If These Walls Could Sing

Filmmaker Mary McCartney does a solid job showing the breadth of legendary musicians who recorded at Abbey Road Studios, but it's no surprise that the Beatles provide the gravitational pull to this 2022 documentary, especially since Mary is Paul's daughter and an accomplished photographer in her own right. Paul is prominently interviewed as is Ringo Starr. While they share that it was a special space for them during their salad days, the film doesn't delve that much into why it was special other than the association with the Beatles. There are nice archival clips of recording sessions stretching almost seven decades, and this will clearly hold interest to musical historians, but the sum felt more episodic than revelatory.

An entertaining documentary that fails to really get under the skin of the subject; it's a fairly superficial overview that spends too much time covering well-worn topics (specifically The Beatles, in particular songs like 'A Day in the Life' and 'Blackbird', which have been covered to death). Rather than telling a linear story of the studio's up and downs over the decades, it jumps around to just profile a handful of big names that McCartney has access to, spending as much time discussing their general achievements as their time at Abbey Road. Other documentaries telling the stories of iconic studios, like Muscle Shoals or Sound City, managed to tease out what made the studios special: be that the time, the place or the specific technical aspects of the equipment; Mary McCartney seems to land on the Abbey Road staff being the key to its enduring success, so it's a shame they aren't better profiled. Who were these talented "boffins" who could bring the artists' ideas to life? This film feels like it only scratches the surface, delivering some facts and a few new interviews, but no great insight.

This is a great piece of history, and it is amazing to see all of the great performers that recorded here. From EMI records to the new name Abbey Road. These walls witnessed the beginning of the Beatles, from when their first meeting /audition with George Martin, to their unforgettable walk (now a landmark) and their album titled Abbey Road. I loved the interviews and memories of Paul McCartney, Elton John, Giles Martin, Pink Floyd, Liam Gallagher, etc. One thing I didnt know, was all the amazing George Lucas' movie scores that were recorded here.

All and all, an amazing show, and i think the tittle is perfect if only "These walls could sing".

Great job Mary!

If These Walls Could Sing was a fascinating documentary directed, interviewed, and narrated by Mary McCartney (Paul McCartney's daughter) in her directorial debut, i did already familiar with Mary McCartney's before (and so Stella and Heather McCartney) and like i mention it is a fascinating deeper look into the Abbey Road studios, the studios that giving birth to some of the greatest songs and albums out there, from The Beatles to Pink Floyd to Elton John to Oasis and so on, a very well documented film with great and interesting topics, also fills with great footage, and great editing, If These Walls Could Sing is a great presentation of an iconic studios with a great extraordinary story in it, i enjoy If These Walls Could Sing so much, it is entertaining and fascinating to watch, and i'm happy to watch it, thumbs way up!.

Although this is pitched as a documentary about Abbey Road, I think it is much more "simply" a documentary about how music is made. And it is a very informative documentary about how music is made. So if you have an interest in music, but no specific interest in Abbey Road, do give it a go. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Even at "only" 90 minutes, this documentary is perfectly paced, with unrushed recollections from many musicians.

I'm not sure it's worth subscribing to Disney+ purely to see this, but I found it to be one of the more interesting things they had to offer in January 2023. Hope you enjoy it too, if you decide to give it a go.