Forty years ago today, at lunchtime on Thursday 30 January 1969 five musicians, a few roadies, a camera crew and assorted hangers-on clambered onto the roof of the building at 3 Savile Row, London.

Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg shouted, “All cameras, take one!” and his crew started to record The Beatles’ last public performance, accompanied by Billy Preston on keyboards:

1. The band start with Get Back. It is met with the sort of polite applause one might find at a county cricket ground on an overcast Tuesday afternoon in May.

(Things got a bit more lively in Savile Row itself when London twigged on to what was actually happening – The Beatles’ first live performance in the UK for more than three years, since their tour-closing set at the Capitol Cinema, Cardiff on 12 December 1965.)

2. Another version of Get Back.  (The Let It Be film combines footage from both performances of this song.)

3. Don’t Let Me Down (as subsequently featured in the Let It Be film).

4. I’ve Got A Feeling (used on both the Let It Be film and album).

5. One After 909 (Let It Be film and album).

6. Dig A Pony.  Begins with a false start and ends with John saying, “Thank you, brothers. Hands too cold to play the chords.” (Let It Be film and, in edited form, album).

7. I’ve Got A Feeling, again. (Unreleased.)

8. Don’t Let Me Down, again. (Unreleased.)  Ringo sparks up.

9. Get Back, a third, distracted version with some humourless boys in blue actively seeking to bring the show to a close. As Apple employers advise the band that they’re about to be arrested, John briefly stops playing. George, bless him, turns his amp up louder. The song lurches to an end, as Paul ad libs, “You’ve been playing on the roofs again and you know your Mama doesn’t like it: she’s gonna have you arrested!” John closes proceedings with, “I’d like to say ‘thank you’ on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition.” (Let It Be film; the Let It Be album fades from the studio recording of this song into these rooftop ad-libs.)

Nine performances of five songs.

42 minutes.

And that was that.

All over bar the lawsuits. Oh, and Abbey Road.

I do try not to fellate the Moptops too often within the Ministry’s corridors, but there are times when it’s entirely appropriate to prostrate oneself before their altar of musical excellence. Today is one such occasion.

The Bootleg Beatles, incidentally, have been prevented from recreating the rooftop performance today by Westminster Council, citing – ahem – “health and safety concerns”.  Political correctness gorn mad.  Boo to The Suits.

The ‘Rooftop Concert’ (edited) from the Let It Be film: