Abbey Road (Remastered) [CD]

'Abbey Road' is actually the last album the Beatles recorded together. It is a triumph and a fine way to end their time together as history's most celebrated rock band. They agreed to do two "sides"--as was conventional before C.D.'s--each one uniform. Side one is rock and roll unadulterated. Side two is a pop symphony that is carefully melded together with several segues, making the songs melt into one another. It is correctly considered one of their great works, but the polish makes it different than their previous work 'The White Album'.As usual the individual tastes are apparent. John has some heavy-duty rock songs with an almost caveman sexuality. "Come Together" is shivery in pattern with vocals that are processed for a primitive effect. Purposely, Lennon sings like he just learned English. It is still intriguing if he relates to "old flat-top" or if he's mocking him. Maybe, both. John gets to end and begin his rock side, so "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" presents sexuality with synthesizers and guitars that bring a mammoth presence to his topic. In the mix is Paul's fifties' shake shop ballad "Oh, Darling!" complete with a substantial refrain that gives some heft to the song. "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" continues Paul's love for fun novelty songs. This story isn't as clever as "Rocky Raccoon," but it's as easily as funny. He makes his creepy character seem cutely normal. And, on 'Abbey Road,' this is the beginning of many. Ringo turns in one of his best moments with his own composition "Octopus's Garden". Having sufficient accompaniment, he sings a narration of an underwater paradise that should be considered more than an elaboration of "Yellow Submarine". The country-accented music and the fifties' feel refrain make it a substantial contribution. Then, if George always seemed in the shadow of John and Paul, on 'Abbey Road' he comes up with two songs that not only match, but surpass, his comrades' work. Frank Sinatra called 'Something' "the best love song of the last fifty years." George caressed the melody and provided enough of his own accompaniment to shoot this great ballad to one of the top six all-time Beatles' bestsellers.Side two is not an anti-climax. Appropriately, George continues his roll with the intricate and beautiful "Here Comes the Sun". Eloquent in word and expert in guitar interplay, "Here Comes the Sun" has to be one of the five best Beatles' songs ever. It's a majestic beginning to a magnificent side. "Because" which follows is a soaring piece of music. Sort of a hippie exhaltation of nature, "Because" may contain their best harmony performance of any song. Next, we start off tenderly with Paul's "You Never Give Me Your Money," a song that gets funky and faster and laments the financial headaches the Beatles had with their songwriting contracts. "Sun King," which follows seems to add to the langorous grandeur of "Because," but from here we get the long stretch. "Sun King" melts into "Mean Mr. Mustard" and provides one of many weirdos. This one seems unnaturally tight with money. "Polythene Pam" provides great bouncey music for someone who can only be considered androgenous . Then, "She Came Through the Bathroom Window" is Paul's fanciful take on a wayward woman who seems to take over. Once the listeners catch their breath, Paul provides a fine lullaby "Golden Slumbers," sung passionately enough in the refrain to prevent it from becoming ordinary. Lastly, "Carry That Weight" is a chiding admonition for someone. Maybe it is to say we are all overly burdened. Then, we get a reprise to "You Never Give Me Your Money" and "The End" which is wild and funky--some compare it to The James' Gang."And, in the end/The love you take/ Is equal to the love you make." Always remaining irreverent until "The End," the Beatles hang together musically for what has to be the bottom line of their music. It is hard to imagine that they didn't know that 'Abbey Road' would be their last recording together. If they didn't, they sure found the best way to send us off. Perhaps it may seem extraneous, but if we didn't know they weren't being serious, Paul adds "Her Majesty," a playful piece of nonsense as an afterthought.(Both sides end abruptly, just to let us know not to take them too seriously. For Beatle hounds, their last magnum opus provided the groups' greatest rumor. Paul was dead. He was gone for three years and mysteriously replaced by a double who sprouted a moustache for a disguise, but still retained a voice that matched his deceased predecessor, even though he was able to add some new depth to the group's lyrics. It was the best kept secret in show business, but The Beatles wanted to be discreet, yet fair to their audience. So they sprinkled clues on every album starting with 'Sgt. Pepper' in case their secret was discovered. They could then save face with an explanation that they always meant to tell us, and they always provided a treasure hunt of clues to help their fans find out the truth. Malcolm Smith (bka Paul McCartney) is living well somewhere in England and recently published 'Chaos and Creation in the Backyard' under his assumed name...)

This album was released before "Let It Be," but produced after it. As such, it is the last music the Beatles ever created, and a fitting capstone to their incomparable career.As with my other album reviews I will rate each song on a scale of 5 stars, with 5 representing a classic or timeless piece, 4 a great song, 3 a craftsman-like work, 2 a pedestrian affair, and 1 a throw away.Come Together -- 5 stars - This is one of John Lennon's great nonsense lyrics, but what raises it to the heights is the presentation, a sound that is instantly recognizable and unlike any other song you have ever heard. Thus, it is ironic that Lennon was accused of plagiarizing a Chuck Berry song. The truth is that he borrowed one phrase as homage to Berry (here comes old flat top), and nothing more. The rest is original and unique. The execution of the song, from McCartney's bass to Ringo's drums, shows the power of the Beatles' ensemble to produce work that was greater than the sum of their individual contributions.Something -- 5 stars - After trashing the Beatles in their early days Frank Sinatra later came to nominate this piece as his favorite love song. Sadly, he credited it to Lennon and McCartney when it is actually a Harrison composition. It is probably the best song on the album - a work of elegance, passion, and captivating musicality. It will live forever.Maxwell's Silver Hammer -- 4 stars - This is one of Paul's "cartoon" songs. It seduces you to smile and sing along with its bizarrely cheerful dark humor, and thus wins 4 stars in spite of its meager ambitions.Oh! Darling -- 4 stars - McCartney bares his heart by scorching his throat with a passionate, guttural performance. As usual you will want to sing along, but try to compete with Paul and you may pay a visit to the throat doctor.Octopus's Garden -- 4 stars - Another "cartoon" song, this one written by Ringo. Yes, it's silly and slight, but I dare you not to sing along (and that's my mark of a 4 star song).I Want You (She's So Heavy) -- 4 stars - The subtitle says it all - this song has a very heavy ambiance. Lennon displays his gift for combining simple components to create a work that lingers in the mind much longer than you expect.Here Comes the Sun -- 5 stars - This is another Harrison work and another song that will live forever. It matches tone to theme as well as any song you will ever hear. It is a work of simple genius. Are you feeling down? Then play this song and feel your mood lift like the rising sun.Because -- 4 stars - As I understand it John Lennon heard Yoko Ono play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata backwards and John made this song out of it. It is, quite simply, beautiful.You Never Give Me Your Money -- 4 stars - This would be a minor work except for its semi-biographical echoes of the Beatles' rise and fall. Because of this it has a special poignancy to it. And once again, it will compel you to sing along."The Final Medley": Sun King, Mean Mr. Mustard, Polythene Pam, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window, Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End -- 5 stars - These seven songlets represent the last stretch of music on the last record the Beatles ever produced. They are joined together in a seamless whole, a mini pop opera, and so I have titled the group "The Final Medley" and treat them as one composition. Taken together they are, to re-use a phrase, greater than the sum of their parts. In fact, though I hesitate to admit it, I enjoy listening to these songlets more than anything else the Beatles ever did. And so I rate them 5 stars as a group. The details . . ."Sun King" provides a nice, slow intro. "Mean Mr. Mustard" is an edgy but humorous Lennon character study. "Polythene Pam" is Lennon again. It is a hard driving piece that seems to anticipate both heavy metal and punk. It is also the one piece here that cries out for a longer treatment. "She Came in Through The Bathroom Window" is McCartney. It is probably the slightest component here and foreshadows Pauls' work with Wings, but it fits and adds to the whole. "Golden Slumbers" is Paul again. It is heartbreakingly beautiful. "Carry That Weight" is a rousing chorus of the entire group, and seems to speak of the burden that attaches to the blessing of being a Beatle (you're going to carry that weight for a long time boys, and so they did, and do, and will - those who still live). The End is the end and contains the verse "and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make." It is a fitting conclusion for a group that made so much love through their music that they earned the love of the whole world.Her Majesty -- ??? stars - it is characteristic of the Beatles that they could not leave off without adding a humorous note, and this irreverent fragment of a love song to the English Queen starts playing after you think the record has finished. The Beatles were not only great composers and musicians, they were also very funny.And so we have 4 five-star songs out of 10, joined by 6 four-star songs. This is truly one of the greatest albums ever made.

BeatlesAbbey RoadClassic Rock

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