r/beatlesfanalbums

We all know the story…

There was a very short period of time when The Beatles considered a follow up to Abbey Road.

John, Paul and George met on September 8, 1969 at their offices on 3 Savile Row. John recorded the meeting for Ringo, who was in the hospital.

At this meeting, John proposed an idea for the song distribution: four John songs, four Paul songs, four George songs and two Ringo songs, John good-naturedly kidding, “if he wants them.”

There is a tape of the meeting. A bit of it is out there. As always with The Beatles we do not *really* know completely what transpired. We don’t *really* know how they felt.

12 days later, they had another meeting. The “divorce” meeting.

This is a link to The Guardian article about the meeting:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/11/the-beatles-break-up-mark-lewisohn-abbey-road-hornsey-road

Could this idea have worked? I don’t know. It is an interesting idea and I use it on a lot of my fan albums - probably because George is my guy.

I decided to put together a series of albums where John’s 4/4/4/2 idea was applied to all of their albums. I did my best to apply the idea but Ringo just didn’t have enough songs.

So…these are 14-track albums by The Beatles if they applied the 4/4/4/2 idea from day 1. I alternate the guys throughout each album.

(Note: I used Apple Jam versions on a few songs. They are not completely available on Apple Music so the released UK versions were used there.)

Thanks to Mistahwhite for the artwork.

1. Strawberry Fields Forever

2. Penny Lane

3. Within You Without You

4. With A Little Help From My Friends

5. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite

6. Fixing A Hole

7. Only A Northern Song

8. Flying

9. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

10. Lovely Rita

11. It’s All Too Much

12. Good Morning Good Morning

13. All Together Now

14. All You Need Is Love

4/4/4/2 Sgt Pepper (Spotify)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0xbyVLhzOLPL43z9xEoIpR?si=oP9\_OJKMTCuT1KbrvcuyLg&utm\_source=copy-link&pi=MUiLa\_Y0RD683

4/4/4/2 Sgt Pepper (Apple Music)

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/beatles-4-4-4-2-help/pl.u-KVXBvgWF1LJe5XP?ls

In the middle recording the new untitled Beatles album in August 1968, Ringo Starr decides to quit the Beatles just like in our timeline - but in this universe he doesn't come back.

At first the remaining three try to continue to make the album without him, with Paul filling in on the drums, but by early September they loose all will to try to do an album without Ringo.

But instead of asking him to get back to the band, John and George are starting to follow his lead. They call a meeting with Paul and they decide to 'temporarily' leave the band too, while also taking some songs ideas with them for their future solo work. All the paperwork is written with all of the Fab Four about which song can be used for the album and the recording process finishes.

Ringo, John and George leave the Beatles while Paul and George Martin are left in shambles trying to release what suddently became the final Beatles album. Which also has to be a single album as they don't have recorded enough songs for the planned double album, that at least pleases Martin.

The album releases on Halloween of 1968. Alongside the release Paul gives out interviews stating that the Beatles are currently on hiatus and that fans shouldn't expect a lot of new releases any time soon.

"It's called Helter Skelter folks, it's about being like a helter skelter" - Lennon asked about the new Beatles album in 1968

The track listing is as follows:

Side 1:

1. "Back in the USSR"
2. "Lady Madonna" (with a transition from "Back in the USSR")
3. "Hey Bulldog" (with a piano transition from "Lady Madonna")
4. "Don't Pass Me By"
5. "Blackbird"
6. "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da"

Side 2:

1. "Helter Skelter" (10-minute cut of the 27-minute version)
2. "Yer Blues"
3. "Honey Pie" (actually it's just "Wild Honey Pie" with a different name)
4. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

Helter Skelter Medley (part of side 2) (all songs about a minute in lenght):

1. "Cry Baby Cry" (with a transition from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps")
2. "Mean Mr Mustard"
3. "Polythene Pat"
4. "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey"
5. "Revolution Again" (short version of "Revolution 1")
6. "Good Night"

A completely solo John album in 1980, mostly following the theme of being a house-husband / home life.

Track Listing

Side A

1. I'm Stepping Out
2. Cleanup Time
3. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
4. I'm Losing You
5. Real Love

Side B

1. (Just Like) Starting Over
2. One of the Boys
3. Grow Old With Me
4. Watching the Wheels
5. Dear Yoko

This is a Paul fan compilation album that is a redone version of a fan album I posted earlier this year of the same name. This album comprises some of my favorite tracks from some later albums of Paul’s career, specially from Egypt Station (and its Explorer Edition), McCartney III, and The Boys of Dungeon Lane (along with some of the bonus tracks from its Special Edition.) This version of the compilation is also resequenced with some of the new track additions compared to the older version.

Track-listing:

Side one:

1. Back in Brazil [Egypt Station]
2. Never Know [The Boys of Dungeon Lane]
3. Sixty Second Street [Egypt Station (Explorer’s Edition)]
4. Find My Way [McCartney III]
5. One Night Stand [TBODL (Special Edition)]
6. We Two [TBODL]
7. The Kiss of Venus [McCartney III]

Side two:

1. Lavatory Lil [McCartney III]
2. City Fox [TBODL (Special Edition)]
3. Frank Sinatra’s Party [Egypt Station (Explorer’s Edition)]
4. Life Can Be Hard [TBODL]
5. Seize The Day [McCartney III]
6. Salesman Saint [TBODL]
7. Momma Gets By [TBODL]

(This Bird Had Flown remix by me.)

The year is (still) 1965.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19G3RTPEgx-2PssN\_2CQIGqiGR9Jwb4Ds

The band has been through a grueling filming and ensuing tour, so there's a glimmer of relief that they have actual time to relax, and for the first time, have a chance to experiment in the studio, planting the seeds for the bad wanting to do more studio experimentation. To save time they use 2 songs from the Eight Arms sessions. However, after the sessions wrap up, the band are notified that they have to embark on ANOTHER world tour by January 1966. By March they have to immediately begin rushing out sessions. That record will come soon...