The Long and Winding Road was the last number one hit for the beatles in the US, it came from their final album Let It Be. Well, lets just say we wish it was their final album.
This was recorded during the beatles short-lived, lets go back to our roots and stop all this silly studio production phase. The album was originally going to be called Get Back, and they were going to play everything as a stripped down combo like in the olden days.
As you can probably guess, without the studio production the beatles would have been the laughing stocks of the music industry. It took Phil Spector and an arsenal of eighteen violins, four violas, four cellos, three trumpets, three trombones, two guitars, a choir of 14 women, a team of engineers, even special conductors and arrangers to make A long and Winding Road listenable. And thats only one song!
If you think I’m exaggerating, take a quick listen to some live off the floor recordings for yourself.
Make it brief if you value your sanity, and try not to think about the claims that this is the greatest band of all time.
Get back:
[audio:Get Back.mp3]
The Long and Winding Road
[audio:TheLongAndWindingRoad.mp3]
Aside from the idiotic nature of this idea from the onset, they also decided to film themselves in the studio and make a documentary out of it, the cleverly named Let It Be
Some of the highlights include George Harrison storming out of a recording session in disgust and John Lennon constantly mocking McCartney. Harrison felt such pain knowing this film even existed he successfully had it taken out of print in ’81, stipulating it was not be released again until after his death. Thats a good way to deal with your issues, we can all take something from this example. If you ever find yourself at gunpoint in a dark alley, just close your eyes and it will all disappear.
On the positive side, The Long and winding Road is my favorite beatles song. Not because its good, or because I like it, but because when the FF finally broke up one of the six reasons Paul gave for wanting to dissolve the band was what Phil Spector did to try and rescue this song.
Although its been covered by hundreds of artists over the years, the definitive version was recorded by The Roadrunner, with some help from his friend Wile E Coyote (uncredited due to contract negotiations).
Just listen to the passion and urgency brought to this groundbreaking work:
Quick, grab your copy before they’re all gone! Don’t miss a golden opportunity to throw more of your money onto this steaming pile of brilliance.
Bugs and Friends Sing the Beatles
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I’m in the floor again. Do you take donations?
Please send all donations to beatleholics anonymous.
Hmm, despite your opinion of the Beatles and the song Let It Be, it’s REALLY unfair to use a rehearsal run through as your argument of “See how this song sucks without Phil Specter’s Wall of Sound?”
Personally I and many others much prefer the version without Specter’s interference, that is to say the final version of the song, not first run through version you posted.
Fair enough.
I used to like the Spector version more, but after learning how he pulled a gun on Roadrunner in the studio I can’t enjoy it.
If I had to listen to the beatles for more than 10 minutes, I’d pull a gun on myself!
Maybe that’s why Charles Whitman developed a brain tumor.
paul sounds like he’s dry-heaving as he “sings”. What a talent! If only his bird linda and yoko-the-spiderwoman could have sang backup along with him. What a missed opportunity,
There is certainly a lot to know about this subject. I love all of
the points you made.
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The Beatles are the Greatest!! Whoever made this website is not a musician.
How can you not love them? Even still 50yrs later they rule 😉
This website should be taken down but, its really amusing, so comical.
John would get a huge laugh!!!