Get Back

The Zoo Crew is spinning "Get Back" by The Beatles from their iconic Let It Be album, and the Zoo Freaks are loving it! This song, released as a single on April 11, 1969, has some wild stories behind it. According to posts on X, Paul McCartney birthed the track out of sheer boredom on January 7, 1969, jamming on his bass guitar while waiting for John Lennon, who was running late to the studio. That spontaneous riff turned into a chart-topping hit, reaching number one in multiple countries, including the UK and US, where it held the top spot for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s raw energy captures The Beatles’ attempt to return to their rock ‘n’ roll roots during the tense Let It Be sessions, a period documented in Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back documentary.

One juicy piece of trivia comes from the song’s early drafts, known as the “No Pakistanis” version, where McCartney improvised lyrics that parodied anti-immigrant sentiments in the UK, specifically referencing Enoch Powell’s controversial “Rivers of Blood” speech. These lyrics were never meant for release but surfaced in bootleg recordings, sparking debate among fans. Another gem: Billy Preston, the only guest artist ever credited on a Beatles single, played the electric piano on “Get Back.” His presence, as noted in Songfacts, was a game-changer, easing tensions during the fraught sessions after George Harrison briefly quit the band. Fans on Reddit rave about how Preston’s soulful contribution gave the track its distinctive groove, and his name on the single’s credit—“The Beatles with Billy Preston”—made history.

The song’s recording process, as seen in The Beatles: Get Back, was a rollercoaster. The band recorded multiple takes, with the version on Let It Be… Naked capturing a tight, unpolished performance without the coda added to the single. John Lennon, in a 1980 Playboy interview, called “Get Back” a “potboiler rewrite” of their earlier “Lady Madonna” and hinted that McCartney’s lyrics might’ve been a subtle jab at Yoko Ono, though McCartney never confirmed this. A quirky tidbit from X posts reveals that two different takes were spliced together for the final track, with a noticeable shift at 58 seconds in—once you hear it, you can’t unhear it! The song also closed the Let It Be album, featuring dialogue from their legendary 1969 rooftop concert, where police famously shut down their final public performance.

The Beatles began in Liverpool, England, when Paul McCartney met John Lennon in July 1957 at a church fete, both teenagers bonded over their love for music. McCartney, impressed by Lennon’s group The Quarrymen, joined soon after, followed by George Harrison in 1958. Early gigs at Liverpool’s Cavern Club and grueling stints in Hamburg, Germany, honed their craft. By 1960, with Ringo Starr replacing drummer Pete Best, they settled on the name The Beatles—a nod to Buddy Holly’s Crickets and the word “beat.” Their manager, Brian Epstein, and producer George Martin polished their sound, leading to their first hit, “Love Me Do,” in 1962. Beatlemania exploded in 1963 with UK TV appearances and erupted globally after their 1964 Ed Sullivan Show performance, cementing their status as the most influential band in rock history.

Stay connected with The Beatles through their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts for the latest news on reissues, documentaries, and more. Fans can dive deeper at sites like Beatles Bible, a treasure trove of song histories and career timelines, or The Internet Beatles Album, packed with photos and behind-the-scenes details. Join the conversation on Facebook groups like Beatles Fans or explore r/beatles on Reddit, where Zoo Freaks and Beatlemaniacs share stories, trivia, and love for the Fab Four. Keep spinning those records, Zoo Crew!