The Beatles, ‘1969 Recordings’ (Goldies GS2001CD1/2)
One After 909 – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / I’m Ready – «Get Back» LP May 1969 (0:46) (previously called “Rocker” on bootlegs of this album) / Save The Last Dance For Me/Don’t Let Me Down – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Don’t Let Me Down – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Dig A Pony – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / I’ve Got A Feeling – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Get Back – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / For You Blue – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Teddy Boy – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Two Of Us – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Maggie Mae – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Dig It – «Get Back» LP May 1969 Let It Be – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / The Long And Winding Road – «Get Back» LP May 1969 / Get Back – Reprise – «Get Back» LP May 1969
All Things Must Pass – Rehearsal 3 January 1969 / I Me Mine – 8 January 1969 / Suzy Parker (aka Suzy’s Parlour) – 9 January 1969 / Oh! Darling – Paul’s solo performance / Don’t Let Me Down – 22 January 1969 / Two Of Us – 24 January 1969 / I Lost My Little Girl – 24 January 1969 / For You Blue – Take 1 – 25 January 1969 / For You Blue – Take 3 – 25 January 1969 / For You Blue – Take 4 – 25 January 1969 / For You Blue – Take 11 – 25 January 1969 / For You Blue – Take 13 – 25 January 1969 (79:35)
Disk two;
28. Let It Be – 26 January 1969 / Medley: Rip It Up/Shake, Rattle and Roll – 26 January 1969 / Medley: Kansas City/Miss Ann/Lawdy Miss Clawdy – 26 January 1969 / Blue Suede Shoes – 26 January 1969 / I Told You Before – 26. January 1969 / The Walk – 27 January 1969 / I’ve Got A Feeling – 27 January 1969 / Get Back – 27 January 1969 / Dig A Pony – 28 January 1969 / Something – 28 January 1969 / One After 909 – 29 January 1969 / Medley: Cannonball/Not Fade Away/Hey Little Girl/Bo Diddley – 30 January 1969 / Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues – 29 January 1969 / Get Back – First Roof Performance – 30 January 1969 / Get Back – Second Roof Performance – 30 January 1969 / Don’t Let Me Down – First Roof Performance – 30 January 1969 / God Save The Queen – Roof Performance – 30 January 1969 / I’ve Got A Feeling – Second Roof Performance – 30 January 1969 / Don’t Let Me Down – Second Roof Performance – 30 January 1969 / The Long And Winding Road – 31 January 1969 / All Things Must Pass – George’s Demo / Something – Take 37 (79:27)
Sometime in 2020 an unlisted playlist appeared on streaming service Spotify. Interestingly enough, it wasn’t listed under the artists name, ‘The Beatles’ but was instead searchable under it’s own title, ‘1969 Recordings’ – The Daily Beatle wrote a comprehensive overview of the collection stating that there was the strong possibility that the collection was produced as copyright cover in the face of the reissued ‘Let It Be’ film alongside Peter Jackson’s new compilation, ‘Get Back’. Unplayable now, it only hinted at what was behind the tracks when it was initially ‘live’.
So while that part has been covered already, we’re here to let you know what’s on the Bootleg instead. It would appear from the first listen that the label have either managed to strip these tracks straight from Spotify (If that’s, indeed, doable, though few of the session tracks have the same track timings as the Daily Beatle post) or have at least had a listen to the tracks prior to and made their own compilation – As the Daily Beatle points out, it’s the second of the Glyn Johns compilation that has been included here and it sounds very much like it has been taken from a cleaned up acetate or a previous bootleg.
The tell tale signs are there like a wobbly, oversaturated sound on the bottom end – Don’t get me wrong, it sounds like a bootleg and if I’m listening to a bootleg, that’s what I want – that the acetate or tape were always taken from multitrack tape in a wonderful broad stereo was a blessing. It would make me believe that this was the bootleggers work as opposed to Apple putting something out that they must have the access to (Surely a new compilation would be easy to mould if you still have those tapes?), but then maybe Apple just grabbed the first thing they had to hand and put it out to claim some reference over when the album actually drops.
To anyone who hasn’t heard this mix, it’s nigh on perfect – All the studio chatter is complete, the songs are well chosen versions, it’s un-Spectored. It is essentially everything you should want of this album.
The rest of the outtakes are possibly not a revelation to anyone who has sat through Vigotone’s ‘Thirty Days’ or Yellow Dog’s ‘Day By Day’ series and yet, they are. Taken from multi tracks in stereo or in solid mono with crystal clear clarity, these snippets of golden opportunity are brilliant. From a solo Paul rendition of ‘Oh! Darling’, a George led rehearsal of ‘All Things Must Pass’, the complete ‘Suzy Parker’, a beautiful parred down ‘Two Of Us’, a late month revival of the country version of ‘Lost My Little Girl’ which is very funny (Paging Mr. Jackson! I hope you’ve got visuals to this one),
A stunning barebones rendition of ‘Let It Be’ (with an unfortunate Nagra tape beep in the middle), a pair of groovy oldies jams that we’ve had from time immemorial, the accomplice to “Dig It” that is ‘I Told You Before” – All 8 minutes of it! – with a early draft of ‘Something’ while John helps with harmonies (Another 8 minutes of rehearsals).
The disk wraps with a few of the rooftop performances – not all the best ones – ‘God Save The Queen’ comes from the control room rushes after the concert, ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ is the second version – The one after the cold has set in. One of the final performances of ‘The Long And Winding Road’ then a couple of George demos that take us closer to “Abbey Road”, as opposed to “Get Back”. A strange choice but maybe something that Apple is considering for the release .. (To be noted, take 37 of ‘Something’ doesn’t feature the extended jam at the end.)
The covers are very simple but beautifully concise. A picture of one of the Get Back acetates on the front set over some of the recording logs, the back is a white text on black.
Two disks at over 70 minutes each is exceptional value for money. Whether you’re curious about picking something up to accompany the film coming out or you want everything again in a format that that’s far easier to play in the car – This set is fantastic and well worth seeking out.
