Fab Foundations # 8: "Raise the Roof"

(Personal reflections inspired by Beatles songs)

Song: “Don’t Let Me Down”
Album: Released as a B-side single (A side = “Get Back”)
Release Date: April 1969

If there is any one Beatles concert I’ve ever imagined being at, it’s their sparsely attended “rooftop” performance, which occurred on 30 January 1969 at their Apple Corp headquarters in London, England.  Of course, the lack of a big crowd was not at all due to a lack of interest, but rather to both the isolated venue and the impromptu nature of the event. If not for the British Bobbies breaking it up after 42 minutes (9 songs including 4 retakes) I believe the gradual swelling of people both on the streets and in the neighboring buildings would have intensified to the point of turning into that proverbial big crowd.

Regardless, the rooftop concert was an extremely unique outlier in the Beatles live-performance history, which is what makes it so compelling. It was the first time the band had performed a setlist of songs on a stage in 3 years, and it would be their last live performance ever.  The original idea was to do a big public event somewhere to showcase the new music they were producing (at the time dubbed the “Get Back” sessions, many of these new songs would later be included on the album Let it Be). But that idea fizzled (at least partly due to the fact that George Harrison was already struggling with an understandable form of stage fright) and so, this rooftop idea materialized in rather short order, in turn adding another cool chapter to the Beatles late-60s mystique. 

Anyhow, I’ve imagined (and I’m almost certain even dreamed) myself on the London streets on that cold winter day; a young just-out-of-school, disheveled-white-collar kid on his lunch break.  I’m making my way to my favorite cheap sandwich shop when above me I hear this amazing live music slicing its way through the din of the workday hustle and bustle. The songs are all new to my ears (which was indeed the case for anyone who was on those affluent, business-district Mayfair streets near Soho that day). But to my amazement there is no mistaking who is performing. It’s the Beatles!  Holy Shit!  I mean HOLY SHIT! Where is this sound coming from?  I suddenly realize I’m across the street from Apple Corp and then I realize that this sound is loud enough to be out in the open air.  It must be on the rooftop!

My mind suddenly shifts. Lunch and apprenticeship are no longer in my sphere of interests or concerns.  I must find a way to witness this event unfolding in a more up-close and personal manner before it’s too late.  I scan the immediate vicinity and spot an alleyway. Dodging traffic, I make my way across Savile Row and rush down the alley until I come upon a fire ladder on the building adjacent to Apple. Problem is, this dangling ladder terminates some 10 feet from the ground.  Thankfully another enlightened young fellow – who I had not seen until this moment - has come to the same conclusion that I have about the state of affairs. We tag team. I first hoist him up to the ladder and then he pulls me upward. 

The two of us scramble hand over fist, 6 stories upward. As we do so, that glorious Beatles music is getting louder. At the top of the fire escape, we shimmy over and up to a ledge. Then we stand upon said ledge and to our wondering eyes we see the Beatles performing right there in front of us…in living color!  A quick leap over several more ledges and we are as close as one would ever want to be, fans in the front row - the only row actually - of one of the most unique live events of all time. 

Strangely, one of the first things I notice are power chords and cables strewn all over the lot. This event is wired for sound! At the same time, I’m taking in the band.  George is closest to me, in some kind of fur-like jacket, looking rather cerebral.  John is next to him.  He appears similar to how I remember him a year earlier on the “Hey Jude” show, also cerebral. Paul is next in the front line, fully bearded and appearing oh so in the moment.  Ringo has a bright red rain jacket on (turns out it’s a red mac… what do I know?). He’s looking serene and tuned in. And oh, is that Billy Preston on keyboards? Nice addition!

Again, it’s a cold day, but I feel as warm as toast. I find myself connecting with these songs instantly, as if I’d heard them one thousand times before. When I first tuned into this being the Beatles when I was down on the streets, it was clear Paul was singing lead at the time (which I would later find out were the first 2 takes of “Get Back”) and then on the way up the ladder it was clearly John (first take of “Don’t Let Me Down”). As I settle in on the rooftop now, it’s back to Paul singing lead.  A stagehand is standing next to me. He tells me he works for the Beatles as a sound guy and has been listening to them rehearse these songs for weeks.  He then tells me the title of this song; “I’ve Got a Feeling”.  I take in the groove and the lyrics. John takes the lead on the bridge. The song has the feel of “A Day in the Life” in terms of Lennon and McCartney alternating leads between verse and bridge. But this time the roles are reversed.  I turn to my new ladder-climbing buddy. “Wow!”

Based on the lyrics, the next song sounds like it’s called “One After 909”.  The stagehand confirms my assumption and then tells me this is one of the first songs that Lennon and McCartney wrote together back in the late 50s, which they have never released. He also tells me they intend on including it on the new album.  The band is doing a lot of smiling and nodding to each other. They are clearly having a blast, and now I’ve got the inside scoop that it’s likely because they have such great old memories associated with “One After 909”.  How cool is that?

I’m beginning to get a kick out of fact that the Beatles are pulling this off on a workday in downtown London.  How rebellious can you get!  At the same time, I can see a few British Bobbies making their way around the stage. But they let the music play on, at least for the time being. The band quickly kicks into a song the sound guy next to me refers to as “Dig a Pony”.  The Beatles sound tight, as if they’ve been playing live endlessly for all these past 3 years. George’s lead-guitar playing propels the song forward. He has clearly evolved in the years since they stopped touring.

After another take on “I’ve Got a Feeling”, the band then does a second take on the John Lennon song I heard while scaling the ladder…. “Don’t Let Me Down”.  Right off, I connect with this one the most.  Lennon’s singing is passionate and pleading.  This is clearly a love song to Yoko Ono, who I just spotted sitting off to the side next to George.  As the bridge begins - “I’m in love for the first time….” - I happen to be watching Ringo.  The look on his face is priceless, as if he is at that moment fully absorbing all the good things that this band stands for.  Paul McCartney’s bass playing is so beautifully melodic. I’m inspired to one day play the bass so I can imitate it.

The Bobbies close in for the kill, but the Beatles launch into “Get Back” for a third take before they can break it all up.  This is another great song.  Is McCartney trying to bring the band back to their roots? (“get back to where you once belong”).  Kinda makes sense after the sound guy told me the story behind “One After 909”.  Billy Preston’s keyboard playing stands out here. Just fantastic all around. As the song winds down, John Lennon makes a classic apropos understatement: “I would like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we’ve passed the audition”.

With that, the show ends.  I manage to make my way around the stage, high fiving and hugging every band member.  I even shake hands with one of the cops, who turns out to be a Beatles fan (I know this, because he has tears in his eyes).  He then leads me and my ladder-climbing buddy down the stairs, through the Apple lobby, and ultimately out to the streets. What just happened? The two of us head to a nearby pub for a beer and more importantly, to make sure we have not lost our minds. 

Back to reality, I do recommend that if you have never seen it, you check out the “Don’t Let Me Down” footage ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCtzkaL2t_Y ) and particularly that Ringo moment I mention above. As I watch, I’m of the belief that Ringo is sensing the end is near for the band and he wants to savor this event for all its worth. He also knows this is a magnificent love song. I concur.

As for this entry, well…. I hope I passed the audition.

- Pete