It’s every bit as good as you’re hearing. The eight-hour, Peter Jackson documentary series on Disney+ presents a Beatles we have never really seen.
Sure, Michael Lindsay-Hogg shot and used this footage in his 1969 “Let it Be” documentary. That was a dour, 80-minute affair, however, focused on the band’s inevitable downfall and with little of the spirit, creativity, or meaningful behind-the-scenes insights of this film. It’s not worth watching “Let it Be” as a corollary to this experience, but Rick Rubin’s “McCartney 3, 2, 1” (2021) documentary series on Hulu makes for a fine viewing tandem.
Here are eight thoughts about a documentary that traces the band’s January 1969 rehearsals, recording sessions, and various contretemps at Twickenham film studios and then at Abbey Road:
- John and Paul were still collaborating well and displaying considerable friendship and musical affinity, despite assertions to the contrary at the time and since. Their serious rifts were to occur later in 1969 and in 1970 when the band officially broke up. Like an old couple, John and Paul completed each other’s sentences - nowhere better demonstrated than during the infamous flowerpot conversation - and read each other’s musical intentions largely through body language. Yes, John was high throughout the sessions, which was especially evident in Part One. Paul clearly took the leadership reins as John had done earlier in the 1960s, but John held sway when it mattered.
- The lads were palpably
uplifted when Billy Preston joined them at Abbey Road. He solved their
immediate keyboard problem, but his energy and virtuosity made massive
contributions. Imagine if the band acted on John’s passing thought to make
Billy the fifth Beatle, officially - despite the racism such a move would
have engendered. Might the new chemistry and creative contributions
catalyzed the band’s run into the mid-70s?
- “What if’s” are a dime a
dozen. Still, would The Beatles have continued into the ‘70s if they acted
on George’s wish for band members to pursue their own individual albums
between Beatles’ projects. John and Paul only allowed two George songs per
album, though they were often stellar entries. For example, Frank Sinatra
told George one night at Capitol Records that “Something” was his favorite
love song of all time. Crosby, Stills, and Nash have said that their
band’s long tenure owed much to each of them being free to pursue solo and
duo efforts.
- The number of songs
George offered that were declined by John and Paul during the “Let it Be”
sessions is staggering. The film repeatedly shows George playing
unfinished portions of hits that wound up on his first solo work, “All
Things Must Pass.” For that matter, John played bits of what would become
“Jealous Guy” on his second solo “Imagine” album. So too, Paul was fiddling
with what would later become “The Back Seat of My Car” from his second
solo album “Ram.”
- It’s downright weird and
undeserving knowing far more about the songs’ music and lyrics than the
artists themselves did during their acts of creation. In that spirit,
watching Paul craft “Get Back” from almost nothing to the finished product
during the film is a marvel.
- “Let it Be” (1970) was
the last Beatles’ album of original works, released in 1970. This despite
being recorded before “Abbey Road,” which was nonetheless released in 1969. It was
fascinating to watch the lads developing "Abbey Road" material as they
simultaneously worked through the “Let it Be” numbers.
- Producer George Martin
was the fifth Beatle, no doubt. He knew how to handle the boys. He gave
them space and time and they trusted him - and he played on some songs over the years. He was a marginal presence at
Twickenham, but once home at Abbey Road Martin became the steering (not
driving) figure The Beatles needed. He seemed to work well with sound
engineer Glyn Johns who conveys extreme competence throughout the film.
Johns became a superstar as producer and engineer for The Stones, The Who,
Led Zeppelin, Clapton, and The Eagles. And what a treat to see a young
Alan Parsons working the recording tapes. He also became a star as a
songwriter, musician, and producer.
- Finally, Yoko appears to be a non-factor in the film. Yes, it was weird that she sat close-in with The Beatles during rehearsals and recordings. And yes, her shrieking vocals were (and always have been) disturbing, but the boys treated her with respect when they weren’t otherwise ignoring her. I’ve read that Paul and George had issues with Yoko previously and that these tensions flared up again, but there was nothing evident across the eight hours of this film
Image courtesy of BeatlesinLondon.com.