Editing George Martin (section)

====''Get Back''/''Let It Be''====
In early January 1969, the Beatles gathered at [[Twickenham Studios|Twickenham Film Studios]] to compose and record new material for a live album. The group sought a raw, unedited sound for the album, with Lennon telling Martin that he did not want any "production shit".{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=350}} Filmmaker [[Michael Lindsay-Hogg]] directed a film crew to observe the Beatles' work sessions for use in a feature documentary film. The band's working relationships faltered during these sessions, with Harrison quitting the group for several days out of frustration. (Martin later admitted he had contributed to Harrison's status as a "second-class" Beatle.){{sfn|Womack|2018|p=356}} Martin decided not to attend many of these tense, aimless sessions, leaving balance engineer [[Glyn Johns]] to act as ''de facto'' producer.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=350–351}}

In mid-January, the Beatles relocated their work to the basement studio of [[Apple Records]] at 3 [[Savile Row]], where their work ethic and mood improved. As [[Magic Alex]] had failed to deliver on a promised 72-track studio there, Martin called EMI to request two mobile four-track mixing desks and soundproofing equipment to enable a suitable recording environment.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=359}} The band was soon joined by keyboard player [[Billy Preston]], who attended the remaining sessions and contributed to the Beatles' new compositions. The Beatles and Preston [[The Beatles' rooftop concert|performed on the roof]] of Apple Records on 30 January 1969, while Martin recorded the impromptu concert in the building's basement studio.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=363}} This concert performance—the Beatles' last—produced recordings of five new tracks, including a new single, "[[Get Back]]". The next day, the band returned to the basement studio to record several more, including future singles "[[Let It Be (song)|Let It Be]]" and "[[The Long and Winding Road]]".{{sfn|Lewisohn|1990|p=169–170}}

In March 1969, the Beatles rejected a proposed mix by Johns for a ''Get Back'' LP, scuttling hopes for a public release in the near term. The next month, they released "Get Back" as a single—though without a producer credit, as EMI was unable to determine whether Martin or Johns deserved the credit.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=372}} "Get Back" reached no. 1 in the UK and US. In May, Martin and Johns worked together on another mix of ''Get Back''—which the Beatles also rejected. Martin began at this time to consider that the Beatles might be finished as a commercial act.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=373}} The Beatles rejected yet another Glyn Johns mix of the album in January 1970.{{sfn|Lewisohn|1990|p=196}} Martin supervised the final Beatles recording session (without Lennon) on 3 January 1970, when the group recorded "[[I Me Mine]]".{{sfn|Lewisohn|1990|p=195}} In early March 1970, "Let It Be" was released and reached no. 1 in the US (and no. 2 in the UK).

In late March and early April 1970, [[Phil Spector]] remixed the album—now known as ''[[Let It Be (album)|Let It Be]]''—and added a series of orchestral and choral overdubs to several tracks.{{sfn|Lewisohn|1990|p=198–199}} Martin (along with McCartney) was critical of these embellishments, calling them "so uncharacteristic of the clean sounds the Beatles had always used".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Miles |first1=Barry |title=The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years |date=27 October 2009 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-85712-000-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=trRB-lo4qR8C&pg=PT674 |access-date=20 November 2022}}</ref> The album was finally released in May 1970, after McCartney had publicly announced he was leaving the Beatles. When EMI informed Martin that he would not get a production credit because Spector produced the final version, Martin commented, "I produced the original, and what you should do is have a credit saying 'Produced by George Martin, over-produced by Phil Spector'."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lewis |first1=Michael |last2=Spignesi |first2=Stephen J. |title=100 Best Beatles Songs: A Passionate Fan's Guide |date=10 October 2009 |publisher=Hachette Books |isbn=9781603762656 |page=42 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3R1_REbXry8C&pg=PT42 |access-date=12 April 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084507/https://books.google.com/books?id=3R1_REbXry8C&pg=PT42 |archive-date=13 April 2017}}</ref>