What is the order of the Beatles on Abbey Road?
Abbey Road, one of the most iconic albums by the Beatles, released in 1969, has become an oft-cited example of the Beatles’ iconic sound and popularity. The album’s iconic cover showed the four Beatles walking across a zebra crossing, whilst also providing hints to the narrative of its songs. This iconic image has sparked debates among fans over the years as to what order the Beatles should appear in. As such, there is a great deal of mystery and controversy around the album artwork and the order of the Beatles as depicted.
Many interpretations of the cover have been discussed, and the most commonly accepted opinion, based on interviews with the photographers, designers and those involved with the shoot, is that the line-up is in order of height. George Harrison is first, followed by Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and finally Paul McCartney. In the accompanying photos, shown in the special anniversary re-issues of the album, the order is reversed, starting with Paul McCartney and ending with George Harrison. This contrast between the iconic photo and the ‘behind the scene’ photos of the shoot suggests that the order of the Beatles may have been carefully considered before the shoot.
The cultural importance of this album can be seen by the way the order of the Beatles has been immortalised and used in films, artwork and popular parodies. In fact, the order of the Beatles on the Abbey Road cover has become the most copied and re-enacted musical artwork ever seen. It has even been credited as a major influence in hip-hop and rap. For example, Public Enemy included a recreation of the photo on their album Art of Rap and the cover art for Black Star’s album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star was based on the classic image.
Moreover, there is still considerable debate among fans and scholars on the meaning of the order and the implications for the album’s underlying message. Some have suggested that the display of order in the iconic image reflects the Beatles’ personal journey over the course of the album, with George and Ringo evoking the maturity and wisdom acquired throughout the band’s life together. Others consider the lack of eye contact between Lennon and McCartney signals the gradual breakup of the band.
Regardless, the order of the Beatles in Abbey Road’s iconic image stands as an iconic image of British music culture of the twentieth century, and is the source of inspiration in the worlds of both music and fashion even today.
Who Came Up with the Idea to Use The Zebra Crossing?
The original idea to use the zebra crossing came from photographer Iain Macmillan. After scouting for a location to use as part of the photo shoot and deciding on the zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios, he suggested to the Beatles that they walk across it in single file. The zebra crossing provided a unique perspective as viewers could follow the Beatles walking away, versus poses of the Beatles in a row which were typical of most of the other album covers of the era.
The suggestion of the zebra crossing was further enhanced when Apple Records art director John Kosh suggested the Beatles should be escorted by a policeman in keeping with the London street scene. Photographer Macmillan then deliberately chose to use a low angle position when shooting against the wall at the far end of the crossing. As a result, the album’s iconic cover was brought to life.
In addition to the zebra crossing, the iconic album also includes a distinctive wallpaper pattern on the back cover. This was the wallpaper at Abbey Road Studio Two and was kept as the studio’s interior design until it closed in 2009. The wallpaper pattern prompted the release of a version of the album’s artwork with an all-yellow cover, called the Yellow Submarine version. This provided an interesting contrast with the Abbey Road version, and as such signified the Abbey Road album’s continuing legacy.
Moreover, the order of the Beatles as per their heights to produce the photo has also been seen as part of the conclusion of their journey together while walking across the zebra crossing. This idea has been further emphasised by the approaching car from the opposite direction, as per Macmillan’s idea to create a sense of narvation and progress.
What Were the Beatles Doing During the Photo Shoot?
The photo shoot for the Abbey Road album was scheduled for August 8th, 1969. Working with Macmillin, the Beatles only took 6 takes of the image to get the right shot. Macmillan later revealed that the shot used on the cover was apparently the sixth and final attempt. During the photo shoot, and between takes, it’s reported that the Beatles enjoyed joking around, with Starr and Harrison apparently competing to see who could most jump over a raised pedestrian crossing.
Moreover, contrary to popular belief, Lennon was not out of step with the other Beatles during the shoot and in the version of the photo chosen for the album cover. After the shoot, artist Kosh suggested airbrushing John’s feet so as to appear in step, but Lennon was reportedly insistent that this was unnecessary, and that the natural state of his feet in the image should be kept.
In addition, rumours have abounded that Yoko Ono was the white-clad figure in the background of the image walking away from the shoot. However, this is untrue. The figure is in fact a passer-by named Paul Cole, who happened to be walking in the background of the shoot. He was unpaid for his brief cameo role on the cover, something which sparked a lawsuit in 2011.
The controversial and iconic order of the Beatles on Abbey Road’s album cover will continue to spark debate, but the iconic image itself will remain one of the most recognizable images of the twentieth century, synonymous with the sound and success of the Beatles.
The Legacy of the Album Cover
Nobody could have predicted the lasting influence of the Abbey Road album cover. Far from simply being an iconic album cover, the Abbey Road image has come to represent something of an iconic motif in British culture. Not only did it come to symbolise the band’s own personal journey together and the heady days of the 1960s, it has been embraced as an iconic emblem of British and worldwide culture.
In fact, in 2010 Abbey Road was awarded Grade II listed status by the British government due to its “cultural and historical importance.” It was also selected as the favourite album cover of the twentieth century by Orbit, a British music magazine. The cover also appeared in the 2000 film ‘Almost Famous’, in a scene where the character William Miller falls to the ground whilst crossing the road.
Moreover, the continued popularity of the album cover led to the street being renamed from the original Grove End Road to Abbey Road in the 1970s. The zebra crossing itself has become a symbol of Beatlemania, and is now treated as a tourist destination, with ‘Abbey Road pilgrims’ from all over the world visiting the crossing to pay tribute to the band and recreate the iconic image.
In addition to this, musically, the album showcased the band’s musical virtuosity and provided an indication of the direction in which popular music would go in the years to come. While Abbey Road was the band’s final studio album release, it marked a momentous end to the Beatles’ journey together and was testament to their creative vision and experimentation with new instruments and recording techniques.
Musical Roots
In terms of the overall musical content, Abbey Road is often cited as a return to the Beatles’ musical roots. It marked a return to the band’s use of intricate vocal harmonies and old-style rock-and-roll which was largely lacking in some of their more modern works. The opening track ‘Come Together’ introduced George Harrison’s slide guitar playing and was seen as a return to a more rock-and-roll sound. The album also had a distinctly progressive sound, featuring long ‘medleys’ which encompassed a range of sounds and genres.
Ultimately, Abbey Road showcased the diversity of the Beatles as a band and displayed the skill of the individual members. Despite the fact that relationships between the band had deteriorated, the album was testament to their talent as musicians and composers. The order of the Beatles on the album cover encapsulates the journey the band took together, from the early days of ‘Please Please Me’ to some of their more experimental work.
The iconic Abbey Road album cover has become an influential icon of both British and global culture, and will continue to inspire artists and musicians
