The Depths · All albums

Abbey Road

The Beatles · 1969

• Scores: Noise 1, Unease 1, Complexity 1 (each 1 to 5)
• Genre: Rock, Pop Rock, Art Rock
• Mood: warm, polished, bittersweet
• Sound: tight harmonies, side-long medley, polished studio production, melodic

The Beatles recorded this between February and August 1969 at EMI, Olympic and Trident studios in London, produced by George Martin, on eight-track machines rather than the four-track machines used for earlier albums. It was the first Beatles album not issued in mono anywhere and the only one recorded entirely on a solid-state mixing desk. The Moog synthesiser plays a central role in Because, and Billy Preston plays Hammond organ on I Want You (She's So Heavy). Side two is a medley of short songs and fragments, ending on the hidden track Her Majesty. Jon Anderson of Yes said that side's one complete idea inspired his group's long-form pieces.

Track list

1. Come Together (4:19)
2. Something (3:02)
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer (3:27)
4. Oh! Darling (3:27)
5. Octopus's Garden (2:51)
6. I Want You (She's So Heavy) (7:47)
7. Here Comes the Sun (3:05)
8. Because (2:45)
9. You Never Give Me Your Money (4:03)
10. Sun King (2:26)
11. Mean Mr. Mustard (1:06)
12. Polythene Pam (1:13)
13. She Came In Through the Bathroom Window (1:58)
14. Golden Slumbers (1:31)
15. Carry That Weight (1:36)
16. The End (2:05)
17. Her Majesty (0:23)