two versions he liked.

Then, in a masterstroke, he decided to put them together and use a moog-synthesiser to give the song a unique climactic quality with a brutal cut off ending.

Iconic photo nearly didn't happen

As the record moved to its final stages, a cover had to be created.

The cover of Abbey Road may now be iconic, but it came as something of an afterthought.

Fans descended on Abbey Road to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the photo earlier this year. ( REUTERS: Henry Nicholls )

For much of the recording process, the album was tentatively titled Everest. As it happened, it was the brand name of the cigarettes smoked by recording engineer Geoff Emerick.

The original idea had been to fly the group to the Himalayas for the photoshoot, but asBeatles chronicler Mark Lewisohn revealed, they couldn't be bothered.

Instead, they decided to go with a hastily created idea that McCartney had sketched on a piece of paper showing the four crossing the road.

The photo, taken on August 8, would become the most copied image in pop history.

A divided band

The drama and tension were not over, though.

In early September, with Starr in hospital suffering stomach pains, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison convened at the Beatles headquarters in Savile Row to discuss the groups' future.

To keep Starr informed, they recorded the conversation.

Fifty years on, with transcripts of the tape finally made public, it's clear how deep the divisions inside the band really were and how, despite those divisions, attempts were made to find a way forward.

For his part, Lennon demanded they