The 1970 Beatles Album

In my daydream, the four Beatles had a heart to heart in the spring of 1970 and sorted out their differences. I mean, if The Beatles can't get it together, then what hope is there for peace in the Middle East?  (All you need is love, indeed!)

Track Listing:

1.  My Sweet Lord

2.  Hold On

3.  Hot as Sun / Glasses

4.  Teddy Boy

5.  Instant Karma (We All Shine On)

6.  Beaucoups of Blues

7.  Junk

8.  Mother

9.  Working Class Hero

10.  Maybe I'm Amazed

11.  All Things Must Pass

"My Sweet Lord" -- Obviously a favorite track of George's.  He released it as a single and performed it at the Concert for Bangla Desh.

"Hold On" -- One of the self-reflective songs that John was fond of writing.  Its position as the second track on this record mimics The Beatles's inclination to pair loud, fast tracks with slow, quiet ones on their albums's track sequencing.

"Hot as Sun / Glasses" -- This was a track that Paul had written years ago.  He played it often during the Get Back sessions and didn't hesitate to include it on his McCartney album.  John would have appreciated the avant-garde ending where Paul rubs his finger around the rims of crystal glasses making them hum, and Paul would have also pushed for this track as it gives him a chance to do something with his song 'Suicide," a snippet of which is tacked on to the end of this track.  I also think John would have appreciated the pun in the title.

"Teddy Boy" -- I imagine that this 1970 album would be a place for several of the "Get Back" songs to find a home, and this is another of those.

"Instant Karma" -- This was a single that John released, so it was one that he was proud of.

"Beaucoups of Blues" -- Ringo was a fan of American country and western music and in 1970 traveled to Tennessee to record with C&W musicians.  "Beaucoups" was a single and the title track of his second solo album.

"Junk" -- Another "Get Back" sessions song that Paul included on his McCartney record.  He also records a version of this song to be the final track of his Unplugged album he released in 1991.

"Mother" -- A deeply personal track of John's, inspired by Arthur Janov's primal scream therapy sessions he and Yoko had attended in 1970.  John released this as a single in 1970.  He also performed it at his 1972 Madison Square concert to benefit mentally handicapped children.  He clearly felt strongly about this track.

"Working Class Hero" -- I included this track from John's Plastic Ono Band album rather than "God" because if The Beatles hadn't broken up, he wouldn't have written that song.

"Maybe I'm Amazed" -- One of Paul's favorite tracks.  It would have easily been included here.

"All Things Must Pass" -- The final "Get Back" session song to find a home here.  It was the title track of his huge 1970 solo album, and it dramatically ends the Beatles '70 album.

1970 Non-album Single:

"Cold Turkey" backed with "Apple Scruffs"

John's track about kicking his heroin addiction is the A-side.  As George has many songs ready for release, he gets the B-side, a song about the Beatles fans who hang out at Abbey Road studios and the Apple offices hoping for an encounter with one of their heroes.  The sweet, up-beat B-side contrasts nicely with the harsh A-side.