Abbey Road tells a story of deep divisions within the Beatles, 50 years on from its release

When Paul McCartney phoned George Martin in early 1969 asking him to produce the album that would become Abbey Road, the producer was hesitant.

The man, who many called the fifth Beatle, was sick of the infighting and spitefulness he had witnessed earlier in the year as the band recorded the tracks for Let it Be.

"It was such an unhappy record, even though there were some great songs on it ... I really believed that was the end of the Beatles," Martin would remark.  With McCartney hanging on the line, Martin told him: "Only if you let me produce it the way we used to do it".

McCartney agreed. Martin asked if John Lennon would agree to the arrangement. "Honestly, yes," was McCartney's reply.

Years later, Martin would reflect on the situation frankly. "It was a very happy record. I guess it was happy because everybody thought it was going to be the last," he said.

Source: Mark Bannerman/abc.net.au

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