubs 15th August 1969 onto take 39 Final mix - take 39. | 2:59 |
| Maxwell's Silver Hammer | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 9th July 1969 - 21 takes Overdubs 10th July 1969 onto take 21 Overdubs 11th July 1969 onto take 21 Overdubs 6th August 1969 onto take 21 creating takes 22-27 Final mix - take 27. | 3:24 |
| Oh ! Darling | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 20th April 1969 - 26 takes Overdubs 26th April 1969 onto take 26 Overdubs 17th July 1969 onto take 16 (!) Overdubs 18th July 1969 onto take 26 Overdubs 22nd July 1969 onto take 26 The final vocal - 23rd July 1969 onto take 26 Overdubs 8th August 1969 onto take 26 Overdubs 11th August 1969 onto take 26 Final mix - take 26. | 3:26 |
| Octopus's Garden | Starkey | Recorded 26th April 1969 - 32 takes Overdubs 29th April 1969 onto take 32 Overdubs 17th July 1969 onto take 32 Overdubs 18th July 1969 onto take 32 Final mix - take 32. | 2:48 |
| I Want You (She's So Heavy) | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 22nd February 1969 - 35 takes Mixing 23rd february 1969 takes 9, 20 & 32 together for new "take 1" Overdubs 18th April 1969 onto take 1 Overdubs 20th April 1969 onto take 1 Overdubs 8th August 1969 onto take 1 Overdubs 11th August 1969 onto take 1 Final mix - "take 1" | 7:44 |
Side 2
| Track | Composer | Recording Information | Time |
| Here Comes The Sun | Harrison | Recorded 7th July 1969 - 13 takes (backing track only) Vocal overdubs 8th July 1969 onto take 13 creating takes 14-15 Overdubs 16th July 1969 onto take 15 Overdubs 6th August 1969 onto take 15 Overdubs 11th August 1969 onto take 15 Overdubs 15th August 1969 onto take 15 Moog overdub 19th August 1969 onto take 15 Final mix - take 15. | 3:04 |
| Because | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 1st August 1969 - 23 takes Vocal overdubs 4th August 1969 onto take 16 Moog overdubs 5th August 1969 onto take 16 Final mix - take 16. | 2:45 |
| You Never Give Me Your Money | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 6th May 1969 - 36 takes Overdub 1st July 1969 onto take 30 Overdubs 11th July 1969 onto take 30 Overdubs 15th July 1969 onto take 30 Overdubs 30th July 1969 onto take 30 creating takes 37-42 Overdubs 30th July 1969 onto take 40 Overdubs 31st July 1969 onto take 30 (!) Final mix - take 30. | 3:59 |
| Sun King | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 24th July 1969 - 35 takes (together with "Mustard") Vocal overdubs 25th July 1969 onto take 35 Overdubs 29th July 1969 onto take 35 Final mix - take 35. | 2:30 |
| Mean Mr. Mustard | Lennon-McCartney | 1:06 | |
| Polythene Pam | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 25th July 1969 - 39 takes Overdubs 28th July 1969 onto take 39 creating take 40 Overdubs 30th July 1969 onto take 40 Final mix - take 40. | 1:20 |
| She Came In Through The Bathroom Window | Lennon-McCartney | 1:51 | |
| Golden Slumbers | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 2nd July 1969 - 15 takes (as one track) Overdubs 3rd July 1969 onto takes 13 & 15, creating 2 takes (16-17) Overdubs 4th July 1969 onto take 17 Overdubs 30th July 1969 onto take 17 Overdubs 31st July 1969 onto take 17 Overdubs 15th August 1969 onto take 17 Final mix - take 17. | 1:31 |
| Carry That Weight | Lennon-McCartney | 1:37 | |
| The End | Lennon-McCartney | Recorded 23rd July 1969 - 7 takes (backing track only) Vocal overdubs 5th August 1969 onto take 7 Overdubs 7th August 1969 onto take 7 Overdubs 8th August 1969 onto take 7 Overdubs 15th August 1969 onto take 7 Overdubs 18th August 1969 onto take 7 Final mix - take 7. | 2:04 |
| 20 seconds of silence which is then followed by ... a track NOT listed on the sleeve ... | |||
| Her Majesty | "uncredited" | Recorded 2nd July 1969 - 3 takes Final mix - take 3. | 0:23 |
download here!
The Beatles twelfth official album release, but the LAST that was actually recorded by them.
The advance sales for this release in the U.K. totalled 190,000, taking it straight to number 1.
After just six weeks it had sold 4,000,000, and by the end of the year, 5,000,000 worldwide. It took another 10 years to double that figure, when by 1980 it topped 10 million.
It would have been number 1 for 18 weeks consecutively, but for the 1 week that the Rolling Stones album, "Let It Bleed" took over the top slot.
The album was of course, named after the London road in St. John's Wood that houses the E.M.I. studios (although, at one time it was going to be titled, "Everest"). And because of the eventual success of the album, the studios were re-named as "Abbey Road Studios". The cover photograph was taken Friday 8th August 1969 by Iain Macmillan at 10 o'clock in the morning. For these quick snaps a British Bobby held up the traffic for 10 minutes as six pictures were taken (in two of which Paul wore his sandals !). Along with Sgt. Peppers, once again The Beatles managed to create something so unique that it has been imitated many times.
In fact, taking imitation to the maximum, soul band "Booker T and the M.G.'s" not only did their own version of the cover, but also the entire album was a cover version, although they named theirs "McLemore Avenue" after the name of the street where their own recording studios were in Memphis.
Another example of imitation was this amusing version by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers ...
In fact, taking imitation to the maximum, soul band "Booker T and the M.G.'s" not only did their own version of the cover, but also the entire album was a cover version, although they named theirs "McLemore Avenue" after the name of the street where their own recording studios were in Memphis.
Another example of imitation was this amusing version by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers ...
The "Abbey Road" album came without a title on the front cover, and no lyric sheet ... being quite simple, it just had one photograph on the front, and one on the rear.
In America "Abbey Road" won a Grammy for "Best Engineered Non-Classical Recording".
Also recorded during the Abbey Road sessions,
"Come And Get It" - 24th July 1969 in 1 take.
"Come And Get It" - 24th July 1969 in 1 take.
The album was also part of "The Beatles Collection" 13 album box set (see Beatles Collection).
In January 1979 a picture disc version of Abbey Road was planned, but very few copies were released before the project was abandoned, and the release withdrawn.
The picture disc :
The picture disc :
On 19th October 1987 this album had it's first release on C.D. which was published in stereo, with a catalogue number of CDP 746 446 2
And on the same day, the record shop H.M.V. produced a special 12" numbered CD Box Set Comprising:
The C.D. of "Abbey Road"
+ A badge
+ A booklet of b/w photos
+ 2 Posters
This set had a catalogue number of BEA CD 25/7, and was in a limited edition of 12,500 copies, and looks like this ...
And on the same day, the record shop H.M.V. produced a special 12" numbered CD Box Set Comprising:
The C.D. of "Abbey Road"
+ A badge
+ A booklet of b/w photos
+ 2 Posters
This set had a catalogue number of BEA CD 25/7, and was in a limited edition of 12,500 copies, and looks like this ...
 |
| Abbey Road - The H.M.V. Box set |
The C.D. was also part of "The Beatles Box" 15 C.D. box set (see Beatles C.D. Box).
09/09/09 (Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine) - the album was re-released as part of the Beatles In Stereo Remasters collection.
13th September 2009 it re-entered the chart again at number 6 in the second highest position of SEVENTEEN chart positions The Beatles captured in one amazing week.
(see the box set detail for the chart position of all 17 titles together)
20th September 2009 - dropped eight places down to number 14.
27th September 2009 - dropped nineteen places down to number 33.
4th October 2009 - dropped twenty places down to number 53.
11th October 2009 - dropped thirty-three places down to number 86 - which is outside the official chart and doesn't count for longevity purposes.
18th October 2009 - * * * No longer listed in the Top 100.
15th November 2009 - Reappeared at number 90 (from 103)
13th September 2009 it re-entered the chart again at number 6 in the second highest position of SEVENTEEN chart positions The Beatles captured in one amazing week.
(see the box set detail for the chart position of all 17 titles together)
20th September 2009 - dropped eight places down to number 14.
27th September 2009 - dropped nineteen places down to number 33.
4th October 2009 - dropped twenty places down to number 53.
11th October 2009 - dropped thirty-three places down to number 86 - which is outside the official chart and doesn't count for longevity purposes.
18th October 2009 - * * * No longer listed in the Top 100.
15th November 2009 - Reappeared at number 90 (from 103)
Digital Downloads
In 2010 iTunes (a digital download agency) were given access to The Beatles product, which now meant each individual Beatles track was available to download to internet connected devices.
These downloads had to be paid for and the number of sales were permitted to be counted for chart purposes as "singles" (although JPGR doesn't concur with this process).
21st November 2010 - Here Comes The Sun was listed at number 64 and Come Together at number 83
28th November 2010 - Here Comes The Sun was listed at number 88 and Come Together at number 81.
15th April 2012 - Here Comes The Sun was again listed in the chart as a digital download at number 58, it's highest position !
Thereby Here Comes The Sun can be said to be a "hit single" as it made the Top 75 but, of course, it wasn't a hit single !
In 2010 iTunes (a digital download agency) were given access to The Beatles product, which now meant each individual Beatles track was available to download to internet connected devices.
These downloads had to be paid for and the number of sales were permitted to be counted for chart purposes as "singles" (although JPGR doesn't concur with this process).
21st November 2010 - Here Comes The Sun was listed at number 64 and Come Together at number 83
28th November 2010 - Here Comes The Sun was listed at number 88 and Come Together at number 81.
15th April 2012 - Here Comes The Sun was again listed in the chart as a digital download at number 58, it's highest position !
Thereby Here Comes The Sun can be said to be a "hit single" as it made the Top 75 but, of course, it wasn't a hit single !
Tape Media
The album was also available on 4" reel-to-reel tape in, very surprisingly, two different formats,
Catalogue number TA-PMC 7088 (3¾ ips twin-track mono tape) - in a "jewel" box.
Catalogue number TD-PCS 7088 (3¾ ips 4-track stereo) - in a "jewel" box.
The album was also available on 4" reel-to-reel tape in, very surprisingly, two different formats,
Catalogue number TA-PMC 7088 (3¾ ips twin-track mono tape) - in a "jewel" box.
Catalogue number TD-PCS 7088 (3¾ ips 4-track stereo) - in a "jewel" box.
Prior to 1973:
The album was released on stereo cassette tape (1⅞ ips) - Catalogue number - TC-PCS 7088
The album was also released on 8-track stereo continuous play cartridge (3¾ ips) - catalogue no. 8X-PCS 7088
The album was released on stereo cassette tape (1⅞ ips) - Catalogue number - TC-PCS 7088
The album was also released on 8-track stereo continuous play cartridge (3¾ ips) - catalogue no. 8X-PCS 7088
In November 1987 the album was re-released on cassette tape - Catalogue number - TC-PCS 7088 (Originally released November 1967).
Finally it should be noted that it was at the end of these sessions that came the date that ALL four Beatles were together in Abbey Road studios for the very last time, which was 20th August 1969.
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