48 years ago today (1/30/69), The Beatles with Billy Preston, played their rooftop gig on top of the Apple building on Savile Row, London. Lasting for just over 40 minutes it was the last time The Beatles performed live. The played ‘Get Back’, ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’, ‘The One After 909’ and ‘Dig A Pony’. Traffic was brought to a standstill as crowds of people gathered below and watched from windows in nearby buildings. John Lennon ended the performance by saying “I’d like to say ‘Thank you’ on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition.” Watch The Fab 4 perform “Don’t Let Me Down” from the rooftop.
17 Responses
The Beatles were the greatest band of all time. 1966 was the best year “Revolver”, they played like classical musicians and acted like a married couple-Never will we ever see the likes of them.
There was never anything like the Beatles before and there will never be anything like them again. Their brilliance touched the entire planet and changed the culture of music as well as the culture of hair, clothing and open-minded attitudes. They were trailblazers and broke with every tradition so they could maintain their creative integrity. They made us listen, laugh and think. Oh, to have been on that rooftop in 1969!
It appears to me that they had fun! Hard to believe three of the five are dead, now.
There were only 4 in the band – John, Paul, George & Ringo – in that order…Produced by George Martin, who was sometimes called the 5th Beatle.
Billy Preston was the fifth person the illustrious Mr. Hoffman was identifying, who like George Harrison and John Lennon, is dead. You don’t correct Dustin freakin’ Hoffman, pal … unless you’re Al Pacino, I suppose!
i read an article once where you ask paul to write a song about the guy who had died..i think the name of the song he wrote was “i can’t drink anymore”…great song
In Sept of 1964, I saw the Beatles at the Civic Center in Baltimore. Maryland. I was in row KK on the floor of the center with a perfect view of the boys. There were two kids in front of me so I was luckier than most of the people there. Naturally I screamed, swooned, shouted their names, sang along and took pics. Everything was perfect except the pics. All I got was the back of heads. Didn’t matter as I was in heaven. I am whenever I hear them sing. I used to keep a pic of Paul on my bedroom wall and would give him a kiss before I went to sleep. No heart was broken more than mine when George and John passed away. I believe that every Beatle fan died a little. I have been offered thousands of dollars for my collection of singles, albums, fan mags and pics over the years but I wouldn’t part with one pc of it. The Love You Take is Equal to the Love You Make!!
Yes my sentiment as well. Lucky you to have seen them. John was my favorite but in the last 5 years I ave seen Paul twice. The best concert especially when he would sing the Beatles. Thanks for sharing.
Jealous Guy
Don
the Film Let it Be should be re-released so people can see the birth,culmination and ultimate disintegration of them all as a group.
i`ve seen Let it Be once when younger and it showed how fame and ego can overpower people and create a totally different person,
but how amazing they were when they got together and worked for the music.
The Beatles will never be equaled and for people like me.having a video of the history of the downfall is important and to see the last time the whole group performed together is necessary.
48 years ago today the Greatest group in music history went out with Get Back.
“i’d like to say ‘Thank you’ on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition.”-John Lennon
If it weren’t for this concert so many acts would have not have had an original thought to copy it. Here’s a few who did. U2, Dave Matthews, Matchbox 20, and The B Sharps. Should Apple ever release Let It Be on video besides cleaning up the poor editing job they should include the full 42 minutes of the Rooftop Concert.
There’s some lead guitar going on that song there and from the looks of George’s and John’s fingers during that part, it ain’t them playing it and sure ain’t Billy either.
We are indeed richer for having had their music. They definitely did not let us down.
The greatest group of all time plays one last time live. The Beatles changed my life forever. Thanks boys for the great music. You had to be a young teen to fully understand just how big they were, to see it all from the beginning. I was a late 12 when they were on Ed Sullivan. Greatest time of my life!
Mike you are absolutely right the film should be re=released, and it was going to and was almost complete but Paul,& Ringo had it blocked because of one of the things you said “the disintegration of group”. I feel that it could be a major asset and a huge lesson in behaviors, indifferences , ect. that can sabotage any band even the greatest as the Beatles themselves, as it did! Current & future musicians as a band or duo or whatever can learn something that could of been resolved or avoided in the first place. Nothing wrong with making something positive out of a negative situation. The movie is great!!!!
The Jefferson Airplane was the first to play on a rooftop (in New York), almost a year before the Beatles did it in London.
Hey RICH…..I really don/t understand what do you want… Maybe you also played your guitar on a roof….Who is interested in this? B E A T L E S FOR EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It brings me 48 years back in time !