Tuesday, January 21, 1969
Get Back sessions • Day 12
For The Beatles
Last updated on January 5, 2025
Tuesday, January 21, 1969
For The Beatles
Last updated on January 5, 2025
The "Get Back / Let It Be" sessions
January 1969 • Songs recorded during this session appear on Let It Be (Limited Edition)
Recording studio: Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London
Session Jan 20, 1969 • Get Back sessions • Day 11
Article Jan 21, 1969 • Paul McCartney's 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass is last seen
Session Jan 21, 1969 • Get Back sessions • Day 12
Session Jan 22, 1969 • Get Back sessions • January 22, 1969 • Day 13
Session Jan 23, 1969 • Get Back sessions • January 23, 1969 • Day 13
AlbumSome of the songs worked on during this session were first released on the "Let It Be (Limited Edition)" LP
On January 10, 1969, George Harrison walked out from the “Get Back” sessions at Twickenham Studios.
On January 15, George agreed to rejoin the group. One of his conditions was for the rehearsals to be relocated from Twickenham to Apple’s basement studio, then under construction by Alexis “Magic Alex” Mardas.
On January 16, the set at Twickenham Film Studios was dismantled, and the equipment relocated to Apple Corps’ headquarters at 3 Savile Row. However, the basement studio constructed by Magic Alex was found to be unfit for The Beatles’ needs. Glyn Johns promptly contacted George Martin for assistance, and EMI agreed to provide the necessary equipment to ensure the band could continue their work in a functional recording environment. The installation of the new EMI equipment at Apple Studios took place over three days, from January 17 to January 19.
On January 20, the studio was still not fully operational. The Beatles resumed their rehearsals, but no recordings or filming took place that day.
On this day, January 21, the session began after lunch, likely due to the ongoing technical issues with the studio setup.
At this stage, the idea of a TV Special had been cancelled, but filming continued, with the idea of using the footage for The Beatles’ next feature film. An outdoor performance of some kind was still being considered to provide a climax to the movie. Engineer Glyn Johns was booked on another recording session in L.A., and had only a few days to finish his work with The Beatles.
The change of location marked a shift in atmosphere compared to the strained sessions at Twickenham Film Studios earlier in the month. The group appeared more harmonious, with John Lennon and George Harrison even seen singing “You Are My Sunshine” together in a moment of levity, before Paul McCartney joined the session.
Despite the improved environment, musically, the day was far from productive. The band spent most of the time rehearsing “Dig A Pony,” “I’ve Got A Feeling,” and “Don’t Let Me Down,” but their performances were sloppy and lacking focus.
Notably, this session saw some fresh material. Paul introduced “Every Night,” which he would revisit on January 24 before ultimately recording it for “McCartney,” his 1970 solo album. George debuted a new composition, “Window, Window,” which he continued developing over subsequent days but never released during his lifetime. Meanwhile, John played a new idea titled “All I Want Is You,” though it didn’t progress further.
A memorable moment came when John jokingly introduced a take of “Dig A Pony” with the phrase, “I Dig A Pigmy by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids. Phase one, in which Doris gets her oats.” This humorous preamble was later used as the opening line of the “Let It Be” album, preceding “Two Of Us.”
The session also yielded a noteworthy recording of “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window,” with John on the Fender Rhodes electric piano. This version was eventually released on “Anthology 3” in 1996, though incorrectly attributed to the following day’s session.
January 21, 1969, also marked the last confirmed sighting of Paul McCartney’s 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass, leading to the rumour that the bass was stolen at Apple Studios around that time. This rumour lasted until 2023, when Ian Horne, a roadie with Wings, clarified that the bass was stolen on October 10, 1972.
On January 16, 1969, the Daily Sketch published an article by Michael Housego, headlined “The End of a Beautiful Friendship?“, mentioning an alleged fight between John Lennon and George Harrison. At the beginning of the session, the Beatles — minus Paul, who had not yet arrived – and their team commented on the article and its inaccuracies.
Later in the session, Paul McCartney read extracts from the article into a microphone while the other Beatles jammed in the background.
Tony Richmond – Director of photography (reading the article): “Drugs, divorce and a slipping image.”
George Harrison: And it says, “But it wasn’t the first time they’ve traded a few punches.”
John Lennon (stands up and mimics giving punches to George): There’s only one guy I’d like to get, and that’s Housego.
Glyn Johns: It’s really extraordinary, the last week’s press, isn’t it?
George: Because there’s nothing to it except that it’s a lie.
John: Hope it doesn’t come out about me beating up Maharishi.
George: No doubt Derek will have read it before it got in there and has sent them their telegrams and things.
John: Congratulating them.
John to Derek Taylor: See Michael Housego today? Don’t you think it’s suable?
Derek: No.
John: What about the fisticuffs?
George: Yeah, none of that.
Derek: He said it didn’t take place, right?
George: He said it did.
Ringo: He said “might have.”
John: Yes. In the past, well, that’s false too. It’s never got to that, except for a plate of dinner in Hamburg.
From Peter Jackson’s film “The Beatles: Get Back“, 2021
The End Of A Beautiful Friendship?
By Michael Housego
The awful tension of being locked up in each other’s lives snapped the other night at a TV rehearsal and Beatles John and George swung, at very least, a few vicious phrases at each other.
It may have been the first time reports of such an “argument” hit the news pages, but it wasn’t the first time it had happened by a long way. On one occasion for certain they traded a few punches. There have been other occasions when one or other Beatle has sported a trophy of close combat, without reasonable explanation.
Big stuff. But is it right to start heralding the end of a beautiful friendship? I’ve known the Beatles long enough and close enough not to accept a total split. But I also know they have been drifting apart as buddies, seeking strange new thrills, and frankly, getting on each other’s nerves.
It’s only the suddenness of their decline from the status of “boys next door” to the category of “weirdies” that has Ieft most people agog.
It would be about the middle of 1966 that the personal lustre of the Beatles began to show a few spots of rust. I will deliberately leave Ringo out of it because he has never developed an inclination towards the bizarre. Lennon was married, happily; McCartney was going steady, and George Harrison was about to marry. Everything in the Beatle garden was rosy. But that was a long time ago…
Having scaled every known peak of show business, the Beatles quite deliberately became fed up and went out after kicks. They never came home again. They went their own private ways, found their own friends, and became less reliant on each other for guidance and comradeship. Where did it all lead to? I suppose it is fair to say that it led pretty close to disaster at one time or another. Today all of them find acute embarrassment at the stories of one or another’s odd-ball adventures and conduct. Harrison’s escapades with his favorite mystic from India left Paul and Ringo aghast and both felt obliged to try him out to see if they were missing anything.
Drugs, divorce and a slipping image played desperately on their minds and it appeared to them all that the public was being encouraged to “hate them.”
George Harrison told me a couple of days ago – a very bitter Harrison by the way – that “the world wants us to take a tumble.” It’s a theory not held by him alone. The activities of John Lennon and his Japanese girl friend Yoko Ono are in the public domain and it has not helped the others to rebuild the team as a friendly foursome. Lennon is completely immune to their criticism and there’s not the slightest doubt in my mind that if he feels like taking his clothes off for the public again, he’ll do it.
Paul has been sheltering from the headlines in an attempt to preserve some of his image and a friend told me that John’s shenanigans have greatly displeased him.
Harrison, in stroppy mood, asked me: “What do you expect from us?” But he accepts no criticism and replies in great flights of poetic fancy.
The pressure of success has tripped up many a famous star. The Beatles are now suffering from a certain amount of public disenchantment, which they’re finding hard to bear. The worry of preserving their image has never actually bothered or concerned them because they, like many pop stars, are, in a way, contemptuous of their public off-stage.
But that still doesn’t amount to a complete break-up of the group.
Whatever talent they have as individuals – and who can deny it – their capacity to earn is largely tied up in their performances as a group. Until they are either rich enough for that not to matter, or fed up enough to want out permanently, they’ll stay together because of the economic necessity. But I can say definitely that as a friendly foursome, tied irrevocably to each other’s pigtails, it’s all over.
They will never be exactly the same again.
From The Daily Sketch – January 16, 1969
Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison did NOT have a punch-up and Apple – their business company – is NOT on any financial rocks. The denials came last night from The Beatles themselves. It all began when a pop weekly reported Lennon as saying that Apple was ‘losing money every week’, and needed tightening up. Then came the rumour that Lennon and Harrison had come to blows. But, last night, after a five-hour meeting between the four Beatles and their business associates at Apple’s Savile Row headquarters, explanations came fast. George Harrison said, ‘Apple has plenty of money – we all have. When John said we were losing money, he was talking about giving too much away to charities. We have been too generous and that’s got to stop. The so-called punch-up between John and myself? There’s no truth in it. We are still good friends.’ John Lennon, who left with Yoko Ono, said, ‘Any rumours about Apple folding were nonsense.’ But he added, ‘There will be changes and it’s all going to be very exciting.’ Ringo Starr called the story of a punch-up, ‘A load of old rubbish!’ He said, ‘I was there when it was supposed to have taken place. It’s quite untrue.’ The fourth Beatle, Paul McCartney, said of the long meeting, ‘There was nothing sinister about tonight. It was simply a business discussion.’
Daily Express – January 16, 1969
The performances are sequentially numbered using the nomenclature from the book "Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image" by Doug Sulpy. DDSI 2.01 is, for example, the first performance from January 2nd, while DDSI 31.65 is the sixty-fifth performance from January 31st. This numbering is at times different from the DDSI numbers used on the bootleg collection "A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions", likely because "Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image" was updated since the release of this collection.
My Rock And Roll Finger Is Bleeding
Recording • DDSI.21.01 • 7:38 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Window, Window
Recording • DDSI.21.02 • 1:11 • George Harrison only
Instrumental
Recording • DDSI.21.03 • 2:28
Do The Bunny Hop
Recording • DDSI.21.04 • 1:01 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Unknown
Recording • DDSI.21.05 • 0:48 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Instrumental
Recording • DDSI.21.06 • 6:44 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Somethin' Else
Recording • DDSI.21.07 • 2:16 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Blossom Dearie They Call Me
Recording • DDSI.21.08 • 1:12 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Blossom Dearie They Call Me
Recording • DDSI.21.09 • 1:09 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Oh How I Love The 12-Bar Blues
Recording • DDSI.21.10 • 0:18 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Daydream
Recording • DDSI.21.11 • 1:26 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
You Are My Sunshine
Recording • DDSI.21.12 • 1:59 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Whispering / I'm Beginning To See The Light
Recording • DDSI.21.13 • 3:23 • John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr only ; Paul McCartney arrived late.
Instrumental
Recording • DDSI.21.14 • 5:33 • Paul arrives
Instrumental
Recording • DDSI.21.15 • 2:27
Unknown
Recording • DDSI.21.16 • 0:27
Recording • DDSI.21.17 • 2:17
Recording • DDSI.21.18 • 1:29
Written by Paul McCartney
Recording • DDSI.21.19 • 1:13
Performed by : Paul McCartney
Recording • DDSI.21.20 • 0:23
Recording • DDSI.21.21 • 2:10
Recording • DDSI.21.22 • 0:06
Written by Robert Lee Parker
Recording • DDSI.21.23 • 0:22
Written by Frank Guida, Joseph Royster
Recording • DDSI.21.24 • 3:47
John Lennon : Lead vocals
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Recording • DDSI.21.25 • 2:18
Recording • DDSI.21.26 • 5:22
Written by Lee Hazlewood, Naomi Ford
Recording • DDSI.21.27 • 1:32
Recording • DDSI.21.28 • 4:16
Recording • DDSI.21.29 • 0:32
Written by Tommy Tucker
Recording • DDSI.21.30 • 1:54
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Written by Arthur Crudup
Recording • DDSI.21.31 • 4:47 • Medley with "That's All Right Mama"
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Written by Arthur Crudup
Recording • DDSI.21.31 • 4:47 • Medley with "My Baby Left Me"
Written by Ray Charles
Recording • DDSI.21.32 • 1:24
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Written by Kokomo Arnold
Recording • DDSI.21.33 • 3:28 • Medley with "I'm A Man"
Written by Bo Diddley
Recording • DDSI.21.33 • 3:28 • Medley with "Milk Cow Blues"
Improvisation
Recording • DDSI.21.34 • 3:40
Written by Chuck Berry
Recording • DDSI.21.35 • 0:58
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
Recording • DDSI.21.36 • 1:33 • John Lennon only
Written by Woody Harris
Recording • DDSI.21.37 • 1:44
Performed by : Paul McCartney • John Lennon
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Improvisation - All I Want Is You
Recording • DDSI.21.38 • 1:27 • John only
Recording • DDSI.21.39 • 0:13
Written by Johnny Cash
Recording • DDSI.21.40 • 0:33
Performed by : Paul McCartney • John Lennon
Recording • DDSI.21.41 • 4:04
In The Middle Of An Island
Recording • DDSI.21.42 • 1:43 • John only. Medley with Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen By The Sea
Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen by the Sea
Written by Al Hoffman, Dick Manning
Recording • DDSI.21.42 • 1:43 • Medley with "In The Middle Of An Island"
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Recording • DDSI.21.43 • 3:13
Improvisation / Good Rockin' Tonight
Recording • DDSI.21.44 • 5:00
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Written by Chuck Berry, Ronnie Hawkins
Recording • DDSI.21.45 • 2:01
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Recording • DDSI.21.46 • 1:00
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Recording • DDSI.21.47 • 4:43
Written by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Fats Domino, Al Lewis, Sylvester Bradford
Recording • DDSI.21.48 • 0:27
Recording • DDSI.21.49 • 0:47
Written by James Brown
Recording • DDSI.21.50 • 0:07
Recording • DDSI.21.51 • 4:00
Written by O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley
Recording • DDSI.21.52 • 0:52
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Unknown
Recording • DDSI.21.53 • 0:19
Recording • DDSI.21.54 • 2:57
Recording • DDSI.21.55 • 1:05
Dig A Pony / “Why Do You Treat Me So Bad”
Recording • DDSI.21.56 • 2:43
San Ferry Ann
Recording • DDSI.21.57 • 0:17
Recording • DDSI.21.58 • 0:31
You Gotta Give Back
Recording • DDSI.21.59 • 0:40
Recording • DDSI.21.60 • 4:42
Well, Well, Well
Recording • DDSI.21.61 • 0:45
Performed by : Paul McCartney
Written by Jackie Lomax
Recording • DDSI.21.62 • 2:09
Paul McCartney : Lead vocalsPerformed by : Paul McCartney • Ringo Starr • John Lennon • George Harrison
Recording • DDSI.21.63 • 3:12
Recording • DDSI.21.64 • 0:20
Recording • DDSI.21.65 • 3:55
Recording • DDSI.21.66 • 9:03
Recording • DDSI.21.67 • 0:56
Recording • DDSI.21.68 • 0:43
Recording • DDSI.21.69 • 1:16 • John jokingly introduces a take of “Dig A Pony” with the phrase, “I Dig A Pigmy by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids. Phase one, in which Doris gets her oats.” This was later used as the opening line of the Let It Be album, preceding “Two Of Us.”
AlbumOfficially released on Let It Be (Limited Edition)
Recording • DDSI.21.70 • 0:32
Written by Jim Lee
Recording • DDSI.21.71 • 1:06
Improvisation
Recording • DDSI.21.72 • 2:43
Recording • DDSI.21.73 • 3:25
Unknown
Recording • DDSI.21.74 • 0:28
Recording • DDSI.21.75 • 0:49
Written by George Harrison
Recording • DDSI.21.76 • 2:06
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Recording • DDSI.21.77 • 1:47
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Recording • DDSI.21.78 • 2:55
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Recording • DDSI.21.79 • 3:34
AlbumOfficially released on Anthology 3
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Recording • DDSI.21.80 • 3:00
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Recording • DDSI.21.81 • 6:19
Recording • DDSI.21.82 • 1:26
Performed by : John Lennon
Film Included in Peter Jackson's film "The Beatles: Get Back", 2021
Is That A Chicken Joke
Recording • DDSI.21.83 • 1:54
Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image - The Complete, Unauthorized Story of The Beatles' 'Get Back' Sessions
The definitive guide to the Get Back sessions, released in 1994 and updated in 2007. In the author's own words:
New, completely revised edition! This new volume isn t just a compilation of material from the 1994 book Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image (also later published as 'Get Back') and 'The 910's Guide To The Beatles Outtakes Part Two: The Complete Get Back Sessions' (2001). I've re-listened to the entire canon of available Get Back session tapes, come up with a bunch of new conclusions (and even a handful of new identifications!), and pretty much re-written half the book from scratch. In addition, great effort has been made to improve readability of the book. Songs have now been put into groups (generally by Nagra reel, or series of them), rather than describing each performance separately, as was done in the original. In every way, this is the book we wished we could have written in 1994.
As the paperback version is out of print, you can buy a PDF version on the author's website
If we modestly consider the Paul McCartney Project to be the premier online resource for all things Paul McCartney, it is undeniable that The Beatles Bible stands as the definitive online site dedicated to the Beatles. While there is some overlap in content between the two sites, they differ significantly in their approach.
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