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by: Andy Roman (revolver@bright.net)
Twickenham Notes - 2 January 1969 (The rehearsals begin) - Roll 1A
"Don't Let Me Down; I Dig A Pony."
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The beginning of the Get Back sessions. Introducing John's new song Don't Let Me Down. As the tape begins, an announcement is made: "Okay, we're gonna tape The Beatles. .be quiet."
For the next couple of minutes, footsteps are heard, as is the sound of equipment being rolled across the floors of Twickenham. One can also make out drum cymbals in the background. Eventually, some guitar tuning and prepatory strumming comes in. After a tape edit (presumably the cameras were turned off for a bit, then turned on again), John Lennon starts in with his new song, strumming on his electric guitar.
He sings Don't Let Me Down, his voice an octave lower than normal. He continues singing what would be the chorus of this new song, Don't Let Me Down. It is very interesting to note that at this earliest incarnation of the song, there is an early section (or bridge) connecting the chorus to the main verses, later eliminated altogether. John sings, "I'm in love for the first time, so please don't let me down. . ." over an interesting chord progression. Again, John goes into the chorus, this time his voice singing in its familiar octave. Harmony is also heard for the first time (possibly from George).
John then takes the song into the verse, and introduced for the first time is the sound of drums. John's unusual sense of timing is evident, playing six bars under the lines "And if somebody ever loved me. . ." while the drummer resolves it in four.
As the song runs through another demonstration of verse and chorus, it reaches the section that would eventually be eliminated. It is at this point that the rehearsal breaks down.
John explains, "It's just..." (sings and plays the
part)
George: "Hi, Ringo."
Ringo:
"Hi, George."
New Year's greetings are exchanged. (presumably, Ringo
came into the studio after John and George
started rehearsing. At this point, there is no evidence of Paul
McCartney's presence)
John (to George):
"And then I wrote. ." (strums a chord. Then, referring to
Don't Let Me Down). "That's the most finished.
."
George: "That's a good one. I like simple
tunes."
John: "Yes."
As Twickenham fills with the sounds of busy goings-on, George
says, "Hello. Hare Krishna. . ."
John: "I think, probably,
they let us rehearse in a small room after. . You know, it's no good rehearsing
here. ."
John Lennon has been working on some new music since The Beatles last got together. As things were getting started here at Twickenham Studios not more than fifteen minutes ago, Lennon had introduced a new ballad, presumably titled Don't Let Me Down. It is a simple, yet potentially powerful piece. After Lennon's demonstration, it met with approval from Beatles' lead guitarist George Harrison. (At this point, Paul McCartney has not arrived here at Twickenham.)
Now, Lennon begins to strum another new work-in-progress. This piece, too, has a mellow feel. Lennon's nasal-voice starts to sing, "I -I - I Dig a pony, where you can celebrate anything you want. ." accompanying himself on electric guitar. He again repeats the same verse, linking the two stanzas with the word "because."
John then adds a middle eight, singing the words, "All I Want
Is You. . ." The next line is sung as "na-na-na. . ."
During a
repeat of the original verse, George asks, "Dig the
pony?"
John, without missing a strum, answers, "Yeah, dig A
pony," then continues singing, "I- I- I dig a hound dog. . ."
The demonstration comes to a halt soon thereafter, and we are treated to
a brief discussion between John and
Ringo:
John: Have you heard Eric
Burdon's new one? It's pretty good.
Ringo: It's an
old one, isn't it?
John: Yeah, Ring Of
Fire.
Ringo: That's right. . .
John:
Sounds great. Sounds like he's got back to House Of The Rising
Sun.
(somebody speaks to Ringo
off-mic)
Ringo: I'm sure they did. All the writers say it's
great.
John: Stones'
show?
Ringo: No, the Animals show. They all
formed up again to do a show.
John: Oh, yeah?
Lennon begins strumming, again in a mellow groove. His distinctive voice starts in with loosely put-together lyrics over a sinple chord pattern, throwing in the occassional "na-na." He sings, "Everybody's got soul. . ." Then, without missing a beat, he returns to the song he had introduced earlier, Don't Let Me Down. Almost immediately, George joins in with harmony, demonstrating how well these men work together.
The song includes a bridge in which Lennon sings, "I'm in love
for the first time, so please don't let me down." The chord progression for
this segment is interesting to say the least, and certainly the most complex
portion of an otherwise simple song (this segment would eventually be
scrapped).
John speaks to George during his
demonstration of this bridge, commenting, "Every song is on the same chord.
."
George agrees, "Yeah, I notice. .
."
John explains and demonstrates the chord sequence
again.
As Film Roll 1A runs out, George is heard experimenting with different lead phrasings as John strums chords.
-- revolver
November 8, 1965
More of January 2 1969 
Behind The
Scenes.
