Fifty years ago today, August 8th, 1969 (a Friday) at 11:35 a.m.,The Beatles walked across Abbey Road, just outside the EMI studio where they recorded.
This was for the cover of what would become their last studio album, Abbey Road. The cover is famous not only for the crosswalk, which fans visit daily, but because of the fuel it added to the "Paul Is Dead" controversy.
Interpreted as Paul McCartney's funeral procession, it shows:
- Paul in an old suit and barefoot, which is how bodies were buried, and he's out of step with his bandmates.He is also holding a cigarette in his right hand, despite being left handed. This led to the rumor that the person on the cover was an imposter.
- The Volkswagen Beetle in the background has a "LMW 28-IF" license plate, which some believe stands for Linda McCartney is widowed, and Paul would've been 28 if he "lived."
- John Lennon is dressed in white, signifying a priest.
- Ringo Starr is in black, signifying an undertaker.
- George Harrison is in denim, so he was dubbed the gravedigger.