CARRY THAT WEIGHT

After an even more emotional reading of Golden Slumbers’ opening verse, Carry That Weight announced itself with a spirited gang-vocal chorus from all four Beatles. We’re clearly approaching the Long Medley’s crescendo, and an orchestral setting of You Never Give Me Your Money explodes into life. George Harrison’s guitar ushers in a doubletracked McCartney vocal that’s beautifully pitched musically and emotionally, prior to a rousing reprise of the Carry That Weight chorus.

Here’s McCartney’s emphatic final word on The Beatles. With You Never Give Me Your Money’s theme ringing in their ears, he had Lennon, Harrison and Starr – who’d all taken a contrary stance to McCartney in all matters financial throughout Abbey Road’s creative process (and now seemed indecently eager to put their Beatles days behind them) – lustily singing ‘You’re gonna carry that weight a long time’, portentous words McCartney had written in recognition of the fact that none of them would ever truly escape the long shadow cast by their years in The Beatles.