Let It Be... Naked documents a badly misfiring Beatles project. But, says John Robinson, the Fab Four came up with more than just one misguided idea

1. The "Get Back" sessions, January 1969

The idea Abandon studio trickery, and perform as a live band. Born out of a nostalgia for the touring they quit three years earlier came this, a project of evolving purpose (Concert film? Documentary? New album?) and no foreseeable end. Eventually becomes the Let It Be album.

The reality Extremely cold Beatles bickering in Twickenham film studios. For about a week, George leaves. The group ditch the material, only for Lennon and Harrison to pass the tapes to Phil Spector, who overdubs, onto this supposedly back-to-basics project, choirs and strings. For McCartney, this is effectively the last straw.

Low point Probably Commonwealth Song, the evolutionary stages of Get Back. "Don't dig no Pakistanis taking all the people's jobs..." It fuels "Fabs racist" debate for years.

High point The January 30 lunchtime concert on the roof of Apple's Savile Row office.

2. The Apple Boutique, December 1967

The idea "A beautiful place where beautiful people can buy beautiful things."

The reality Shop on Baker Street peddling psychedelic tat.

Low point The boutique loses a load of money, and lasts a mere eight months. They give the stock away, and this is how the enterprise duly ends: members of the love generation fleeing the scene, weighed down with gratis loonpants.

High point Three months after completion, a mural by Dutch artists/charlatans The Fool is summarily painted over.

3. Not doing Up Against It, 1967

The idea To get the playwright Joe Orton to soup up the script for a third Beatles film.

The reality Soup it up he did. The script hoped to turn "the boys" into sexual libertarians and revolutionaries, and was turned down without explanation. Later, McCartney attempted one. "We didn't do it because it was gay," he said.

Low point Shortly afterwards, Up Against It is bought again. Orton's murdered body is discovered by the chauffeur of a car scheduled to take him to a meeting with the producer and director of the new film. The Beatles' A Day In The Life is played at his funeral.

High point Orton's diary entry about attending a party at Brian Epstein's house, and meeting Paul McCartney. "He was playing the new Beatles recording Penny Lane. Then he played the other side - Strawberry something. I didn't like this as much."

4. Eric Clapton, 1968

The idea To get George's pal Eric to do a guitar solo on While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

The reality He comes in. He noodles on your record. Then a bit later on, he nicks your missus and buggers off. Truly, God moves in mysterious ways.

Low point The acme of session man dependability, Clapton's name is bitterly referenced during the Get Back sessions, as George struggles to perform to McCartney's expectations.

High point We'll get back to you.

5. Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

The idea A bit half-cocked. Like Sgt Pepper, which they'd just finished, this was going to be a music/film project where a nostalgic view of the UK met prevailing psychedelic attitudes.

The reality It's the first indicator of a working practice the rest of the group would come to resent. Wanting them to keep their focus, McCartney was eager to keep ideas on the go in spite of, as here, their occasional crapness.

High point John Lennon serving spaghetti with a shovel.

Low point The accompanying critical pasting.

6. Beatle wigs, 1964

The idea Yes! With this prosthetic piece of floppy nylon, you too can bear an unconvincing resemblance to England's newest recording stars!

The reality The sales of Beatle wigs, talcum powder, etc was a revenue minefield which Beatles manager Brian Epstein was illequipped to enter. Early in their career he signed away the rights to Beatles merchandising in the USA to a company called Seltaeb for a minuscule 10% of the proceeds. Litigation dragged on for three years.

High point The Beatles took the lost revenue on the chin. "He looked to his dad for business advice," said McCartney years later, "and his dad knew how to run a furniture store in Liverpool."

Low point The Beatles lost millions. For Epstein, the Seltaeb affair only contributed to his growing depression.

7. Travelling anywhere, 1966

The idea To keep the boys on the road. In the early part of 1966, The Beatles made the Revolver album, incorporating their new interests in drugs, studio technology and Eastern religion.

The reality By the summer, they were back playing Twist And Shout. Though not for long. Having accidentally snubbed Imelda Marcos, the group are seriously roughed up in the Philippines. They then play a desultory stadium tour of the US, where - what with this following the whole "more popular than Jesus" debacle - they are not warmly received either. For a bit, George leaves.

Low point The Beatles retire from live performance. Epstein blames himself for the near catastrophe and, with no live dates to arrange, has more time for maudlin introspection.

High point The band begin the sessions that result in Sgt Pepper.

8. Apple Electronics, 1968

The idea To employ Lennon's pal "Magic Alex" Mardas. Mardas was to revolutionise the Apple empire with his inventions (electric paint, a house that floated in air, etc).

The reality Magic by name, total fraud by nature. His number was up when he unveiled his design for a recording studio in the basement of Apple. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work at all.

Low point Mardas so annoys George Martin, he leaves the group to sort out Get Back by themselves.

High point New Apple executive AllenKlein closes Apple Electronics.

9. The Hanratty Enquiry Campaign, 1968

The idea Lennon supported the campaign for an enquiry into the conviction of James Hanratty, hanged in 1962 for the notorious A6 murder.

The reality He and Yoko took a banner saying "Britain Murdered Hanratty" to the premiere of the Peter Sellers/Ringo film The Magic Christian. In May 2002, Lord Woolf, the lord chief justice, finds "overwhelming proof of the safety of the conviction".

Low point Lennon may have been misguided.

High point He left it until a version of Don't Worry Kyoko in 1972 before he mentioned it in a song.

10. The Ballad Of John And Yoko, 1969

The idea John chronicles the hectic events of his last six months as a member of the avant garde jet-set peace contingent (membership: two).

The reality The thin end of the wedge for Lennon's increasingly self-obsessional songwriting. Having expanded his mind, and the lexicon of rock'n'roll, Lennon settled down to stroke his ego.

Low point It proves that the Beatles invented most things, even rock star whingeing.

High point Only two of them were involved. John sings and plays guitar. Paul does everything else.

· Let It Be... Naked is out now