By 1969, The Beatles were coming apart at the seams. The bond that had made them the biggest band in the world was weakening, and tensions were at an all-time high. As they worked on “Let It Be” in January, the pressure inside the group became unbearable. Arguments flared, tempers boiled over, and before the album was even finished, George Harrison decided he’d had enough.
George Harrison Walks Out
For George, the frustration had been building for a while. He and Paul McCartney were clashing constantly, and during one particularly tense session—captured on film for the Let It Be documentary—he decided to leave. But that wasn’t all. Reports surfaced that George and John Lennon even got into a physical fight at one point.
George wasn’t the first Beatle to walk away. Ringo Starr had already taken a break the previous summer, exhausted by the ongoing drama. It was clear that things were falling apart, and no one seemed happy.
John and Yoko’s Wedding and the Band’s Future
While the Beatles were barely holding it together, John Lennon was focused on something else—his future with Yoko Ono. He and Yoko planned to marry in March 1969, and their relationship was becoming a bigger priority for him than the band. Some saw Yoko’s constant presence in the studio as a source of tension, but in reality, the group’s problems ran much deeper.
Despite everything, the Beatles still managed to release some incredible music during their final stretch. Even though they were on the brink of breaking up, their songwriting chemistry hadn’t completely disappeared.
One Last Lennon-McCartney Collaboration
One of the last great moments of their partnership came with “I’ve Got a Feeling”, a track that would become the final truly great Lennon-McCartney collaboration. After John’s wedding, he and Paul worked on the song together—without the rest of the band—a sign of how things were changing.
Not long after, the Beatles officially called it quits. But before they did, they scored one final No. 1 hit in England, proving that even in their final days, they were still capable of making magic.