The Abbey Road documentary If These Walls Could Sing, from photographer and filmmaker Mary McCartney (who also happens to be the daughter of a famous Beatle with the same last name), showcases 90 years of music made in the longest-running, most widely known recording studio in the world.
These hallowed halls, initially known as EMI studios (it changed to Abbey Road after the Beatles recorded an album by the same name there), have hosted symphony orchestras and classical soloists, rock and pop artists, world music avatars, and several soundtracks, notably John Williams’ work on Raiders Of The Lost Ark and Star Wars sequels.
McCartney interviews several rock legends who recorded at the studio, including pre-Beatles British rock pioneer Cliff Richard, who more or less set the tone and demand for recording pop music at the studio. The two surviving Beatles — Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr — get plenty of screen time, of course. There’s commentary from Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis, who attempted to follow in the Beatles’ footsteps by tracking through their albums at the studio.
Roger Waters, Nick Mason and David Gilmour speak on all matters of Pink Floyd’s time at Abbey Road, including recording their debut album at the studio at the same time in 1967 that the Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. They also talk about the making of The Dark Side Of The Moon.
Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Sir Elton John, who both worked as session musicians at the studio, are also featured. Page is spotlighted playing acoustic guitar on the instrumental version of “Goldfinger,” the theme song for the 1964 James Bond film, while John is called out for his piano work on the Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother.”
Given this studio’s history, it was probably very difficult to get everything in, though the documentary does an adequate job of covering its beginnings, as well as the full breadth of music recorded within its walls.
Cellist Jacqueline du Pré, who famously recorded Haydn’s C major and Bocccherini’s B flat with Daniel Barenboim in 1967 at Abbey Road, is extensively profiled. As are the sessions featuring Nigerian Afrobeat artist Fela Ransome-Kuti and Cream drummer Ginger Baker.
Much of the doc revolves around the Beatles — which is understandable given the filmmaker’s lineage and the group’s prolific, wildly successful recording run at the studio — but there’s also a glimpse into the future with producer Niles Rodgers and several up-and-coming artists.
There’s a tip of the hat to producer George Martin and some of the technicians at the studio, though I would have liked a deeper dive into the studio’s engineers, like Norman Smith, Alan Parsons, Tony Clark, and Ken Scott, to name a few. They are the true unsung heroes of any well-run studio lasting as long as this one has.
For the most part, If These Walls Could Sing, streaming on Disney + and Hulu, provides an informative and well-balanced overview of Abbey Road. Music history buffs, recording enthusiasts, Beatlemaniacs, classical music devotees, musicians, and fans of any kind of music will all derive some form of satisfaction watching If These Walls Could Sing.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
Disney
