During an interview in 1966, Lennon stated that in his opinion, Christianity was dying, and the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus now." This started a huge controversy in America, especially in the "Bible belt" (the South). South African radio banned the Beatles until 1971. Religious and social conservatives, as well as the Ku Klux Klan, criticized Lennon and the Beatles. In a press conference, Lennon said, "if I'd said television was more popular than Jesus, I might have got away with it," but "if you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then okay, I'm sorry."
In June 1967, they released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It is widely regarded as a masterpiece, and Rolling Stone ranked it number one among its "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." On June 25th, they performed their newest song, All You Need is Love, on television. This was the "Summer of Love," and the song was adopted as a "Flower Power" anthem.
Two months later, their manager, Brian Epstein, died. The Beatles were disoriented and worried about the future. On December 26, 1967, the band aired The Magical Mystery Tour film. For this they received their first major negative feedback from the UK press. It was called "blatant rubbish," "a colossal conceit," and "a kind of fantasy morality play about the grossness and warmth and stupidity of the audience."
During recording for a new album, trouble started for the members of the Beatles. Starr quit for a while, so McCartney had to play drums for several tracks. More tension was caused by Lennon's romance with Yoko Ono. Despite the agreement that partners were not to enter the recording studio, Lennon brought her to all their recording sessions. He lost interest in writing with McCartney, and became more and more critical of McCartney's songwriting.
Recording for Let It Be was "a miserable experience" for the Beatles, so McCartney suggested recording another album, Abbey Road. Before they could start recording in February, they had to agree on the format on the album. Lennon wanted his music and McCartney's music to be on separate sides of the album. The compromise that they were finally able to agree on was to have separately composed songs on the first side and a medley on the second. On August 20, 1969, they finished Abbey Road with the recording of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." This was the last time that all of the Beatles were in a recording studio together.
On September 20 1969, Lennon told the group he was leaving. In January 1970, the remaining three Beatles recorded Harrison's "I Me Mine" to complete the Let it Be album. On April 10, McCartney publicly announced that he was leaving the band. On December 31 1970, McCartney filed a suit for the dissolution of the Beatles. However, because of legal disputes, it did not take effect until 1975. The "reassuring, geometrically perfect, once apparently ageless family of siblings" that had captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world was over.
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