Happy Abbey Road Day! It was on this very day in 1969 that The Beatles spent a mid-morning being photographed walking across the zebra crossing on Abbey Road, just outside of the world famous studio that would soon bear its name. At the time it was called, simply, “EMI Studios.”
The album wasn’t always going to be called Abbey Road. The working title was Everest, named after the brand of cigarette their engineer Geoff Emerick used to smoke. It wasn’t called Abbey Road until well into the recording sessions in the summer of 1969, with Paul eventually coming up with the title.
The iconic photograph, from a series of shots taken by Iain MacMillan, was taken at the beginning of what otherwise was a working day for the band, on August 8, 1969. After taking a few test shots in the days prior, MacMillan showed up at 11:35am, positioned his stepladder at the just the right spot, and starting clicking once The Beatles emerged from the studio. Taking just six photographs, likely due to the limited patience of the London police officer who held up traffic on that busy street, the band chose the best one to adorn the cover.
After the photo shoot, John and Yoko walked around the corner to Paul’s house on Cavendish Avenue, George and Mal Evans went to the London Zoo, and Ringo went shopping. They reconvened later that afternoon at Abbey Road, where they added overdubs onto “The End,” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” and “Oh! Darling.”
With the album’s success, that zebra crossing became a mecca for Beatles fans, who’d come from all over the world to walk across the road at all hours of the day and night to get a photograph. Many of them nearly nearly got hit by a car or double decker bus careening down that very busy road. In addition, fans write messages on the outside wall by the Abbey Road Studios car park. The staff don’t mind, they simply whitewash it every so often for a fresh palette. There’s even a live camera pointed at the crossing 24/7 that you can view at anytime!
Of course, every single time I visit London, I HAVE to make the trip to Abbey Road and get a shot crossing the street. My most recent photo is the one at the top of this article. My friend Ben Post happened to be in London at the same time I was so, being a Beatles maniac like I am, he was all too happy to meet me there for a photo or two. I took the first tube early Sunday out of Canary Wharf, and we had the place to ourselves! Early Sunday morning is the BEST time to go!
I posted that shot on Facebook, and then I asked our MGK listening family to send me THEIR pictures at the world most famous zebra crossing. Turns out, lots of our listeners have been there! Check out these photos from all different angles, plus some of the cool stories behind these shots! Photos used by permission.
Bob Abdou
Bob and his puppets are a popular attraction at the Fest For Beatles Fans, and he made sure his guys did the walk. Nice one!
“My puppets in 2019.”Brian O'Sullivan
“October 2013 – had a chance to visit St. John’s Wood while on a business trip!”The Cadigan Family
“June 2011, The Cadigans walk across. One of us barefoot, of course.”Charles Pavlov And Jill Pavlov Vazquez
“My daughter Jill and I nailed it on our Beatles Pilgrimage Tour in June, 2016!”
Courtney Caruso
Courtney is such a huge Beatles fan, she named the barber shop she owns in Lindenwold, NJ, “Revolution!”
Dan O'Brien
“My girlfriend and I went to London last year. We went to Abbey Road around 9am. It was sunny and blue skies and basically nobody around. Basically the perfect timing!Gene Baretta
“May, 1995.”
Gina Cosenza
“Here’s my crossing pic from last summer (August, 2022). My dad and I first crossed Abbey Road in 2011, but my mom took the picture in the wrong direction. We made sure to get it right the second time around!”
Gina is our digital/online superstar at MGK.
Ira Brown
“I just took the walk on Friday!”
Jacqueline Herbert Csop
“Abbey Road on Abbey Road!”
Karen Szczepanski Wert
“9 years ago.”
Larry Dillon
“October, 2011. Me, wife and daughters.”
Lauren Headrick
“My brother and I crossing. Weirdly we didn’t try to get any better pics despite being there twice that trip. I don’t know what we were thinking.”
Mark Watterson
“Abbey Road, London Wednesday 20th August, 2008. Walking across the most famous road crossing in the world.”
Michele Higgenbotham
“Tomorrow will be 5 years since my son and I crossed. A bit stressed between the cars and the “gentleman” waiting to cross after us who kept shouting at us, ‘hurry, hurry along now. This is important for me.’ But we did it!”
Mitch Schecter
“Here’s my visit to Abbey Road in 1976. I wanted to get the street sign in the photo so I walked the other way. Years later I saw a photo of The Beatles getting ready to walk across the walkway in that direction on that corner with that street sign. It was a memorable pilgramage.”
Mitchell Axelrod
“It was February, 1996 and it was COLD, but I just had to cross it barefoot. I know it’s going the wrong way but, hey, even The Beatles went the other way as well so I’m in good company..lol.”
Nancy Lee
“The family that Beatles together 🙂 – it’s (a) tough shot, locals want to run you over!”Nina Galpern and Joy Cohen
“May, 2015. Fab time in London and Liverpool!”
Pattie Lebresco
“Our 50th anniversary trip in June, 2022, I finally got to cross Abbey Road.”
Petriello granddaughers
From Susan Petriello: “My granddaughters doing the walk 4 years ago ahile I watched on the live cam!!”
Roy Fisher
Ryan Watterson
“Staying on Abbey Road wearing the t-shirt.”
Sammy Deegan
“March, 2015. I remember it being very stressful with all of the cars and buses trying to go by. It definitely took a few tries to get it right!”
Steve DiClemente
Ted Siuta (and MGK!)
I remember Ted coming by the station and asking for a banner for his upcoming trip! LOVE THIS!!
