The final song The Beatles recorded together before their acrimonious split

13 September 2024, 17:50 | Updated: 24 September 2024, 18:08

Just months before the band's acrimonious split, The Beatles entered the recording studio for the very last time to record one particular song. Picture: Getty/Alamy

By Thomas Curtis-Horsfall

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The day they split, the world stood still.

But in truth, The Beatles momentum was grinding to a stand-still long before they officially called it a day.

For anyone who watched Peter Jackson's Get Back could see with their own eyes that each individual band member - other than Paul McCartney - was becoming increasingly disinterested in their group venture.

An unfocused John Lennon was often distracted by Yoko Ono, George Harrison became frustrated at his contributions frequently being overlooked, and Ringo Starr juggled recording sessions with boozing and his burgeoning acting career.

Despite Let It Be - the original film from which Jackson restored and revised the footage for Get Back - not even being the final album The Beatles recorded, it was evident the end was near.

After those sessions the Fab Four reconvened to write and record Abbey Road in 1969, which was released before the album Let It Be was released in conjunction with the film.

But one song in particular spurred the band to re-enter the recording studio for the very last time before their acrimonious split on 10th April 1970 when McCartney officially announced his departure.

The song in question was ironically a George Harrison composition: 'I Me Mine'.

The Beatles rehearsing in Twickenham Film Studio during the recording of their final album Let It Be in 1969. Picture: Alamy

George penned 'I Me Mine' during the rehearsal and writing sessions for Let It Be, which were all recorded by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg throughout the first few months of 1969.

He wrote the song after tensions boiled over between the group, with McCartney lambasting Lennon for not bringing songs to the table, with Harrison confronting them for not considering his compositions.

"I'd have to wait through ten of their songs before they'd even listen to one of mine," he later recalled, having confronted the songwriting duo about being pushed out.

At the tail end of 1968, George spent some time in upstate New York with Bob Dylan and the Band.

Though he was "quite optimistic" about returning to The Beatles, especially with talks of their first live performance since 1966, it was a different story in reality.

Lennon and McCartney's bickering, combined with Yoko Ono's constant presence was in stark contrast to the camaraderie and creativity he experienced with Dylan and company.

The situation "was just the same as it had been when we were last in the studio. There was a lot of trivia and games being played."

Inspired by the fractured atmosphere throughout the rehearsals at Twickenham Film Studios in West London, George wrote 'I Me Mine' the song about the "eternal problem" with egoism.

I Me Mine (Remastered 2009)

Even when George brought 'I Me Mine' to the group, John mocked the song's waltz timing.

According to authors Ray Schweighardt and Doug Sulpy who chronicled the sessions, Lennon told George to "get lost - that The Beatles only play rock 'n' roll and there's no place in the group's playlist for a Spanish waltz."

Paul also joined in the mockery, singing in a Spanish accent whilst John frequently refused to rehearse the song, instead dancing around the room with Yoko.

Still, the band rehearsed the song profusely throughout that day, yet 'I Me Mine' was not considered to feature on the final Let It Be tracklist.

John, Paul And Ringo first time hearing George composition I, Me, Mine

That changed however when the band saw the final cut for Michael Lindsay-Hogg's documentary.

'I Me Mine' featured prominently, which encouraged The Beatles - who were by that time becoming more and more estranged - to properly record the song to be included on the album.

On 3rd January 1970, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr met at Abbey Road Studios with producer George Martin to record for the final time before The Beatles broke up.

John, who had privately quit just months before, was nowhere to be seen.

The Beatles officially called it a day on 10th April 1970, though John Lennon had secretly quit the previous year. Picture: Alamy

Ringo, Paul, George, and John in the studio for the Let It Be recording sessions, with Yoko Ono. Lennon wasn't present for The Beatles final ever studio recording of 'I Me Mine'. Picture: Alamy

In many ways, it was a precursor to the recording sessions that took place ahead of 1995's Anthology, in which the media affectionately dubbed 'The Threetles' due to John's absence.

The recording session was fruitful and efficient, with the band having time for an instrumental jam while recording 'I Me Mine'.

Ahead of one particular run-through however, George made a joke about Lennon's no-show.

He reframed the band as the British pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, which was recorded to tape and later released.

"You all will have read that Dave Dee is no longer with us. But Mickey and Tich and I would just like to carry on the good work that's always gone down in number two," he quipped.

Spirits were high it would seem, but as history tells us it wouldn't remain that way for long, as The Beatles eventually came to their conclusion just a couple of months later.