What if ... ?

Ok, indulge me.

I love writing up speculative alternate history. I've written up what happens if the American Football League doesn't merge with the National Football League by 1966, and what happens if the United States Football League wins it's antitrust suit against the NFL, and gets money too. (I'll go over that sometime.)

One of my favorites is what would have happened if the Beatles had not broken up in 1970.

(If you're not a Beatles fan, it's best to just pass this one by ... )

Several web sites have put together so-called Beatles fantasy albums. Here are a few: Here and here and here. There used to be more; they disappeared.

My problem with people who do this is that they either they ignore the actual timeline of events to cram together their favorite tracks, or they have the Beatles issuing double albums in perpetuity just so the writer doesn't have to make tough choices. Or their single-disc albums are 60+ minutes long ... great for a CD but anachronistic for an LP.

So I wrote up a story myself. I have no agenda or preconceived notions. I have dumped some tracks because they didn't fit. I actually wanted to use tracks from Paul McCartney's first album, but it didn't fit in to the timeline.

So here goes, and will go until I'm done.

(Bruce, tell me what you think)

1970:

February
John, with Plastic Ono Band, releases single INSTANT KARMA.
Beatles release album HEY JUDE.

March
Ringo releases album SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY.

April
Paul releases album McCARTNEY. He hints strongly at a breakup, but does not announce it, as he did in real time (this is where the timeline diverges). Instead of "When will the Beatles reunite?," the early 70s are filled with questions of "When will the Beatles fall apart?".

May
Beatles release album LET IT BE.

August
Beatles reconcile for now. They will continue to record mostly separately and submit their best tracks for inclusion in group albums. Anything not used by the group will be available for solo release.

September
Ringo releases album NASHVILLE. He holds back one song, BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES, for the next Beatles album.

October-November
For his submission to the Beatles, George selects tracks he was recording for what later becomes a solo double album. He holds back an epic-length version of ISN'T IT A PITY for himself and the album's title. Paul, having released his best tracks already with McCARTNEY, hurriedly records and presents only two tracks, ANOTHER DAY and OH WOMAN OH WHY. John, in the middle of recording a self-confessional album, picks four of the gloomiest songs he has recorded, including one that says "I don't believe in Beatles," spurring new rumors.

December
Beatles release
ALL THINGS MUST PASS

ALL THINGS MUST PASS (3:49)
WORKING CLASS HERO (3:50)
OH WOMAN OH WHY (4:55)
BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES (2:35)
WHAT IS LIFE (4:19)
LOVE (3:24)

MOTHER (5:36)
MY SWEET LORD (4:41)
ANOTHER DAY (3:41)
ISN'T IT A PITY [VERSION TWO] (4:47)
GOD (4:10)

(45:47 running time)

ALL THINGS MUST PASS goes to No. 1

Beatles are loath to record more songs for singles and so adopt the American practice of releasing singles from album tracks. They agree that one single will be a John song on the A side, one a Paul song, and one a George or Ringo song. Three singles are released from this album:

MY SWEET LORD b/w OH WOMAN OH WHY
ANOTHER DAY b/w LOVE
WORKING CLASS HERO b/w WHAT IS LIFE

Top 40 radio embraces MY SWEET LORD and ANOTHER DAY, but flips over the profane WORKING CLASS HERO to play WHAT IS LIFE.

MY SWEET LORD goes to No. 1 and stays there for 6 weeks.
ANOTHER DAY peaks at No. 2.
WORKING CLASS HERO, spurred by radio play of the flip side WHAT IS LIFE, goes to No. 1


... more TK

-Zube.