I've had this idea in the back of my mind for some time - in fact, I even have a draft timeline about it! - about a scenario in which, instead of breaking up in 1970, the Beatles take a break from each other for a couple of years, and then they reunite towards the end of 1972 to record another album. This would establish a pattern in which they put out solo albums while still remaining the Beatles, but a new album from them as a group comes out every two or three years up until John Lennon's murder in 1980. And yes, that does include the period in which he was in his househusband phase.
The 1973 album I came up with, Everest, is the follow-up to 1970's Hot as Sun, in a scenario in which A Collection of Beatles Oldies merely compiles non-album tracks, Yellow Submarine is a proper Beatles album, and Let It Be was released in 1969 as originally intended. So imagine if you will...
Side A (21:19)
1. Big Barn Bed - 3:48
2. Rock and Roll People - 3:07
3. I'm the Greatest - 3:21
4. Don't Let Me Wait Too Long - 2:57
5. Get on the Right Thing - 4:17
6. I Know (I Know) - 3:49
Side B (23:44)
7. Mind Games - 4:13
8. One More Kiss - 2:25
9. Step Lightly - 3:15
10. Hands of Love/Power Cut - 4:57
11. Out the Blue - 3:23
12. Living in the Material World - 5:31
Between May 1968 and February 1970, the Beatles had recorded five albums' worth of material, with their self-titled White Album being a double. By the time they'd finished up Hot as Sun, the group was feeling burnt out - John Lennon especially had wanted to leave the band for his new wife Yoko Ono - and there was the possibility of a split while they were at a creative peak. Paul McCartney wanted to go touring again, George Harrison wanted his voice to be heard more, and Ringo Starr wanted to be happy. Everyone needed a break from each other, whether they wanted to admit it or not.
So, it was decided to put the Beatles on a temporary hiatus while the members focused on solo projects. Ringo had released his first solo album, Sentimental Journey, back in March, and put out Beaucoups of Blues that September. Still having enough material for a full album, George recorded and released his self-titled album for November, backed by "My Sweet Lord", the first number one hit for a solo Beatle, and "What is Life". John and Yoko ended the year of 1970 with Plastic Ono Band, which became the measuring stick for their own individual projects.
Paul's solo debut album, Ram, was finally released in May 1971, with his wife Linda credited as a collaborator, and this album would pave the way for Paul's side group Wings. They would go on a university tour throughout the United Kingdom shortly after forming, before entering the studio to record what would become their debut album, Wild Life, released in the spring of 1972, backed by its lead single "Give Ireland Back to the Irish".
John had also recorded some material during 1971, but his only major releases that year were the singles "Power to the People" and "Happy Xmas (War is Over)", and it wasn't until June 1972 that One and All was finally released, with its single "Imagine" becoming his most well-known track as a solo artist. George had also been kept busy between 1971 and 1972 by arranging The Concert for Bangladesh, in which Ringo also partook in, as well as working on his next solo album, The Magic is Here Again, which came out towards the end of 1972 with the lead single "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)".
In October of that year, as a response to a series of bootleg albums, Apple Records would put out two Beatles compilation albums, 1962-1966 and 1967-1969, respectively known as the "Red" and "Blue" Albums, marking ten years since the release of "Love Me Do". Both compilations managed to squeak into the #1 spots in both the United States and the United Kingdom, indicating that the public still had an appetite for new Beatles material.
John had been working on a few songs in preparation for what would become Everest (a working title for Abbey Road), including "Mind Games", which he'd actually started back in 1969 as "Make Love, Not War" - the sentiment was a cliché by 1973. "Rock and Roll People" and "I'm the Greatest" were also holdovers, both having been started in 1970, although the latter would be sung by Ringo. "I Know (I Know)" and "Out the Blue" were newly written by John for the album. Ringo would also contribute a song of his own, "Step Lightly", being the Beatles' first song to feature tap dancing, as well as marking the first album in which Ringo would have two songs on the same disc.
Wings' Red Rose Speedway would be the first album release for 1973, featuring the hit singles "My Love", "Hi Hi Hi" and "Live and Let Die", the latter of which was recorded for the James Bond film of the same name. This helped to build up hype for the Beatles' return to the stage with Everest come July, backed by the singles "Mind Games" and "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long". While Everest had its share of highlights throughout, and it even reached #1 like many prior albums, reaction to the album was a bit underwhelming, with many hoping to hear Hot as Sun: Part II, some even saying that the Beatles were heading in a more "poppy" direction. As time went by, however, critical reaction towards Everest became kinder, with some even calling it an underrated gem.
Nonetheless, the Beatles went their separate ways once more, with John moving to Los Angeles to record his next album Nutopia, released that October. Ringo had also worked on his first proper solo album during the Everest sessions, featuring contributions from George and Paul throughout, including his first #1 hit single "Photograph". Meanwhile, Wings had gone off to Lagos to record the bulk of what would become Paul's solo masterwork Band on the Run, released toward the end of 1973. George was the last to finish up his next solo project, although it would be delayed until next year.
