Live Performance - January 30, 1969
From BeatlesWiki
| Event | |
| Date | January 30, 1969 |
| Short description | The Rooftop Performance. |
| Location | 3 Savile Row |
The Beatles performed live for the first time since August 29, 1966 on the rooftop of Apple Studios on 3 Savile Row. It would also be the last live performance. The idea to perform on a rooftop was first conceived on January 26. They performed for forty-two minutes until the police made them stop playing. About half of this concert appears in the Let It Be film. Despite rumors, not everybody liked the idea of giving a free show on the Apple rooftop. It took until lunchtime that day for Ringo to agree on the idea.
Contents |
[edit] Setting Up
It took a long time to set up the equipment. Engineer Alan Parsons recalls a problem with the microphones, "They said they were going up on the roof to play, and we sent lines down and recorded it in the basement studio. But Glyn Johns thought that there was going to be a problem with wind going into the mikes. So he sent me out to buy some stockings, or pantyhose. So there I was in this local ladies-wear shop saying, ‘Give me a pair of ladies stockings.’ The clerk said, ‘Yes sir. What size?’ And I said, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ I think she thought I was going to rob a bank or something."
[edit] The Performance
- Get Back. Michael Lindsay-Hogg shouts "All Cameras, Take One!" A polite audience watched. This audience reminded Paul of a cricket match. He stepped back from the microphone and said something about Ted Dexter (a cricket player). John says "We've had a request from Martin Luther."
- Get Back. In the film, it is an edit of this performance and the first one. John says "Had a request for Daisy, Morris, and Tommy.
- Don't Let Me Down
- I've Got A Feeling The only song during the performance that George can be heard singing.
- One After 909 John sings a line of the 1913 song Danny Boy
- Dig A Pony John says "Thank you brothers...Hands too cold to play." Phil Spector edited out the "All I Want Is..." lines included at the beginning and the end of the song. On the eight-track tape, a rehearsal of the song was done first, with John asking for the lyrics. It shows an assistant with a clipboard kneeling in front of John in the film.
- God Save The Queen Alan Parsons changes tapes while The Beatles run through this song quickly. Suprisingly, even though the tape was not running whil this song was playing, a recording of it has surfaced on bootlegs, possibly self-recorded by a member of the audience.
- I've Got A Feeling Not in the record or film.
- Don't Let Me Down Not on the record or film.
- Get Back Paul ad-libs "You've been playing on the roofs again and your Momma doesn't like it, she's gonna have you arrested!" Paul sees Ringo's wife Maureen cheering and says "Thanks, Mo." John then interrupts "I'd like to say Thank You On behalf of the group and I hope we passed the audition."
[edit] Police Interaction
Because they were making noise, the people in the neighborhood complained. "It was disgraceful!," said the person that complained, "I want this bloody noise stopped. All hell has let loose. We are not amused. Work came to a standstill and our switchboard operators couldn’t hear themselves think." As John Kosh remembered, "When the police raided the building there was a whole chorus of toilets being flushed. Ten minutes before the raid, someone called from Savile Row police station saying, ‘You’ve got ten minutes.’ So we knew they were coming and everyone was ready for it… the toilets had been securely flushed by then… there was all sorts of stuff around."
[edit] Mixing and release
Glyn Jons mixed the songs into stereo in the studio at Olympic Studios from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM that night. Apple released promotional clips to Get Back with the rooftop performance synched to the studio recording.
[edit] Recorded On This Date
- Get Back, rehearsal (Bootlegs)
- Get Back, warmup)
- I Want You (She's So Heavy), warmup (Bootlegs)
- Get Back (Bootlegs)
- Don't Let Me Down (Bootlegs)
- I've Got A Feeling (Let It Be)
- One After 909, warmup (Bootlegs)
- One After 909 (Let It Be)
- Danny Boy (Let It Be, Bootlegs)
- Dig A Pony, warmup (Bootlegs)
- Dig A Pony (Bootlegs (in unedited form), Let It Be (in edited form))
- God Save The Queen (Bootlegs)
- I've Got A Feeling (Bootlegs)
- A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody (Bootlegs)
- Get Back, warmup (Bootlegs)
- Don't Let Me Down (Bootlegs)
- Get Back (Anthology 3, Bootlegs)
