Abbey Road by Beatles (The) (Cassette, Oct-1987, Capitol/EMI Records)

Even though John Lennon became a high profile martyred Beatle, Paul McCartney inspired the songs for the 1969-70 Abbey Road LP record album (original). It was then recorded onto those antiquated 8 track cassettes. Next, into this form: audio cassette tape.

George Harrison had his first hit single "Something." John Lennon created the more spacey heavy metal ones, "Come Together" & "I Want You." Ringo Starr made a favorite hit with children in his "Octopus' Garden."

I first owned the 1969 LP of this Beatles 1987 cassette recording. But, I couldn't put a record into a Kenwood car stereo & play it through Blau Punkt speakers! The first time I did that was with this cassette. I realized I'd never really "heard" the true musical talent of the Beatles before that moment because the audio quality is superior on cassette (compared to LP). Today, in 2008, some vehicles & homes do not enjoy the privilege of owning CD players. This cassette is a good alternative.

These 17 tracks are all classic & many of them were paid tribute to by the BEE GEES (& even Steve Martin!) in the movie "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The songs are as follows:

1) Come Together
2) Something
3) Maxwell's Silver Hammer
4) Oh! Darling
5) Octopus' Garden
6) I Want You (She's So Heavy)
7) Here Comes the Sun
8) Because
9) You Never Give Me Your Money
10) Sun King
11) Mean Mr. Mustard
12) Polythene Pam
13) She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
14) Golden Slumbers
15) Carry That Weight
16) The End
17) Her Majesty

The lesson for me is that this 47 minute cassette is (not) new music from 1969-70. It's the original Beatles' music by Sir Paul McCartney (64 now, 27 then & 16yo when some of these songs were composed (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass- & he's still singing & playing these songs in concerts today-without the rest of the band); John Lennon (murdered in NYC) (vocals, guitar, keyboards); George Harrison (deceased of natural causes) (vocals, guitar, synthesizer); Ringo Starr (alive & kicking, but not often with Sir Paul McCartney or in Beatles' style (vocals, drums, percussion). Sir McCartney is the only 1 of the 4 who still carries on the Beatles' traditional music that is recorded on this cassette~

McCartney can carry the group's sound without the rest of the original band. This leads me to believe he was the heart of the group. I always presumed that Lennon, who was so radical as a social change activist & out front in the media, carried the sound of the Beatles. I hadn't realized it then, like I do now, that this cassette has a little something in it for everyone~