The story of the Beatles rooftop concert at the heart of 'Get Back'
Like any good story, the documentary about the making of the Beatles’ latest album — neither of which existed yet — needed a climax.
It was Jan. 30, 1969, and the world-renowned rock band decided to stage a performance on the roof of its Apple Corps building in London for family, friends and film cameras. The 42-minute show became the grand finale of the band’s documentary, “Let It Be.”
It was also the last public performance that the most commercially successful band in history would ever give. As police shut down the show for causing a ruckus, John Lennon declared: “I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we passed the audition.”
“It wasn’t an audition,” said Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn. “But they always had the perfect lines.”
The rooftop show and the associated “Let It Be” album are a
Source: Marisa Iati/washingtonpost.com
