A$# 017 Beatles | Abbey Road

Abbey Road is the Beatles' greatest achievement, and the best album in the universe. Well, at least you know up front how I feel about this marvellous, fantastic, superlative, magnificent, excellent, incomparable, awesome, wonderful album. And I like it too.

It was the second last to be released, but the last recorded, a fitting end, an amazing apex to a career and a body of work that is unparalleled in the world of music, a phenomenon that will not ever be matched. After the arguments and tension of the White Album, after the feuds of the Get Back / Let It Be sessions, in the middle of the meltdown of their business arrangements, and during the mutual estrangements all four were feeling, they recorded one last masterpiece during the spring and summer of 1969.

It's more than the sum of its parts. And its parts are the best.

Come Together - John's cryptic lyrics and driving beat fuel this rocker to start off things on a great note.

Something - By this time, George had really hit his stride as a songwriter, and he delivered one of the finest love songs of all time.

Maxwell's Silver Hammer - Paul is capable of being whimsical, and likes having a bit of fun.

Oh! Darling - He's also capable of doing roat-thripping rockers, and this is a great one.

Octopus's Garden - Ringo's second solo composition (after Don't Pass Me By on the White Album) is a fitting aquatic follow-up to Yellow Submarine.

I Want You (She's So Heavy) - John's lyrical simplicity goes along one of the hardest rocking arrangements of any Fab song.

Here Comes the Sun - George's piece de resistance. My favourite song on my favourite album. More about this tomorrow.

Because - Wonderful harmony vocals in John's song

Then the famous side-2 medley begins

You Never Give Me Your Money - Is this Paul's comments on the fractured busines relations with his Beatle partners?

Sun King / Mean Mr. Mustard / Polythene Pam / She Came in Through the Bathroom Window - They're all pieces of songs, but put together, they just fit together like movements of a symphony.

Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight /The End - The fit continues with these three segments, put together to make one of the most brilliant pieces of pop music ever recorded. It's got Ringo's drum solo, guitar licks from Paul, George and John, and the famous lines "And in the end / The love you take / Is equal to / The love you make".

Her Majesty - The hidden track that extended the ending of side 2, counterpointing with the sudden end of IWY(SSH) on side 1.

If you do not have this album, you must buy it.

Track listing:
1. Come Together
2. Something
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer
4. Oh! Darling
5. Octopus's Garden
6. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
7. Here Comes the Sun
8. Because
9. You Never Give Me Your Money
10. Sun King
11. Mean Mr. Mustard
12. Polythene Pam
13. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
14. Golden Slumbers
15. Carry That Weight
16. The End
17. Her Majesty