History Daily - The Release of The Beatles' Final Album

Episode Date: May 8, 2025

May 8, 1970. The Beatles release their final album: Let It Be. Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.

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Lue less YIT.5cotta Turvallinan Asuntocoppa. It's January 30th, 1969 in London, England. On the top floor of a building overlooking Saville Road, 26-year-old Paul McCartney

follows the other members of the Beatles through a door. bringing them out onto the building's rooftop. A large wooden stage has been set up in the middle of the space, and all their instruments are out waiting for them. Paul grins at his bandmates at the prospect of what's to come, but not everyone shares his enthusiasm. While Paul tunes his guitar,

he watches George Harrison wander over to the side of the building. George peers over the edge, shaking his head as he stares at the passers-by in traffic below. Unlike Paul, George is far from happy about being up here on a cold, Friday afternoon. Years of playing live have taken their toll on his nerves, and he prefers the comfort of a studio these days. His reluctance is part of the reason the band haven't performed live in two years, but here he is today for the good of the band, and he wants to keep the others happy. They need footage of this performance to complete a documentary film about their next album.

So when the final sound checks are done, the band takes their positions as a handful of invited staff from their label Apple Records watch on. Paul counts them in for the first track, a song called Get Back. As the group gets into full swing, people on the street below stop, staring skyward as they try to find the source of the music. Soon, people start gathering on nearby rooftops to watch the spectacle, stunned by the appearance of one of the world's most famous bands on a rooftop in the middle of London. The unannounced rooftop performance by the Beatles will be remembered fondly as an iconic moment in music history. But despite the United Front, the band, put on for their impromptu concert, the truth is that cracks are starting to show. And when police

arrive on the scene to respond to noise complaints, they'll put an end to what will become the Beatles' last live performance. A little over a year later, the band will release their final album on May 8th, 1970. From Noisor and Airship, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is History Daily. History is made every day. On this podcast, every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is May 8th, 1970, the release of the Beatles' final album. It's January 6, 1969, three weeks before the Beatles' rooftop concert. Inside Twickenham Film Studios near London, the band are hard at work rehearsing for their next record, but they're struggling. Paul McCartney leans forward in his chair as he tries to give George Harrison

direction on how to play the next song, but George isn't taking the feedback well. Paul's getting frustrated, too. He can feel his bandmate's annoyance with him, but he doesn't know how to solve the problem. Finally, George throws up his hands and says he'll play whatever Paul wants him to play, or if Paul would prefer, you'll not play at all. Neither man raises his voice, but the room simmers with tension like they've just been screaming at each other. This is just one of many disagreements that have arisen between the band members recently. Since her debut album took the World by Storm in 1963, most of the Beatles' hits have been written by Paul or John Lennon. George has been penning songs of his own, but unfortunately, they never seem to get released.

It's clear that George is growing increasingly frustrated, and Paul can't help but wonder if this is contributing to today's disagreement. It doesn't help that they're surrounded by cameras. A crew has been hired to document the recording of the band's new album, but lately it feels like the film will just be footage of the group bickering. George's rejected songs, Paul's unsolicited feedback, and John's insistence that his wife, Yoko, be by his side during every rehearsal. It's just one thing after another, and though they can all see the problems, none of them know how to fix them. Four days later, on January 10th, tempers flare once again. After an argument with John this time, George stands, picks up his guitar and walks out, telling the others he's leaving the band.

None are really worried about this outburst. Drummer Ringo Starr quit the band after an argument last year, but he was back after just three weeks. And sure enough, after stewing on his own for a few days, George sits down with the others and tells them he's willing to come back, but only under certain conditions. The first is that they finish recording the album at their own studio instead of spending any more time in this cavernous film studio.

He also wants to focus on making albums rather than doing live shows. Paul is still a fan of performing live, but he doesn't want to rock the boat right now, so he looks to John and Ringo, who both nod, and just like that, the band is back together. The Beatles finally start recording again on January 21st, and the mood in the studio is noticeably improved. And days later, during a break in rehearsals, Paul broaches the idea of a live concert. It's been six years since their last full tour, but the others aren't interested in going back on the road, George, least of all. so a compromise is reached. Instead of playing a huge venue, they'll do something totally different,

something that will surprise their fans and make for great documentary footage in an open-air gig on the roof above the studio. George is skeptical, but he finds the idea at least somewhat amusing. So after a few moments, the band all agrees to the plan, and within a few days, the arrangements have been made. On January 30, 1969, the Fab Four walk out onto the roof and surprise Londoners with their first gig in years. They managed to get in several renditions of a handful of their new tracks

before police arrive to answer noise complaints from local businesses. But even abbreviated, the rooftop concert makes headlines around the world and serves as a fitting conclusion to the creation of the Beatles' album Get Back. The following day, the group finished their final recordings and shoot the last few scenes for the documentary. The plan is to release Get Back in July, to tie in with the debut of the documentary. But when the date for the film is pushed back to September,

they delay the album too and set about working on a new record called Abby Road. So the Beatles will continue to make music together, and the new album they'll write will become a masterpiece, but the old resentments will continue to fester, threatening an end to the greatest rock band of all time. We're three, might not even even nucked up to this assunuchs.

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It's August 18th, 1968, eight months since the Beatles' Rooftop concert and nine months before the release of their

final album. In the band's recording studio in London, Paul sits with a guitar in hand. He looks around the room and his

three fellow band members. He remembers how much they used to enjoy these sessions before the numerous creative differences that have crept in these past few years. Despite the tension, though, they've still been hard at work on tracks for their new album, Abbey Road. They have just one last song to record. Paul counts them in, and the band launches into a song called The End. None of them know it yet, but this will be the final song they

will record with all four members playing together. As they begin to drift apart in the months that follow. Each of the Beatles has their own projects to keep them busy. And John is the first to make his solo career intentions clear. In September, he meets with Paul and Ringo to tell them that he is more determined than ever to strike out on his own. But the pair persuade him not to make anything public until the band decides the time's right. What Paul doesn't tell John at this moment, though, is that he is already working on songs for a solo album of his own. And after this conversation with John, Paul retreats to a farm he owns in Scotland to record in peace and quiet. But Paul's solitude doesn't last.

In November of 1969, reporters from Life magazine track him down in Scotland. There have been bizarre rumors of Paul's untimely death circulating in the media, and the journalists wanted the truth. Paul laughs off these stories and goes on to talk about his forthcoming solo effort. He also says that he can't see a future where he and John are songwriting partners again. Still, he doesn't rule out a return to playing and recording with the Beatles someday, but for now, he's enjoying his freedom. So even as the intentions of the band members become increasingly clear to themselves and the public,

they press ahead with their commitments, including their upcoming album and its accompanying documentary, both of which are now titled Let It Be. The band gets back to work in January 1970, recording for four more weeks. And once these final tracks are done, renowned producer Phil Spector is brought in to add the finishing touches and turn the songs into an album. The band have already rejected two versions of the record, created by their usual sound engineers, and hope that Spector is the key to polishing this collection of songs

that's taken over a year to complete. But some of the edits Spector makes don't go down well with Paul. In particular, one of his songs, The Long and Winding Road, has been given an orchestral backing track as well as a choir. Paul protests saying he intended this to be a simple piano ballad. John, George, and Ringo also have issues. Theirs, though, have nothing to do with the album, but concern another record altogether.

On March 31, 1970, Paul opens his front door to find Ringo waiting for him. Paul invites his band-made in, but the visit doesn't stay cordial for long. Within only minutes of arriving, Ringo hands Paul a letter penned by John and George, informing them that their record label is postponing the release of Paul's album McCartney because it will clash with the release of the Beatles, let it be, as well as Ringo's own solo effort. Paul doesn't handle this news well. He feels like his bandmates have teamed up against him, so he orders Ringo out of his house. And when the rest of the group hears about Paul's reaction, they back down from their position. McCartney will be released as scheduled, but still the damage has been done.

When Paul sends advanced copies of his record to journalists, he includes a press release reiterating his desire to pursue music on his own and his uncertain about ever returning to the Beatles. The press take these comments and run with them, and on April 10th, 1970, headlines around the world announced that Paul is out and the Beatles are done. Thanks in part to this media frenzy, Paul's album does well on the charts,

though critics react poorly to McCartney's underproduced sound and unfinished songs. And while fans will wonder if the band is really done, the Beatles will face contractual obligations they have yet to fulfill. Final preparations are still to be made for the release of the the Let It Be Record, which will now hit stores in less than a month. Lapset moved to omitted and we're now a little bit of tussolice. Oiskohan aika vaidttae

a lot more pottyle vizabeth. Do a good poutousuntokane. Lue less, YIT.5i-cotta turvallidinae after afterian Jankk, Anna Hymusiloist. It's May 8th, 1970. outside a record store in Liverpool, England. A teenage girl fidgets nervously at the front of a long line of people

stretching around the street and around the corner, eager to get their hands on the Beatles' latest album, let it be. The teenager stares longingly at the copies she can see in the window display. The album cover shows the four band members, each in one corner of a grid. They look like they're both together and apart. Suddenly, there's movement inside the store, and when a staff member opens the door, the young girl rushes inside, grabbing the first copy of the record she sees. She clutches it to her

chest as she checks out, excited to hear new music from her favorite band. It's a soothing balm after weeks of speculation and rumors that the Beatles are splitting up. Let It Be feels like a tangible sign that the group might just carry on. But despite the hopes of their fans, the Beatles are crumbling and no one can stop it. The differences between the bandmates are just too great and too numerous. And eight months after the release of Let It Be, on December 31st, 1970, Paul McCartney files a lawsuit seeking to legally dissolve the ban. According to his filing, their conflicts are irreconcilable. The other three Beatles are more optimistic, though. They all believe that the band can work together again, even if it doesn't feel that way now. But the court sides with Paul,

and in January 1975, the breakup of the Beatles is made official. In the ensuing years, promoters offer up multi-million dollar deals in hopes of enticing the band to get together for a concert, a tour, or even a new album. But all hopes of a reunion are brought to an end on December 8, 1980, when John Lennon is gunned down outside his New York City apartment. And while Paul, Ringo, and George will go on to collaborate on other projects in the years that follow, John's death means that there will be no more Beatles albums after Let It Be was released on May 8th, 197. Next on History Daily.

The Soviets celebrate victory day one day after the Nazis surrender, bringing an end to World War II in Europe. From Noisor and Airship, this is History Daily. Hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham. Audio editing by Molly Bond. Sound designed by Gabriel Gould.

Supervising sound designer, Matthew Filler. Music by Thrun. This episode is written and researched by Rob Scrag. Edited by Joel Callan, managing producer Emily Burke, executive producer, are William Simpson for airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.