4 Beatles Songs That Foreshadowed the End of the Band
Many of The Beatles’ fans were shocked and devastated when the band announced they were splitting up. However, behind the scenes, it was inevitable as tensions between the band members rose. While it’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason why The Beatles called it quits, there are a few songs that hint at their dissolution.
‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’
“The Ballad of John and Yoko” was a single released in 1969 that chronicled the events of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s wedding, along with their honeymoon activities that included the infamous “bed-in” peace protests. The track featured only Lennon and Paul McCartney. George Harrison and Ringo Starr didn’t skip the track out of spite but because it felt like a track specifically for Lennon.
While this song didn’t create turmoil within The Beatles, it was a sign that Lennon was becoming more interested in creating music with Yoko rather than his fellow bandmates. In Anthology, producer George Martin said “The Ballad of John and Yoko” was evidence that John Lennon had already “mentally left the group.”
“It was hardly a Beatle track,” Martin said. “It was a kind of thin end of the wedge, as far as they were concerned. John had already mentally left the group anyway, and I think that was just the beginning of it all.”
‘I Me Mine’
George Harrison often felt like the most ignored member of The Beatles. Songs written by Lennon or McCartney typically got priority. During the Let it Be sessions, Harrison was becoming fed up with the lack of effort with his songs. He was also annoyed by the divisive atmosphere as McCartney and Lennon argued over the album’s direction.
Harrison wrote “I Me Mine” to reflect the tensions within the band and frustration toward Apple Corps. When he pitched the song to The Beatles, it was met with indifference and even mocked by Lennon, who didn’t play on the track. “I Me Mine” can be seen as the straw that broke the camel’s back for Harrison, as he wanted to move on to his solo career where he could be creatively liberated.
‘Get Back’
“Get Back” is a rare song that features another artist credited with The Beatles. The track includes keyboardist Billy Preston, who contributed to several other songs during the “Get Back” sessions. George Harrison had worked with the piano player before and invited him to play with the band to cool down tensions in the room.
“Billy didn’t know all the politics and the games that had been going on, so in his innocence, he got stuck in and gave an extra little kick to the band,” he added. “Everybody was happier to have somebody else playing, and it made what we were doing more enjoyable. We all played better, and it was a great session.”
‘The Long and Winding Road’
“The Long and Winding Road” was the final single released by The Beatles and their last No. 1 hit. Unfortunately, the song might have been what broke them apart. Paul McCartney wrote the track, and the recording featured him on piano, with John Lennon making a rare bass appearance. Lennon wasn’t a great bass player, so the track left a lot to be desired.
After The Beatles selected Alan Klein as their new manager, Lennon, and Klein brought in producer Phil Spector to do some touch-ups to “Let it Be.” Many of his changes were acceptable to the other members, but Paul McCartney was outraged by the changes he made to “The Long and Winding Road”. Shortly after, McCartney officially petitioned to break up The Beatles, with the unapproved changes to this song being one of his primary reasons.
While footage from The Beatles: Get Back documentary can provide further insight into how the band grew apart, the history of these four songs can provide insight into what led to the great divorce.
