The medley that closes out the second side of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album is one of the most impressive displays of musicianship in the band’s storied career. It also provided the perfect send-off before the band’s official breakup months later, ending with the lyrics, “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
In 1969, “Abbey Road” was the last record the group made together, although “Let it Be,” recorded earlier that year, was released in 1970.
At first, the medley was just a clever way for the band to use a handful of half-finished tunes, but when it came together it was a rousing, grandiose affair.
Arranged by Paul McCartney and producer George Martin, the medley weaves together five songs written by McCartney, “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window,” “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight” and “The End,” and three by John Lennon, “Sun King,” “Mean Mr. Mustard” and “Polythene Pam.”
Fifteen seconds after the medley and the album’s conclusion, there is a surprise treat, McCartney’s 22-second “Her Majesty,” which wound up on the record as an accident.
Jack Black and Kyle Gass, collectively known as Tenacious D, recently reimagined two of the songs in the medley, “You Never Give Me Your Money” and “The End,” for acoustic guitars for a performance on SiriusXM’s Octane Channel. Like everything with Tenacious D, it showed off the duo’s impressive musical chops as well as their fantastic sense of humor.
The truncated version of the medley was also a wonderful tribute to the incredible work the Beatles did 53 years ago.
Warning: This video contains NSFW language.