The performance
The Beatles’ rooftop show began at around midday. The timing coincided with the lunch hour of many nearby workplaces, which led to crowds quickly forming. Although few people could see them, crowds gathered in the streets below to hear The Beatles play.There were people hanging off balconies and out of every office window all around. The police were knocking on the door – George Martin went white! We really wanted to stop the traffic, we wanted to blast out the entire West End…
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, Mark Lewisohn
Traffic in Savile Row and neighbouring streets came to a halt, until police from the nearby West End Central police station, further up Savile Row, entered Apple and ordered the group to stop playing.
It was good fun, actually. We had to set the mikes up and get a show together. I remember seeing Vicki Wickham of Ready, Steady, Go! (there’s a name to conjure with) on the opposite roof, for some reason, with the street between us. She and a couple of friends sat there, and then the secretaries from the lawyers’ offices next door came out on their roof.We decided to go through all the stuff we’d been rehearsing and record it. If we got a good take on it then that would be the recording; if not, we’d use one of the earlier takes that we’d done downstairs in the basement. It was really good fun because it was outdoors, which was unusual for us. We hadn’t played outdoors for a long time.
It was a very strange location because there was no audience except for Vicki Wickham and a few others. So we were playing virtually to nothing – to the sky, which was quite nice. They filmed downstairs in the street – and there were a lot of city gents looking up: ‘What’s that noise?’
Anthology
The songs performed by The Beatles on the Apple rooftop:
- ‘Get Back’ (rehearsal)
- ‘Get Back’ (take one)
- ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ (instrumental excerpt)
- ‘Get Back’ (take two)
- ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ (take one)
- ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ (take one)
- ‘One After 909’ (rehearsal)
- ‘One After 909’
- ‘Danny Boy’ (excerpt)
- ‘Dig A Pony’ (rehearsal)
- ‘Dig A Pony’
- ‘God Save The Queen’ (jam)
- ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ (take two)
- ‘A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody’
- ‘Get Back’ (false start)
- ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ (take two)
- ‘Get Back’ (take three)
Brief, incomplete and off-the-cuff versions of ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’, ‘God Save The Queen’, and ‘A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody’ were fooled around with in between takes – as was ‘Danny Boy’, which was included in the film and on the album. None of these were serious group efforts, and one – the group and Preston performing ‘God Save The Queen’ – was incomplete as it coincided with Alan Parsons changing audio tapes.
The Beatles began with a rehearsal of ‘Get Back’ while the film cameras were still being finalised, followed by a take one proper. At the end it was applauded by the spectators on the roof. In response, Paul McCartney said “It looks like [cricketer] Ted Dexter has scored another,” and John Lennon announced: “We’ve had a request from Martin and Luther.”
A second full version of ‘Get Back’ followed. An edit of these two versions was included in the Let It Be film. Afterwards Lennon said: “Well, thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We’ve had a request from Daisy, Morris and Tommy.”
The third song was ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, as featured in the Let It Be film. Afterwards The Beatles went straight into ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’, which was used in the film and on the album. At the end of the song Lennon can be heard saying: “Oh my soul, so hard.”
Police constables Ray Dagg and Ray Shayler entered the Apple building during ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’. They initially believed the music to be coming from the basement studio, and realised belatedly that it was coming from the roof.
The officers were stalled by Apple doorman Jimmy Clark, who purposefully kept them talking to allow The Beatles to continue performing. “They’re just doing a couple of numbers, that’s all,” Clark told them, also informing them that it was for an album and film. “Turn it down now, or else I’m going to start arresting people,” 19-year-old PC Dagg told him.
Obstruction of police in the execution of their duty and highway obstruction are powers of arrest by the police but they are not applicable on private premises.The gamble was that they didn’t know that. Probably because I was so young and stupid I was running a bluff on it.
I think now, at 72 years of age, I can say I wouldn’t [have made the arrests]. At 19, I was pretty gung-ho and I think I probably might have, and taken the flak afterwards for wrongful arrest.
But it would have stopped it, that’s the main thing. I’d have been praised for stopping it but then bollocked for using the wrong powers of arrest.
The Sunday Times
After ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ Lennon, Harrison, and Starr each briefly looked over the balcony at the crowds below, before returning to their instruments.
The next song, ‘One After 909’, was also used in the Let It Be film and album. At the end of it Lennon broke out into a brief impromptu rendition of Conway Twitty’s 1959 hit ‘Danny Boy’.
The sixth song The Beatles played was ‘Dig A Pony’. A short rehearsal was played first, with Lennon asking for the lyrics. They then performed the song properly, with a production runner on the film, Kevin Harrington, kneeling in front of Lennon holding a clipboard bearing the lyrics. George Harrison, too, briefly knelt next to Harrington.
‘Dig A Pony’ began with a false start. In the film, Ringo Starr can be seen putting his cigarette down and crying out ‘Hold it!’ This, and the full version that followed, were both included in the album and film, although on the LP the ‘All I want is…” refrain which opened and closed the song were cut by Phil Spector.
George Harrison joined Lennon and McCartney on vocals for the excised lines from ‘Dig A Pony’. He also contributed backing vocals to ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ and ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’.
As Alan Parsons changed the recording tapes in Apple’s basement studio, The Beatles and Billy Preston performed an off-the-cuff version of ‘God Save The Queen’. This was never used; nor were second versions of ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, until the complete show was included in the 2021 documentary Get Back.
The Beatles’ road manager Mal Evans had been stalling the police officers, telling them that the PA had been turned off and that he needed to make changes in the basement studio. During the second ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’, however, PCs Dagg and Shayler demanded that Evans take them to the rooftop.
‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ was followed by the second version of ‘Don’t Let Me Down’. It was preceded by a false start when Harrison began playing ‘Get Back’, not realising which song was next.
The police arrived on the rooftop just as ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ began. The Beatles were alerted to their presence by the camera crew’s shifted focus. McCartney turned round and, seeing the constables, smiled and sang “Whoo!”
Also during ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, a more senior policeman, Sgt David Kendrick, arrived at Apple. He introduced himself to the receptionist, Debbie Wellum, and assertively yet politely asked to be allowed onto the rooftop. “You can go up,” Wellum told him, “but don’t go actually on the roof, because it’s overweight. Go in the lift, to the fourth floor.”
Also on this day...
- 2019: The Beatles announce Let It Be film reissue and new collaboration with Peter Jackson
- 2012: Album release: Ringo 2012 by Ringo Starr
- 2009: Stella McCartney creates Beatles t-shirt for Red Nose Day 2009
- 1970: Ringo Starr meets Elvis Presley
- 1967: Mixing: A Day In The Life
- 1967: Filming: Strawberry Fields Forever
- 1964: The Beatles live: Olympia Theatre, Paris
- 1963: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1962: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1961: The Beatles live: Lathom Hall, Liverpool
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
Didn’t John play a few bars of I Want You (She’s So Heavy) while they were changing he tapes?
Not the whole band, just him.
Did you not include it, because it wasn’t the whole band, or didn’t you know?
Anyway, you’ve got a great website, really useful resource.
Thanks!
It was an omission – I also left out A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody and God Save The Queen, but I probably should have been more complete. I’ve added a paragraph about the off-the-cuff songs below the main song list, though it should be stressed that these weren’t proper performances.
Do you have a complete list of all the people who were on the roof at that time?
No. The Beatles and their associates are known, but I’m not sure about the members of the film crew.
I noticed that the birthday song on youtube was recently removed from the rooftop concert and replaced with the Paul McCartney version. I loved the original. I do see the rooftop concert on vimeo however the birthday song is not included. Perhaps something about copyright issues? Can the birthday song video from the rooftop concert be ordered somewhere?
I have a question.
There’s a bootleg with a stereo versions of the Rooftop Concert?
In response, McCartney mumbled something about cricketer Ted Dexter, and Lennon announced: “We’ve had a request from Martin Luther.”
John shouts something while Paul says in a posh voice “Well, thank you very much. It looks Ted Dexter has scored another.” Then John says “We’ve had a request from Martin and Luther.” There’s definitely an “and” in between “Martin” and “Luther”. I downloaded the bootleg off the internet.
From listening to the bootleg, there is a loud American voice, one of the crew. Who is it?
That probably would’ve been the director Michael Lindsay-Hogg who was an American.
While Conway Twitty may have made ONE recoding of “Danny Boy” the song is much older, having been written by Frederic Weatherly in 1910, and first recorded by someone named Ernestine Schumann-Heink in 1915.
It says that George sings a few lines on I’ve Got A Feeling and they were his only vocals during the concert, which was stated in Mark Lewisohn’s Beatles Sessions book, but it’s not quite true, because George can clearly be heard singing on Don’t Let Me Down as well, so much so that at one point he almost drowns John’s vocal out. He only sings in the choruses of Don’t Let Me Down though.
I would like to hear George drown out a Lennon vocal.
Are you sure it wasn’t Paul?
John Paul and George sing a great gospel-like 3 part harmony on the choruses of Don’t Let Me Down.
https://soundcloud.com/coxalicious/dont-let-me-down-heard-from
i have reel tapes of street interviews and found this, where george was much louder on the amps and could be heard on the street.
I noticed that error too, because, as you said, he is clearly singing on “Don’t Let Me Down” and even the footage can verify this.
7 December, 1968. Jefferson Airplane Rooftop Concert filmed by Godard 😉
The Airplane did a rooftop concert a month earlier (December 7) at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City. The Beatles followed, followed by U2 and two other groups whose names I cannot remember. So you see, the Beatles did not start that one.
The video for this link been removed. On this link it says Jefferson Airplane played their Roof Top performance on Tuesday, November 19th 1968. The Beatles weren’t the first group to play on a rooftop but their performance was far better! https://bestclassicbands.com/jefferson-airplane-rooftop-nyc-1-16-18/
At the end, John says “I hope we passed the audition!”
What does he say right before that?
@Imagination Troubador “I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and…” It’s on page two of this article.
Just prior, we hear a female yell,”Yay”. That’s Maureen Starkey, then we hear Paul say,” Thanks MO, to her…into John’s “I’d like to say…
I visited the Casbah Coffee Club this year. and the guide, Rogue Best said Paul Thanked Mo, meaning Mona Best, who ran the club in the early days. How clear is it really that he was talking to Maureen?
Very clear. Rogue wasn’t there, and Maureen – who was frequently referred to as the shortened “Mo”- was. She is sited in reports and articles of the event as having been quite enthusiastic in her cheering , as can be heard in this case. There would be no reason for Paul to be making such an obscure “thanks” at this late date in their careers.
Considering that she was there on the roof and had just cheered the finale of the song, probably 100%.
“On behalf of ourselves and the group”
I’ve Got A Feeling on Let It Be… Naked is an edit of the two rooftop performances isn’t it?
Am I wrong or this was technically their longest lasting gig?
No, they used to play for well over an hour in Liverpool and Hamburg in their early days. It was only when Epstein started managing them that their shows typically lasted around half an hour.
in reply to Gainsbarre, indeed George voice can clearly be heard singing on Don’t Let me Down as back up vocal but not drowning out John’s voice.
i’d like to know what john said before they sang “Two of Us”…
“‘I Dig a Pygmy’, by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids… Phase One, in which Doris gets her oats!”
George Also sings The “All I Want Is” intro and outro on Dig A Pony…
Hi, I’m glad you mentioned George’s small stunt of kneeling before Lennon.
Out of curiosity, do you know why they did this? Was it just a bit of fun (they both smiled at each other afterwards), or was it something else? Thanks!
Is the Alan Parsons mentioned above the same as the “Alan Parsons Project”?
Yep. Also it’s the same guy who engineered “Dark Side of The Moon” by Pink Floyd.
Does anyone know about the beautiful wood planks on the roof? Were they placed there? I can’t think they were always there. They seem to have been cut to fit. Does anyone know if they still exist? Someone have a souvenir?
If ever you found one you could make a guitar out of it like ZZ Top did
Someone knows if with the beatles touristic tour you can see also the Apple building?
Isn’t that tour in Liverpool? Apple was located in London.
Just saw the photo looking down for the first time – what a great shot! Any idea where it was taken from – did someone climb up somewhere to take it? wow.
RE: “I’d like to say ‘thank you’ on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we passed the audition.”
This was John, correct? I’ve heard several Beatles fans say it’s Ringo.
It was absolutely John. You can see him speak the words at the end of the Let It Be film.
Before beginning the song “Two of Us” during their impromptu rooftop concert at Apple Headquarters, Jon Lennon quipped “I dig a pygmy by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids, phase one in which Doris gets her oats”.
Hey, just saw Ron Howard’s “Eight Day’s A Week.” Save your money. The “Anthology” is better, though Opie has a few good moments. He shows good Rooftop Concert video. I’ve seen “Let It Be” many times, and somehow Howard has footage (I think) that isn’t fan-sourced but another camera’s shots. I always wondered about why they were never shown by now – I thought they were destroyed. If any of y’ll know: were multiple cameras used by the director of “Let It Be” on the rooftop? If so, was Howard using unseen footage (or am I imagining this)? I think I read/heard McCartney wanting a fresh edition/digitalized version of the Rooftop Concert. Were there two or more cameras on the roof? Granted, Lindsay-Hogg most likely chose the best shots. But still….
Yeah, I watched it and definitely saw Rooftop footage I’d not seen before. That – for me – justified purchase of Eight Days A Week, LOL.
Is there a complete 42 minute version available on video anywhere? I’d sure like to see the whole thing.
Was on my birthday. I always remember this great concert. Thanks Beatles!
I Wonder: Who else have been singing and playing on the roof of Savile Row since the Beatles in 1969?
Did the Rutles enter the roof? And who else?
I have! Back in 1981 when I was in a band myself, me and a bandmate had a free day one day so we did the Beatle sites. When we got to Savile Row, No 3 door was ajar, as the place was a building site at the time. So we opened it and walked right up to the rooftop, sang a chorus of Don’t Let Me Down and went back down stairs again.
My impression when we got there was how small the space was up there.
But what a great experience for a huge Beatles fan like me
In Steinkjer, a city in Norway, we have a Beatles tribute band called: Bærre Beatles.
We attended the roof in September 1996 and sang (with one guitar) One after 909.
What a feeling!
Bjørn Edward Diesen
Does anyone know if they planned to do other songs had the performance not been stopped?
Worked at Andre Bernard as hair stylist, took my lunch walk through Burlington Arcade then stood outside Mr Fish the kipper tie boutique and listened to Get Back. Wearing my Lord John Bo Brummel jacket. Went home and hoped to see it on TOTP but not on. Great to see it in Ron Howards production.
Such great days working in Mayfair in mid to late 60’s.
Don’t quite know why, but One After 909 always struck me as the highlight of the rooftop concert.
What videos have clips of the concert besides “Let It Be”?
I once saw most of the rooftop concert on YouTube and haven’t been able to find it since except for Don’t Let Me Down and Get Back. I wonder where I can find it again
Does anybody can say what John Lennon´s sing when he sing Don´t Let Me Down by the first time? There are some weird lyrics I am nor able to understand…thanks a lot in advance
John sings “An no le re zi ga bli blu ji go/Ooh she does, yeah she does” after the second chorus of “Don’t Let Me Down.” Hope this helps!
Where did the Fender Rhodes piano go to?
Has PC503 ever been interviewed about having to stop the concert and whether he had mixed feelings about it?
I have always been wondering about how anyone would complain about a free Beatles concert. Here is arguably the greatest rock band ever playing live and for anyone to listen to. Can you imagine the price of a ticket if it was in a concert hall. Playing live for the first time in a long time and the last time ever and people complaining about the noise. Damn , I would have climbed straight up the outside of the building just to look and listen in awe.
Agreed. If I recall correctly most people on the ground enjoyed the free concert, but there are always those who would complain about something even if it’s a free meal.
We see over and over the claim that the coat worn by Lennon was borrowed from Yoko, yet we see him wearing it all through the Get Back series. It fits him properly. If it had been her coat it would have come down to below her knees and the sleeves especially at the shoulders, would have been ridiculously huge.
The entire rooftop performance is in episode 3 of Peter Jackson’s “Get Back” miniseries.
Twin Reverbs aren’t exactly “tiny little amps.”