Get Back Photo Session At EMI House, London
Tuesday 13 May 1969
On 13 May 1969, The Beatles returned to EMI House in London for a famous photography session intended for the cover of the abandoned Get Back album.
The concept recreated the iconic cover image from Please Please Me, showing how dramatically the group had changed since 1963. Photographer Angus McBean was once again tasked with capturing the image from the stairwell inside EMI House at 20 Manchester Square, London.
Recreating The Please Please Me Cover
The original Please Please Me sleeve had been photographed by McBean in 1963 from a stairwell looking down at the group leaning over a balcony inside EMI House.
For the 1969 recreation, however, McBean encountered a major problem: a newly-built porch blocked him from reaching the same camera angle used six years earlier.
Some images were still taken during this first attempt. These photographs can be identified by George Harrison wearing a maroon suit and John Lennon wearing a dark blue suit.
EMI subsequently removed the obstructing porch and invited The Beatles back for another attempt a week later. During the 13 May session Lennon and Harrison instead wore their striped 1966 stage suits.
Angus McBean Recalls The Session
In 1963 I asked John Lennon how long they would stay as a group, and he said, Oh, about six years, I suppose - who ever heard of a bald Beatle?
Well, it was just six years later that I was asked to repeat the shot with the Beatles as they now looked - very hairy indeed.
McBean later recalled the chaos surrounding the session, including Ringo Starr arriving late while EMI staff streamed down the staircase.
According to McBean, Lennon became fascinated by the photographer's camera setup and lay beside him to look through the viewfinder while surprised EMI employees unknowingly stepped over him.
The Abandoned Get Back Album
The photographs were intended for producer Glyn Johns' proposed Get Back album configuration, which carried the tagline: with Don't Let Me Down and 12 other songs.
Former Beatles press officer Tony Barrow was also commissioned to write liner notes for the release.
However, the original Get Back album project was ultimately shelved. The session photographs remained largely unseen until they appeared on the front covers of the 1962-66 and 1967-70 collections in 1973 - the famous Red and Blue albums.
The abandoned Get Back album concept was finally officially released decades later as part of the 2021 super deluxe edition of Let It Be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did The Beatles recreate the Please Please Me cover in 1969?
The group wanted the proposed Get Back album artwork to mirror their 1963 debut album cover and visually show how much they had changed over six years.
Who photographed The Beatles for the Get Back session?
British photographer Angus McBean photographed both the original 1963 Please Please Me cover and the 1969 recreation attempt.
Why was the original 1969 photo attempt unsuccessful?
A newly-built porch at EMI House blocked McBean from reaching the same camera angle used in 1963.
Was the Get Back album released in 1969?
No. Glyn Johns' original Get Back album was shelved and later replaced by Let It Be in 1970.
When were the Get Back photographs finally used?
The photos became famous in 1973 when they appeared on the Beatles Red and Blue compilation albums.
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