Abbey Road: 50 years of the Beatles’ famous album cover

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Mitchel Federan

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Mitchel Federan posed as George, Paul, Ringo and John whilst in London to celebrate his birthday in 2018

On 8 August 1969, one of the most-imitated events in pop music history occurred.

The Beatles – George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon – gathered for a brief photoshoot outside the EMI Studios in London, where the band were working.

Iain Macmillan took the rather modest shot of the musicians on a zebra crossing on the B507 road, an image which would adorn the cover of the band’s Abbey Road album.

The Beatles - John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartney - backstage on Top Of The Pops

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The Beatles recorded nearly all their studio albums at Abbey Road, including Help! and Sgt Pepper’s

For five decades people have come from far and wide to try to recreate the Beatles’ poses.

Here are some of your efforts:

Marcelo almost falls over when trying to recreate the famous Beatles photo.Image copyright
Marcelo Santos do Ó

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Marcelo’s attempt to recreate the Fab Four did not go to plan

Marcelo came to London from Brazil to work on the Olympic Games. When he and his colleagues tried to recreate the cover the 40-year-old from Sao Paulo tripped at a crucial moment.

“I am the third person in from left to right and Eduardo (the second in line) put his foot behind my right foot and I almost fell down.

“Everybody laughed so much,” he says.

Four pictures of Amy Holman across the Abbey Road crossing.Image copyright
Amy Holman

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Amy Holman gives us all quadruple vision

You can never have too much of Amy Holman, apparently. The American student decided to go it alone with her take on the album cover.

“I thought it would be funny to recreate the photo myself,” says the 18-year-old.

“My dad snapped the photo while I ran across the street! I photo-shopped it later of course.”

Júlio Andrade does a handstand on the Abbey Road crossing.Image copyright
Fernanda Marques

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Julio went head over heels for his attempt

Júlio Andrade is a musician from Brazil who says he wanted to “represent something of Brazil through this dance.”

Tradition is not for everyone.

Jenna walks bare foot across Abbey road crossing.Image copyright
Jenna Mary Popp

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Jenna Popp went barefoot despite the rain for her photo

Jenna from Tuscon in Arizona (second from left) was inspired by McCartney, who was shoeless on the album cover.

“Why not take my shoes off and walk barefoot like Paul did?” she says.

“Everyone does the same walking across pose so I wanted to make mine stand out.”


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From left to right: Natalie Culmone, Natalie Worsley, Kyra Scarlett, and Grace Gasparini on the Abbey Road crossingImage copyright
Natalie Culmone

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From left to right: Natalie Culmone, Natalie Worsley, Kyra Scarlett, and Grace Gasparini on the Abbey Road crossing

Canadian student Natalie Culmone spent a semester studying close to London. When three of her best friends came over to visit her they took the opportunity to visit the London NW8 landmark.

“We figured since there was four of us it would work perfectly,” says the 21-year-old.

“My friends Grace and Nat are obsessed with the Beatles so we had to get the iconic picture.”

From left to right: Pedro Pontes, Murilo Moraes, Giuseppe Turchetti and Gian Seneda on the Abbey Road crossingImage copyright
Murilo Moraes

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From left to right: Pedro Pontes, Murilo Moraes, Giuseppe Turchetti and Gian Seneda on the Abbey Road crossing

Murilo Moraes likewise went looking for a piece of “pop culture history” when he found himself in London with his friends in July.

The Dublin-based software developer says, “It is not everyday that I have the opportunity to visit a place so famous”.

By Kris Bramwell, BBC UGC and Social News.

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