TheBeatlesOnline

The End

Paul McCartney: Vocals, bass guitar, piano, lead guitar
John Lennon: Vocals, lead guitar
George Harrison: Vocals, rythm and lead guitar
Ringo Starr: Drums

Uncredited: 12 violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos, 1 double bass, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 1 trombone, 1 bass trombone.

Recorded July 23 and August 5, 7, 8, 15 and 18 1969.

Available on:
Abbey Road
Anthology 3

Although The End (first entitled "Ending") by and large was Paul's song, it was Lennon who came up with the idea that all three Beatles guitarists - John, George and Paul - should play three seperte guitar solos simultaneously, after Ringo's drum solo. Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick recalled in his book Here, There and Everywhere that the atmosphere in the studio was really good during this recording. He wrote:

"[...] for the hour or so it that it took them to play those solos, all the bad blood, all the fighting, all the crap that had gone down between the three former friends was forgotten. John, Paul and George looked like they had gone back in time, like they were kids again, playing together fot the sheer enjoyment of it."

The End