« Back to Top Level | Beatles, The

The Beatles - The Twickenham Sessions (Disc 2) (1970)

Track listing:
  1. Two Of Us 0:34
  2. Two Of Us 1:25
  3. When The Saints Go Marching In 0:34
  4. Two Of Us 2:26
  5. Hear Me Lord 0:16
  6. Across The Universe 3:36
  7. Across The Universe 0:05
  8. All Things Must Pass 3:25
  9. All Things Must Pass 2:28
  10. Let's Dance 0:56
  11. All Things Must Pass 0:38
  12. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window 1:43
  13. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window 1:06
  14. Carry That Weight 1:14
  15. The Long And Winding Road 2:05
  16. Across The Universe 0:53
  17. Rock And Roll Music 2:07
  18. Lucille 1:23
  19. Across The Universe 3:42
  20. Gone, Gone, Gone 2:10
  21. Dig A Pony 1:28
  22. The One After 909 0:50

Notes

TWICKENHAM SET DISC 2:
"YOU BETTER TAKE CONTROL JOHN!"


As the sessions for the 6th continue, it becomes clear that frustrations are running high. The boys just can't seem to make much of anything happen to their liking. The infamous George vs. Paul argument (a portion of which is seen in the finished movie Let It Be) takes place just prior to the point in time where the tape for this disc begins (DDSI 6.36). Patience has been tried; over both the music and the live show concepts. This blow out is basically the result of a clash in George and Paul's working styles (with John's lack of participation, even on his own compositions, not helping matters either). Almost everything that follows has a tenseness about it. Even the oldies jams do not seem to help.

As Disc 2 opens, the band is still trying their hand at "Two Of Us". They eventually move on to revisit "Across The Universe", which (unlike the tape referenced by DDSI) is complete here. Though John cannot remember the words, he truly wishes to re-record the song "better" than the original '68 version.

It's now George's turn. The band has been attempting "All Things Must Pass". Paul offers a truly annoying harmony part throughout, which may or may not be obnoxious on purpose - perhaps in a bid to throw George's working style right back in his face. Eventually, John's organ playing reminds him of the old Chris Montez hit "Let's Dance".

The session comes to a close with a lackluster, yet competent, run-though of "Bathroom Window". Apparently worried by the tone of the day's session, Michael feels the need to remind them on their way out that they need to show up at 10:10 the next day!

Unfortunately, the mood does not improve with the dawn of a new day. The morning begins as it almost always does, with Paul playing the piano while he waits for the others to arrive. Among the tunes offered up is a piano piece that he will revisit a few times during the sessions. He would eventually record this piece later in his solo career as "King Of The Birds".

It should be noted that a large portion of this day's session was spent discussing the various scenarios for the live show. Michael wants to traipse off to various exotic locations. Ringo is dead set against going abroad. George is generally pessimistic about almost any idea - period. John is notably absent from most of the conversations. Paul has quite a few ideas, but he wants a decision from the others ASAP. At one point. McCartney goes so far as to ask the others why they even "bother showing up" if they don't want to do the show. Typically ... he gets no response. Later in the conversations, the self-evident uselessness of it all brings up not only aborting the project, but the band as well! Even this doomsday approach does not draw John into the conversations! After all of this, they finally - somehow - get down to some music.

This disc picks up the action with an uninspired attempt at "I've Got a Feeling". The version of "Oh Darling" is quite good. considering that it seems to have been impromptu. A bit of Elvis Presley's "One Night" even gets thrown into the middle. It is interesting to note that the run through of "Maxwell ..." features a middle eight in a waltz tempo, which Paul quickly trashes.

More warm-up oldies follow, which precede the band's attempt to go over "Across The Universe''. John still does not have his lyric sheet, and can't even remember the first line. He complains that it isn't up-tempo enough, and that they need more "rockers", while quickly admitting that he's just too tired to write one himself. Once the lyrics arrive, the rehearsals for this song still manage to go nowhere. Paul warns him to "take control", and John responds by reverting to an oldie in the tempo that he sorely desires! Despite John's efforts, it does little to lift the next attempt at "Universe" out of the doldrums.

Moving on to "Dig A Pony" results in a similar stagnant performance.
Only " One After 909" holds promise. But the band plays on.