by JOSH KAPLAN It seems strangely fitting that The Beatles’ Abbey Road album was just starting to bud in April,1969. In this important year that saw such notable moments as the moon landing, Woodstock, and the horrors of Vietnam, it was a time of change politically, socially, and in this case musically. Spring quickly became the “Summer of Love“, and by it’s release in the Fall, Abbey Road shot to #1 in the U.K. and has since sold over 12 million copies in the U.S alone. Sadly, Abbey Road essentially became The Beatles’ last recorded album (Let It Be was released in 1970, but recorded in early ‘69). With this being their 11th studio album, it found the four lads from Liverpool in a state of indifference, one that thankfully for the sake of this masterful album, was put aside. With such great songs as “Come Together”, “I Want You” (She’s so Heavy), the Harrison penned “Here Comes The Sun”, and the collision of brilliance known as the “Sun King Medley”, it’s as though Abbey Road marked the end of The Beatles’ cycle - it’s last beautiful bloom. It’s evident even in the famous album art, depicting the fab four walking across the zebra-striped crosswalk in London. After nixing the idea to name the album Everest, and thus saving the boys a dreaded trip up to the famed Himalayan mountaintop, they decided on April 8th to step outside Abbey Road studios for a quick photo shoot. Given only ten minutes to take the perfect shot, photographer Iain Macmillan found what he was looking for. 26 kush
A very stiff Lennon is in front wearing his white suit, as though walking towards the famous “Bed In For Peace” which soon followed. Yoko had already sunk her teeth in by this time. Ringo is all business in his black suit, while out of step and shoeless Paul is strutting across while smoking, possibly thinking about the future Wings’ tour. George, while bringing up the back, looks and probably was the most relaxed of thve bunch. His casual denim outfit and long hair depicts a man who was at one with himself, and finally being noticed as a brilliant song-writer. With “Something” being Harrison’s first A-side single, and the popularity of “Here Comes The Sun”, Harrison may have been feeling the sweet taste of long awaited recognition? It must have been tough to have songwriters like Lennon and McCartney to compete with. As we all know, with Spring comes change, and change is good. In a time when change was taking place at every turn, The Beatles were able to take the high road, and for the sake of the music, put their conflicts aside. What was produced remains a classic amongst rock‘n’roll fans worldwide. The songs and imagery from Abbey Road were a sign of things to come. The Beatles were always able to capture the feeling of the times, and as great as the times and the music of The Beatles were (and still are), the change that was about to take place in their lives, was just as simple as crossing the street.