Following a weekend break, The Beatles' sessions and rehearsals for the Get Back/Let It Be project resumed on 6 January 1969.
This was the third day for the project, and was made up of various jams, cover versions, improvisations, and attempts at recording the more complete songs. There was also a great deal of conversation and bickering between the group members.
The songs which received the most attention were Don't Let Me Down and Two Of Us. Various arrangements of the former were tested, including a Latin-style rhythm and some harmony vocals by Paul McCartney in the middle section.
Two Of Us was, at this stage, more of a straightforward rock song than in its final incarnation. During rehearsals for it, a terse exchange took place between McCartney and George Harrison which was included in the Let It Be film, and which seemed to encapsulate the strained relations within the group at the time.
I'll play whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all if you don't want me to play. Whatever it is that'll please you, I'll do it.
The Beatles evidently lacked enthusiasm for a new Harrison song, Hear Me Lord, which its composer first performed acoustically, then on an electric guitar with a wah-wah pedal. He also attempted to enthuse the group in his All Things Must Pass, but to little effect.
Carry That Weight, later to feature on Abbey Road, made its debut on this day, and featured a bridge which was omitted in the final version. Also making first appearances were Octopus's Garden and For You Blue, both of which were brief, incomplete performances.
John Lennon, doubtless aware that his songwriting rate had slowed dramatically since the completion of the White Album, revived Across The Universe - a song the group had recorded early in 1968 but which remained unreleased.
One After 909 had first been revived on 3 January, and made a reappearance on this day.
Notable among the improvisations and jams were The Palace Of The King Of The Birds, a McCartney instrumental recorded years later for the unreleased Rupert The Bear album. It featured blues-style guitar and a flowing organ part. He also sang a blues improvisation, You Wear Your Women Out, and did a bit of Primal Therapy-style screaming on My Imagination.
George Harrison sang a song known as Maureen, accompanied just with wah-wah guitar. He is heard to claim that Bob Dylan wrote the song, but it is otherwise unknown and may in fact have been an original composition. Harrison also suggests that it might be a suitable single for Ringo Starr.
The day ended with some lengthy rehearsals of McCartney's new song She Came In Through The Bathroom Window.
The full list of songs recorded on this day, including fragments and off-the-cuff, unpublished songs with presumed titles (plus primary composer/best-known performer):
- Oh! Darling
- C'mon Marianne (The Four Seasons)
- I've Got A Feeling (three versions)
- High School Confidential (Jerry Lee Lewis)
- Hear Me Lord (Harrison; eight versions)
- For You Blue (two versions)
- All Things Must Pass (nine versions)
- Carry That Weight (four versions)
- Octopus's Garden
- The Palace Of The King Of The Birds (McCartney)
- Across The Universe (two versions)
- I Want You (Bob Dylan)
- Don't Let Me Down (28 versions)
- One After 909 (three versions)
- That's All Right (Mama) (Elvis Presley)
- Thirty Days (Chuck Berry)
- Leaning On A Lamppost (George Formby)
- Annie (Lennon)
- I'm Talking About You (Chuck Berry)
- The Tracks Of My Tears (The Miracles)
- Dizzy Miss Lizzy
- Money (That's What I Want)
- Fools Like Me (Jerry Lee Lewis)
- Sure To Fall (In Love With You) (Carl Perkins)
- Right String, Wrong Yo-Yo (Carl Perkins)
- Send Me Some Loving (Little Richard)
- Two Of Us (20 versions)
- Frère Jacques (trad)
- It Ain't Me Babe (Bob Dylan)
- When The Saints Go Marching In (trad)
- Loop De Loop (Johnny Thunder)
- Let's Dance (Chris Montez)
- She Came In Through The Bathroom Window (seven versions)
- You Wear Your Women Out* (McCartney)
- My Imagination* (McCartney)
- I'm Gonna Pay For His Ride* (McCartney)
- They Call Me Fuzz Face* (McCartney)
- Maureen* (Bob Dylan/Harrison)
* presumed title.
View the complete list of songs played during the January 1969 Get Back/Let It Be sessions.
