The Long & Winding Road (1970) 11/1/20

Paul McCartney was FURIOUS. But first, a little back story:

In 1968, Paul wrote what would become today's “Great Song of the '70s” on one of his first visits to his new property at High Park Farm in Scotland. To him, it was a song that reflected his need to have a calm and beautiful place where he could escape the mounting pressures of being a Beatle, which were already pointing to their eventual breakup.

He recorded a demo of “The Long and Winding Road” for the “White Album” (aka “The Beatles”), but later decided to turn it over to Tom Jones if he'd release it as his next single. Unfortunately, Tom's record company had already lined up his next few releases, so he had to turn it down.

So Paul decided the Beatles should include it on the 1970 “Let It Be” album (and film), and in January of '69, he went into the studio with John, George, Ringo and Billy Preston (on keyboards), and recorded a handful of versions. One was a beautiful, but sparse version he was quite happy with.

And then the Shenanigans began.

John and Beatles Manager Allen Klein who, if you remember, was behind the lawsuit skullduggery on George's “My Sweet Lord” in 1971 (Read about it here: (https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk/posts/217122623094526) handed over the master tapes to producer Phil Spector, who promptly added a large orchestra and choir to the song.

When Paul heard the final mix, he exploded! He fired off a letter to Klein angrily demanding that he order Phil to remove the harp at the end and reduce the other tweaks he had made. Klein, in effect, ignored it.

That pissed off everybody—including John, who thought Phil's work was “puke,” but especially Paul, who then demanded that Klein dissolve their management partnership. Klein declined, and THAT'S when the petition to DISSOLVE THE BEATLES was written up, sent to England's High Court...and eventually granted.

There were several other reasons for the split, but this was the final straw—at least for Paul. (The whole breakup was an acrimonious mess.)

For the next several years, the legal pissing match continued between all parties involved, so it's no wonder why the Fab Four never fully got back together.

But back to the song...

Upon release in 1970, critics were not impressed, using adjectives like “hideous,” “unlistenable,” and “oppressive mush.” Paul agreed.

But in spite of that, “The Long & Winding Road,” became the Beatles” 20th and final #1 hit...as distraught fans in the US and Canada thought the sentimentality of the song was the perfect ending for the band—if, in fact, there had to be an ending.

Since 1970, Paul has re-recorded the song a handful of times...and on the 1996 “Anthology” album, he was finally able to come up with a version he was pleased with—which pretty much sounded like the original take.

Personally, even knowing all this (which I didn't until much later), I think “The Long and Winding Road” is a “Great Song of 1970”...beginning the new decade with a very sad—but lyrically comforting—ending.

1970:

1996: