A song featured on the masterpiece Abbey Road has a “funky” sound, according to its writer, John Lennon.
The Imagine hitmaker would reflect on his and The Beatles’ work on Abbey Road in the years to follow their break-up, and suggested Come Together was one of the best. While Lennon considered George Harrison‘s Something to be the “best track on the album”, he had high praise for his own work, and rightly so. Come Together would serve as the opening song and is considered one of the best songs in the band’s history. Everyone from Joe Cocker to Michael Jackson covered the song, while The Beatles producer George Martin would say the song serves as the best example of what the Fab Four could do together. Even Ringo Starr says it’s his favourite Beatles song.
Lennon would say of the song: “I think it’s pretty funky, y’know, I’m biased because it’s my song but I dig it. It just happened and there’s a nice funky sound on it.” Biased he may be, but it’s an opinion shared by Abbey Road’s producer and drummer.
Martin would say of the song: “If I had to pick one song that showed the four disparate talents of the boys and the ways they combined to make a great sound, I would choose ‘Come Together’. The original song is good, and with John’s voice it’s better.
“Then Paul has this idea for this great little riff. And Ringo hears that and does a drum thing that fits in, and that establishes a pattern that John leapt upon and did the [‘shoot me’] part. And then there’s George’s guitar at the end. The four of them became much, much better than the individual components.”
A first and fifth take of the song are featured on the Anthology release, a package of demoes released to celebrate the band’s history. A fourth volume will release later this year. Lennon would perform Come Together during his rare solo performances, with a concert at Madison Square Garden being the solo stretch of full-length performances he gave post-Beatles.
Said version appears on the Live in New York City album, released in 1986. Despite his love for the Abbey Road hit, Lennon believes his, and his bandmates’ writing and music, improved after they had disbanded.
Speaking in an interview with the NME, Lennon said: “The fact is, The Beatles have left school… and we have to get a job. That’s made us work — really work harder. I think we’re much better than we ever were when we were together. Look at us today.
“I’d sooner have [Paul McCartney’s album] Ram, John Lennon Plastic Ono Band, George’s album, and Ringo’s single and the movies than Let It Be or Abbey Road.”
