44 Years Ago Today: The Beatles Play the Rooftop

It must have been something to step out for a bite and a pint in chilly January London and heard a racket coming from a nearby roof, only to realize it was England's favourite sons playing their new record.

Today is the 44th anniversary of The Beatles' final live performance together, on the rooftop of their company Apple in the chichi Saville Row section of London.

Rock Turtleneck commemorated this anniversary way back in 2009 as well, but the final live performance by the "world's greatest tea room orchestra," as David Frost once called them, bears repeating. 

The lads were at each other's throats at this point, and Yoko Ono was attached to John Lennon like so much shrieking, conceptual Velcro. The band had less than a year left in them. But they were also show-biz pros, so when it was time to play they put all that stuff aside, delivered the goods and passed the audition. 

Amazing to think these grizzled, jaded living legends were all still in their twenties at this point. George Harrison, the youngest Beatle, was all of 25.

If you have a few minutes, you can watch the entire show from start to finish on YouTube, featuring fave raves like "Get Back," "Don't Let Me Down," "One After 909" and "I've Got a Feeling."

Part I: 


Part II:

Last December, the Beatles' organization released Magical Mystery Tour on DVD for the first time - let's hope a deluxe Let it Be will be coming our way this Christmastime.

Comprar Let it Be de los Beatles en iTunes aquí.