A pit stop on the drive through the 60s

The golden gooey sun peeks its curious rays over the horizon, its honeypot center desperate to see its sickly sweet honey blanket hills, drench trees and rooftops, and lodge itself into the crevices of whatever it lays its drunken eyes upon. It is impatient to see its honey coursing through neighborhoods like the blood in veins, readily waiting for its cue to rise, to see the curtains sweep and create a border for its grand entrance, waiting to seep into our skin. The fringes of the sun poke our eyes as it soaks into our home, ready to conquer the world with its sticky fingers.

Familiar with the sun’s infectious honey, George Harrison wrote what is possibly one of the most globally known songs and what is the star of the Beatles’ album Abbey Road, Here Comes the Sun. Despite its ability to hold its own, being analyzed on its lonesome, neglecting the rest of the album would rob from the experience of the song.

Released on September 26, 1969, Abbey Road wasted no time becoming popular. Becoming an instant classic, this album receives praise from many and insults from few. A listener’s first impression is the album cover; sufficiently iconic on its own. The seemingly normal background is juxtaposed with their synchronized walking and incoherent outfits.

Each member is seen to be wearing something completely different from the other members, Paul McCartney being pictured without shoes. Judging a book from its cover, or rather, in this case, an album from its cover wouldn’t be too misleading. The album cover shows the time period it was released while the songs themselves have become synonymous with the 60s. It could be argued that this is because of the album itself and its contribution to the genre of rock.

Sir Paul McCartney describes this album as “the way we used to do it.” The Beatles’ penultimate album does “the way we used to do it” better than what he was actually referring to. This album is littered with great songs. Their clingy lyrics and melodies latch themselves onto you. As with all albums, this album should be listened to in order. Listening to the album in such a way allows for the story the artist or artists intended to be understood to be felt. Abbey Road is no different.

With this in mind, the A-side is considerably different from the B-side. Referring to the B-side, band member John Lennon said, “I never liked that sort of pop opera on the other side. I think it’s junk.” However, I find that the B-side is better. Featuring songs like Here Comes the Sun, Because, You Never Give Me Your Money, Sun King, Mean Mr. Mustard, and She Came through the Bathroom Window, this side was more enjoyable to listen to.

Still, there were many songs that stand out on A-side. Honestly, something good can be said about each song on this album. This album also allows members to express themselves in ways they couldn’t with previous works. We see Ringo Starr’s writing with Octopus’s Garden and McCartney’s vocal range in Oh! Darling. Like with Octopus’s Garden, we see playful songs like Maxwell’s Hammer.

In addition, The Beatles were innovators in the recording of music itself. They took unique approaches to recording, which is partially what separates them from similar bands.  Pitchfork, a media company specializing in music, rates this album a 10. Although I did enjoy the album, I wouldn’t agree. Still, it’s important to recognize that this album was crucial in rock history and is the reason that there are better albums that exist today.

This album is a great introduction to rock music, but it is important to remember that The Beatles neither created the genre nor were they the pioneers. If someone is unfamiliar with the genre or wants to understand the roots of rock, they should refer to artists like Chuck Berry who is credited as one of the first rock musicians. They could also listen to BB King and Muddy Waters, who are blues and jazz musicians that are known for being inspirations to future rock stars.

Without this album, the state of rock music would be much different. This album shows what The Beatles were capable of creating before their ultimate break up. They explore abilities that they had yet to show and were paramount in the improvement of recording songs. In the words of Harrison: It’s alright.