The Beatles recorded a version of Jimmy McCracklin’s 1958 hit ‘The Walk’ during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions in January 1969.
The song was written by Jimmy McCracklin and Bob Garlic. Released as a single in January 1958, it peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1958.
The Beatles jammed a version of ‘The Walk’ on 27 January 1969, the 16th day of the Let It Be sessions.
It was the final track on Glyn Johns’ first Get Back LP, compiled shortly after the sessions ended. The album was intended more as a proof-of-concept than a release-ready album, and the song was dropped on Johns’ three later iterations of the album.
Widely available on bootleg for many years, ‘The Walk’ was officially released on 15 October 2021, on the super deluxe reissue of Let It Be.
I like the original performed by Jimmy McCracklin, but I actually prefer the Beatles version. The way they did the groove slowed down and even though their version is rough sounding, it’s brill.