Helter Skelter / Blackbird
Sometime in mid June (probably around the 11th or 13th of June), The Beatles were briefly captured working on an acoustic ‘Helter Skelter’ and, for a little longer, Paul solo on ‘Blackbird’. These were taped for a 10-minute Promo Film on the newly-formed ‘Apple’ organisation (also on the film is Mary Hopkin performing ‘In The Morning’ in Paul’s garden, with both Paul and his dog Martha sitting nearby).
17-07-68 – ‘Yellow Submarine’ movie (UK)
Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby / All Together Now (version #1) / When I’m 64 / Only A Northern Song / Nowhere Man / Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds / Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / With A Little Help From My Friends / All You Need Is Love / Hey Bulldog / It’s All Too Much / All Together Now (version #2)
First commissioned in the tail-end of 1966, ‘Yellow Submarine’ is a truly brilliant animated movie, featuring cartoon caricatures of The Beatles during their ‘Sgt. Pepper’ / ‘All You Need Is Love’ phase. By the summer of 1968 it must’ve already looked dated, but despite this it has stood the test of time remarkably well, certainly more so than ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ has done. ‘Yellow Submarine’ and ‘All Together Now’ (version #2) are in ‘Anthology’, while ‘Eleanor Rigby’ is used as a ‘video’ on ‘1+’.
30-07-68 – Studio Rehearsals, EMI Studios, London (UK)
Hey Jude
Filmed for a various artists documentary entitled ‘Music!’, this captures The Beatles working on their next single ‘Hey Jude’. Unlike some of the sessions from 1968 and 1969, this captures them in good spirits, though as George wasn’t needed at this point he stayed in the control room with George Martin.
00-09-68 – Promo Video
Hey Jude
With the UK miming ban still in place, The Beatles chose to make videos with live vocals for both sides of their forthcoming single. Taped over several takes on 04-09-68, 2 versions were issued at the time. One of these (along with a specially filmed intro to make it look like they were actually in the show’s studio) was broadcast in the UK on ‘Frost On Sunday’ on 08-09-68 and ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 12-09-68, 26-09-68, 10-10-68, 26-12-68 and, to promote a reissue, on 01-04-76. In the US, an alternate video was shown on ‘The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour’ on 06-10-68, while a new edit is on ‘Anthology’, and two versions are on ‘1+’.
00-09-68 – Promo Video
Revolution
Taped the same day as ‘Hey Jude’ on 04-09-68, this exciting live vocal recording was issued in two, similar, versions. One was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 19-09-68, with the other one on ‘The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour’ on 13-10-68. Further edits, again similar to the others, are on ‘Anthology’ and ‘1+’.
25-12-68 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ Video #3 (UK) – MISSING/LOST
Hello Goodbye
Along with another broadcast of the ‘Lady Madonna’ video, ‘Top Of The Pops’ put together yet another video for ‘Hello Goodbye’ specially for this edition, though, using dubbed stock footage of a railway, it was the least interesting of them all.
The ‘Get Back’/’Let It Be’ sessions in January 1969 are, at the same time, the most frustrating, complicated, disappointing and fascinating period of their career. These are divided into two distinct sections: from 02-01-69 to 15-01-69, they were filmed at London’s Twickenham Film Studios, then, after a 6-day break, they reconvened at the Apple Studios in Saville Row, London. It should be emphasised that the Twickenham sessions were only for film purposes, and none of the songs practised/jammed/performed here were ever intended to be featured on official singles or albums. Below is a list of all that is known to be circulating, officially and (mostly) unofficially among fans and collectors. This is but a drop in the ocean of what really exists: estimates vary wildly, but a 2018 official figure is around 55 hours. Some of the songs listed below are just brief, off-key, clips, and some other takes were later featured as Promo Videos and/or as part of the 1970 ‘Let It Be’ movie and/or ‘Anthology’, but below is a full list of all confirmed surviving footage.
02-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
Don't Let Me Down / I've Got A Feeling / Two Of Us
03-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
Adios For Strings / Don't Let Me Down / All Things Must Pass / Maxwell's Silver Hammer
‘Adios For Strings’ and ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ are featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie.
06-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
Oh! Darling / Don't Let Me Down (2 takes) / Two Of Us
‘Oh! Darling’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ (take 1) are featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie, while ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ is featured in the Promo Video for the song.
07-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
Get Back / Maxwell's Silver Hammer / Across The Universe / Dig A Pony
‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’, ‘Across The Universe’ and ‘Dig A Pony’ are featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie.
08-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
I Me Mine (take 1) / Two Of Us / I've Got A Feeling / All Things Must Pass / I Me Mine (take 2)
‘I Me Mine’ (takes 1 and 2), ‘Two Of Us’ and ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ are featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie, and ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ is in ‘Anthology’.
09-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
Two Of Us / Suzy Parker / I've Got A Feeling / One After 909 / Get Back / Tennessee / House Of The Rising Sun / Commonwealth
‘Two Of Us’, ‘Suzy Parker’ and ‘One After 909’ are featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie.
10-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
Get Back / Jamming [with Yoko Ono]
With tensions between the group escalating, on this day George (temporarily) quit the band, just as Ringo had done during ‘The White Album’ sessions a few months earlier. Remarkably, the other 3 continued rehearsing without him, not only on this day, but again on the 13th and 14th.
14-01-69 – Twickenham Film Studios, London (UK)
Piano Boogie
‘Piano Boogie’ is featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie, though in this context it’s impossible to guess The Beatles were still a 3-piece.
21-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
My Baby Left Me / Dig A Pony / Don’t Let Me Down
They were now in a new location, and with George back in the band, though the playing often remained scrappy.
22-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Dig A Pony
From this day until the end of the sessions on 31-01-69, organist Billy Preston would join them, resulting in an improved atmosphere, and, much of the time, improved playing.
23-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Jamming [with Yoko Ono] / Get Back / I’ll Get You / I’ve Got A Feeling / Help! (take 1) / Please Please Me / Help! (take 2)
24-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Jamming / Get Back
25-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Two Of Us / For You Blue (3 takes) / Let It Be
‘For You Blue’ (take 3) is featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie, with the song also in ‘Anthology’.
26-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Octopus's Garden / Let It Be / Dig it / Medley: Shake Rattle and Roll - Miss Ann - Kansas City - Lawdy Miss Clawdy / You Really Got A Hold On Me / Jamming / The Long and Winding Road
‘Octopus’s Garden’, ‘Dig It’, ‘Medley: Shake Rattle and Roll - Miss Ann - Kansas City - Lawdy Miss Clawdy’, ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me’ and ‘The Long and Winding Road’ are all featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie.
27-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Dig It / Let It Be / Jamming / Get Back / I've Got A Feeling
‘Get Back’ is in ‘Anthology’.
28-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Jamming / I've Got A Feeling / I Want You
29-01-69
– Apple Studios, London (UK)
All Things Must Pass / Besame Mucho
30-01-69 – Apple Studios (Rooftop), London (UK)
Get Back (takes 1 and 2) / Don't Let Me Down (take 1) / I've Got A Feeling (take 1) / One After 909 / I Dig A Pony / God Save The Queen (Instrumental) / I’ve Got A Feeling (take 2) / Don’t Let Me Down (take 2) / Get Back (take 3)
Performing live for the last time, albeit to an audience that mostly can only hear them, this was the highlight of the ‘Let It Be’ movie. ‘Get Back’ (an edit of takes 1 and 2), ‘Don't Let Me Down’ (take 1), ‘I've Got A Feeling’ (take 1), ‘One After 909’, ‘I Dig A Pony’ and ‘Get Back’ (take 3) are featured in ‘Let It Be’, and ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ and ‘Get Back’ are included in the Promo Videos for the songs.
31-01-69 – Apple Studios, London (UK)
Two Of Us / The Long and Winding Road / Let It Be
‘Two Of Us’, ‘The Long and Winding Road’ and ‘Let It Be’ are featured in the ‘Let It Be’ movie, with the latter two songs also in both ‘Anthology’ and ‘1+’.
00-04-69 – Promo Video
Get Back
Although featuring footage from the 30-01-69 rooftop concert, the actual audio for both the single album versions of ‘Get Back’ was taped on 28-01-69. Credited to ‘The Beatles with Billy Preston’, ‘Get Back’ b/w ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ got to No. 1 in both the UK and US. The video was broadcast on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 17-04-69, 24-04-69, 08-05-69, 15-05-69, 22-05-69, 25-12-69, and, promoting a reissue, on 15-04-76, while in the USA, it was shown on ‘The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour’ on 30-04-69. The video is in ‘Anthology’ and on ‘1+’.
00-04-69 – Promo Video
Don’t Let Me Down
Featuring footage from 06-01-69 and 30-01-69, and audio from 28-01-69, this video was shown on ‘The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour’ on 30-04-69. Again, it is on both ‘Anthology’ and ‘1+’.
01-05-69 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ (UK) – THE GO-JO’S – MISSING/LOST
Get Back
As well as making low-budget, and often low-quality videos when artists were unable or unwilling to appear on the show, from the late ‘60s onwards they often used their resident dance troupes. Featured here are the show’s first dancers, The Go-Jo’s.
29-05-69 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ (UK) – THE GO-JO’S – MISSING/LOST
Get Back
This is probably a repeat of the 01-05-69 performance.
00-05-69 – Promo Video
The Ballad Of John and Yoko
Although ‘The Ballad Of John and Yoko’ was a decent enough song, it didn’t make that great a Beatles single, as only two of the group (John and Paul) play on it, and of course lyrically it’s about John’s (and Yoko’s) personal lives. Featuring a mixture of footage from the recent movie sessions with clips of John and Yoko, the video is fine, though like the record there’s very little of The Beatles in it. A UK No. 1 and US No. 8, it was broadcast in the UK on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 05-06-69, 12-06-69, 26-06-69 and 26-12-69, and in the USA on ‘The Music Scene’ on 22-09-69. It can be seen on both ‘Anthology’ and ‘1+’.
19-06-69 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ (UK) – PAN’S PEOPLE – MISSING/LOST
The Ballad Of John and Yoko
By now ‘Top Of The Pops’ featured its most famous dance troupe Pan’s People, who did a routine for The Beatles’ latest single.
00-10-69 – Promo Video
Something
The last promo video to be made while The Beatles were still together as a group, it is also one of their best, featuring every member with their respective spouses, despite the fact that they were all filmed separately. Stalling at No. 4 in the UK but reaching No. 1 in the USA, it was broadcast, as an early edit with alternate footage in place of the later Paul and Linda scenes, on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 13-11-69, and can be found in its more common form on both ‘Anthology’ and ‘1+’.
00-03-70 – Promo Video
Let It Be
Although recorded well over a year earlier, the ‘Let It Be’ single and album/movie of the same name wasn’t issued until the spring of 1970. Filmed at the same 31-01-69 session as the performance in the movie, the promo video features alternate footage. A UK No. 2 and US No. 1, it was broadcast on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 05-03-70 and 19-03-70, and on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ on 01-03-70.
13-05-70 – ‘Let It Be’ movie (UK)
Adagio For Strings / Don't Let Me Down (version #1) / Maxwell's Silver Hammer / Two Of Us (version #1) / I've Got A Feeling (version #1) / Oh! Darling / One After 909 (version #1) / Piano Boogie / Across The Universe / Dig A Pony (version #1) / Suzy Parker / I Me Mine / For Your Blue / Besame Mucho / Octopus's Garden / You've Really Got A Hold Of Me / The Long and Winding Road (version #1) / Medley: Rip It Up - Shake Rattle And Roll / Medley: Kansas City - Miss Ann - Lawdy Miss Clawdy / Dig It / Two Of Us (version #2) / Let It Be / The Long and Winding Road (version #2) / Get Back (version #1) / Don't Let Me Down (version #2) / I've Got A Feeling (version #2) / One After 909 (version #2) / Dig A Pony (version #2) / Get Back (version #2) / Get Back (version #3, audio only, over credits)
Unlike ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, ‘Help!’, ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ and ‘Yellow Submarine’, there has never been an official DVD release for the ‘Let It Be’ movie, allegedly held up by the estates of both John Lennon and George Harrison, the two who probably disliked it the most. As at time of writing, rumours abound of an imminent DVD release featuring both the original movie and a new ‘Director’s cut’, but there have been many rumours before. ‘The Long and Winding Road’ was released as a US single, where it got to No. 1, and the performance from the ‘Let It Be’ movie is on the ‘1+’ DVD.
25-03-76 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ (UK) – PAN’S PEOPLE
Yesterday
With a successful reissue / re-promotion campaign for The Beatles singles under way, EMI also took the opportunity to issue ‘Yesterday’ as a UK single for the first time. Pan’s People do a suitably graceful dance to this song for ‘Top Of The Pops’.
08-04-76 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ (UK) – PAN’S PEOPLE
Paperback Writer
One of Pan’s People’s more literal routines, here they somehow manage the difficult task of doing an energetic dance while ‘reading’ books.
1976/1968 – Promo Video #1
Back In The U.S.S.R.
The first ‘new’ Beatles single since 1970 was the 8-year-old ‘The White Album’ track ‘Back In The U.S.S.R’, released to promote the ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Music’ compilation. 2 different edits of this video were released.
15-07-76 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ (UK) – RUBY FLIPPER
Back In The U.S.S.R.
By now, Pan’s People had been replaced by the male/female dance troupe Ruby Flipper, though, due to their unpopularity, they would be replaced by another all-female group, ‘Legs & Co.’, by the end of the year. Here they do an unappealing routine while wearing traditional Russian dress.
1982/1964-1969 – Promo Video
Movie Medley
In 1982 a medley of hits was released, both to counteract the ‘Stars Over 45’ medleys charting at this time, and to promote the ‘Reel Music’ compilation, and it got to No. 10 in the UK and No. 12 in the US charts. Featuring clips from their movies, the video was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 24-06-82.
1982/1963 – Promo Video
Love Me Do
Throughout the ‘80s, on the 20th anniversary of their original releases, all of the UK singles were reissued and re-promoted. ‘Love Me Do’, the most successful of these, had 3 different edits for the promo video, though they were all based on the ‘The Mersey Sound’ performance, originally broadcast on 09-10-63. The video was broadcast on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 14-10-82 and 28-10-82, and is on the ‘1+’ DVD.
1983/1964 – Promo Video
Please Please Me
Based on a performance in Washington D.C. on 11-02-64, again, 3 similar edits were made. One of these
was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 27-01-83.
1984/1964 – Promo Video
I Want To Hold Your Hand
This time the 20th anniversary video featured 2 different edits, but, with interest fast waning, this was the last ‘new’ Beatles video to be released during the ‘80s.
01-06-87 – ‘It Was Twenty Years Ago Today’ (UK)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
To mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album, a 2-hour documentary was broadcast in the UK, though in the US it wasn’t shown until 11-11-87. Featuring new interviews with Paul and George, the highlight was a clever animated video featuring the album cover. It can also be seen in ‘Anthology’.
1994/1963 – Promo Video #1
Baby It’s You
To promote the ‘Live At The BBC’ album, the single ‘Baby It’s You’ was released, and two, completely different, videos were made. This rare 1st version features footage from EMI Studios and ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ movie, as well as scenes of girls screaming. The single got to No. 7 in the UK, though only struggled to No. 67 in the USA.
1994/1963 – Promo Video #2
Baby It’s You
This 2nd video, featuring a combination of stills and 8mm colour footage, is the most widely see version, and was featured, in a slightly different edit, on ‘1+’.
00-11-95 – Promo Video
Free As A Bird
At the tail end of 1995, the surviving Beatles (quickly dubbed ‘The Threetles’ by fans), launched the mammoth ‘Anthology’ CD series, TV series (with VHS following in 1996 and DVD in 2003), and book (which was not actually published until 2000). What got the most media attention, however, were the two ‘new’ Beatles recordings. Consisting of late ‘70s John Lennon solo demos, over-dubbed, none too subtlety, by Paul, George and Ringo, the first of these was ‘Free As A Bird’. Getting to No. 2 in the UK and No. 6 in the USA, it is fair to say that this, and the follow-up ‘Real Love’, got a very mixed reaction. What is almost universally loved though is the promotional video for the song, a strong contender for the greatest music video of all time. Full of clues (some obvious, many cryptic) that reference various Beatles songs, the exact list is open to debate, but may or may not include (in chronological order) the following: Across The Universe / Flying / In My Life / Old Brown Shoe / I'm Only Sleeping / Here Comes The Sun / Rain / Come Together / Some Other Guy / Strawberry Fields Forever / Maxwell's Silver Hammer / Lady Madonna / I Am The Walrus / A Hard Day's Night / Taxman / Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da / Penny Lane / Polythene Pam / Do You Want To Know A Secret? / Help! / Why Don't We Do It In The Road? / Birthday / When I'm Sixty-Four / Dr. Robert / A Day In The Life / Don't Pass Me By / Penny Lane / I Am The Walrus / Helter Skelter / Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! / She Came In Through The Bathroom Window / Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds / Piggies / Happiness Is A Warm Gun / Paperback Writer / Eight Days A Week / One After 909 / A Day In The Life / Savoy Truffle / Penny Lane / Her Majesty / Revolution / Fixing A Hole / Yellow Submarine / Hey Bulldog / Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds / She's Leaving Home / Revolution / Yellow Submarine / Mean Mr. Mustard / The Ballad Of John & Yoko / I Me Mine / Let It Be / Magical Mystery Tour / The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill / Sexy Sadie / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / Let It Be / Eleanor Rigby / Martha My Dear / The Fool On The Hill / Blackbird / She's Leaving Home / The Long And Winding Road / Lovely Rita / A Hard Day's Night / The End. Premiered by special screenings by US TV’s ABC on 19-11-95 and the UK’s BBC the following night, the video was also shown on ‘Top of The Pops’ on 23-11-95, 30-11-95 and 14-12-95. It can be found on the ‘Anthology’ and ‘1+’ DVDs.
The Beatles- Tell Me What You See Page 5