Let It Be (song)
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| “Let It Be” | |||||
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| Single by The Beatles from the album Let It Be |
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| B-side | "You Know My Name (Look up the Number)" | ||||
| Released | March 6, 1970 | ||||
| Format | vinyl record 7" | ||||
| Recorded | Apple Studios 31 January 1969 |
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| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 3:50 (single) 4:01 (album) |
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| Label | Apple Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Lennon/McCartney | ||||
| Producer | George Martin and Chris Thomas (single version) Phil Spector (LP version) |
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| The Beatles singles chronology | |||||
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| Music sample | |||||
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"Let It Be" Image:Beatles Let It Be.ogg |
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Let It Be is a song written by Paul McCartney (although credited to Lennon/McCartney), and released March 1970 as a single, and as the title track of their album Let It Be.
The single reached #1 in the U.S., Australia, Italy, Norway and Switzerland and #2 in the UK.
It was the final single released by the Beatles while the band was still active.
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[edit] Inspiration
- See also: Jim and Mary McCartney
McCartney said he wrote "Let It Be", after a dream had had about his mother during the tense period surrounding the Get Back/Let It Be sessions. McCartney explained that his mother—who died of cancer when McCartney was fourteen—was the inspiration for the "Mother Mary" lyric.[1][2] McCartney later said, "It was great to visit with her again. I felt very blessed to have that dream. So that got me writing 'Let It Be'."[3][4] He also said—in a later interview about the dream—that his mother had told him, "It will be alright, just let it be."[5]
[edit] Recording and version history
The master take was recorded on 31 January 1969, as part of the 'Apple studio performance' for the project Get Back. McCartney played piano (a Blüthner Flügel from Leipzig), Lennon played bass, Billy Preston played organ and George Harrison and Ringo Starr assumed their conventional roles.[6] This performance, in which Lennon and Harrison harmonised with McCartney's lead vocal and Harrison contributed a subdued guitar solo, can be seen in the film Let It Be.
On 30 April 1969, Harrison overdubbed a new guitar solo on the best take from 31 January that year.[7] Harrison reportedly overdubbed another solo on 4 January 1970. The first overdub solo was used for the original single release, and the second overdub solo was used for the original album release. Some fans mistakenly believe that there were two versions of the basic track - based mostly on the different guitar solos, but also on some other differences in overdubs and mixes.[8]
[edit] Single version
The title on the cover for the single (using the same photos as on the cover as the Let It Be album) was written as, "an intimate bioscopic experience with THE BEATLES".[9] It was originally released as a single on 6 March 1970, backed by "You Know My Name (Look up the Number)", and produced by George Martin. This version includes orchestration and backing vocals overdubbed on 1970-01-04—under the supervision of McCartney—with the backing vocals including the only known contribution by Linda McCartney to a Beatles song (but see "Birthday")[8][10] It was during this same session that Harrison recorded the second overdubbed guitar solo. The intention at one point was to have the two overdub solos playing together, but this idea was dropped for the final mix of the single and only the 30 April solo was used (although the 4 January overdub can he heard faintly during the final verse). Martin mixed the orchestration very low in this mix.[8]
The single version was included on the 1967-1970 compilation album. Original pressings erroneously show the album version's running time of 4:01, and not the single version's running time of 3:52.
[edit] Album version
On 26 March 1970, Phil Spector remixed the song for the Let It Be album.[11] This version features the "more stinging" 4 January 1970 guitar solo and more prominent orchestration.[12] The other guitar solo can be heard faintly through the right speaker, as the original was planned. There are three lines in the last chorus of the song as the "There will be an answer" line is sung twice instead of once as on the single. On the album, before the song Lennon is heard saying in a falsetto voice, "That was 'Can You Dig It' by Georgie Wood, and now we'd like to do 'Hark The Angels Come'," and then giggles. Allen Klein brought in Spector to mix the album without telling McCartney or asking for his agreement, because McCartney had not signed Klein's management contract.[13] McCartney later complained that he was not happy with Spector's production of the recording.[14][15] An early version of the song also appears on Anthology 3 (Volume 3) which was released on October 28, 1996.
[edit] "Let It Be... Naked" version
Another version of the song appeared on the Let It Be… Naked album in 2003. Starr disliked Spector's version where his drumming was augmented by Spector's "tape-delay-effect" to his hi-hats during the song's second verse and added shakers, so Let It Be… Naked features his original "stripped-down-approach" drumming. Also departed were the tom-tom overdub rolls, heard after the guitar solo during the third verse. The guitar solo used in this version—similar to the single version—was taken from the subsequent take as seen in the film "Let It Be". Starr also commented that after the release of Naked, he would now have to listen to McCartney saying, "I told you so", when talking about Spector's production.[16] The song's running time on Naked is 3.54.[17]
[edit] Unused mixes
Glyn Johns mixed the song on 28 May 1969 as he finished the mixing for the Get Back album. This version was never released.[18] He used the same mix in a 5 January 1970, which was an attempt to compile an acceptable version of the LP. Again, this version of the LP was never officially released.[19]
[edit] Critical assessments
Critical reception for "Let It Be" has been mostly positive.[20] In 2004, it was ranked number 20 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.[21] The All Music Guide said it was one of "The Beatles' most popular and finest ballads".[22] Ian MacDonald had a dissenting opinion, writing that the song "achieved a popularity well out of proportion to its artistic weight" and that it was "'Hey Jude', without the musical and emotional release."[23]
John Lennon also commented on "Let It Be". Prior to a take during the 31 January 1969 recording session, he asked, "Are we supposed to giggle in the solo?"[6][23] (This a similar quote to Lewisohn's "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" (p170) but Lennon says "during the solo" not "in the solo" as quoted here). In Lennon's Playboy interview in 1980, he disavowed any involvement with composing the song. He said,
| “ | That's Paul. What can you say? Nothing to do with the Beatles. It could've been Wings. I don't know what he's thinking when he writes [sic] 'Let It Be.' I think it was inspired by 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters.' That's my feeling, although I have nothing to go on. I know he wanted to write a 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters.'[24] | ” |
As MacDonald explained, Lennon is wrong about "Bridge over Troubled Water" being McCartney's inspiration: "Let It Be" was recorded approximately a year before "Bridge over Troubled Water" was released.[23] According to the All Music Guide, Simon and Garfunkel performed the song live in 1969 prior to releasing it, but it is unlikely that McCartney could have heard it before the recording session on 31 January 1969.[25]
Ironically, Let It Be knocked Bridge Over Troubled Water out of the top spot as Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, April 11, 1970. (see below)
[edit] Memorial service for Linda
Along with a 700-strong congregation, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr sang "Let It Be" during a memorial service for Linda McCartney at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square, in 1998.[26]
[edit] Personnel
- Paul McCartney – lead vocals, piano
- John Lennon – Fender Bass VI guitar, backing vocals
- George Harrison – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Ringo Starr – drums
- Billy Preston - organ
- Linda McCartney - backing vocals
[edit] Selected cover versions
"Let It Be" has been covered numerous times by various artists, but this is just a short selection: [27]
The first recording of the song to be released (even before the Beatles' version) was a cover by Aretha Franklin, in January 1970, on the album This Girl's in Love with You, along with her cover of "Eleanor Rigby".[28] Gladys Knight and The Pips released a version of the song on the tribute album, Motown Sings The Beatles.[29] Singer-songwriter Bill Withers covered "Let It Be" on his 1971 debut album, Just As I Am, and Ray Charles covered it on his 1977 album, True to Life.
John Denver included a version of "Let It Be" on his 1971 album, Poems, Prayers, and Promises, and Joan Baez included "Let It Be" on her 1971 album, Blessed Are..., and released the song as a single. The song also appears on her live album, Diamonds & Rust in the Bullring, and she performed it at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, as captured in the film, Message to Love.[29]
Leo Sayer covered the song for the 1976 ephemeral musical documentary, All This and World War II,[29] and former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and vocalist, Danny Kirwan, recorded a version for his 1976 album, Midnight in San Juan, (released in the USA under the name, Danny Kirwan). Charity ensemble Ferry Aid—in the wake of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster—recorded a version (featuring McCartney) which reached #1 on the UK singles chart in March 1987. In 1995, Meat Loaf covered the song on his single, "Not a Dry Eye in the House", which the single reached up to #7 in the UK. Australian rock musician Nick Cave recorded a cover of the song for the soundtrack to the 2001 film, I Am Sam. Lesley Garrett sang an operatic version on her 2002 album, The Singer. [30] Brooke White sang the song on American Idol Season 7 for the Lennon/McCartney show and is considered one of the best performances in idol history.[31] Hladno pivo covered the song as "Mlohava ćuna".
Although the song is among many hits not featured in the Love Cirque Du Soleil show, a few bars of the opening piano are played at one point in the show.
[edit] Parodies and cultural references
- The children's television show Sesame Street parodied "Let It Be" with the song "Letter B".
- The parody band Beatallica did a version called "The Thing That Should Not Let It Be", which also parodied the Metallica song "The Thing That Should Not Be".
- The Streets used "Let It Be" as backing to a song dedicated to Mike Skinner's dead father; "Never Went To Church".
- In 2003, McCartney performed a private rendition for Russian President Vladimir Putin—in the Kremlin—before McCartney played a concert in Red Square.[32]
- In the hit children's show Hannah Montana, The title of the episode "Debt It Be" was based on the song "Let It Be"
- The Nickelodeon cartoon Doug featured an animated parody band called The Beets. Their album was entitled Let It Beet.
[edit] Singles charts
- The Beatles:[33]
- Release: 6 March 1970
- Tracks: 7" Single (Apple) Let It Be b/w You Know My Name Look Up The Number
- Producer: George Martin and Chris Thomas
- UK chart position: #2
- U.S chart position: #1
- Ferry Aid:[34][35]
- Release: 1987
- Tracks:7" Single (The Sun/AID 1) "Let It Be" (6:08) b/w "Let It Be" (The Gospel Jam Mix) (2:50)
- Producers: Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman
- UK chart position: #1
- "Let It Be" by Ferry Aid .[36]
| Preceded by "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single April 11, 1970 |
Succeeded by "ABC" by The Jackson Five |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Miles 1997 p20
- ^ Spitz 2005 pp73-76
- ^ Spitz 2005 pp88-90
- ^ The Beatles Anthology 2000 p19
- ^ "sold on song" article bbc.co.uk - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ a b Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" 1988 p170
- ^ Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" 1988 p175
- ^ a b c Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" 1988 p195
- ^ "The Beatles Anthology" DVD 2003 (Episode 8 - 0:53:40) The cover of the single.
- ^ Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Chronicle" 1996
- ^ Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" 1988 p198
- ^ Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" 1988 pp195-198
- ^ Spitz 2005 p851
- ^ McCartney not happy - 24 November 2003 bbc.co.uk - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ McCartney and Spector - 14 February 2003 bbc.co.uk - Retrieved 13 October 2007
- ^ Starr talking about Spector's production - 19 October 2003 guardian.co.uk - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ "LET IT BE… NAKED" ©2003 Apple Corps Ltd./EMI Reords Ltd. PM: 518 07243 59571423
- ^ Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" 1988 p176
- ^ Lewisohn "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" 1988 p196
- ^ New York Times review – 14 December 2003 nytimes.com - Retrieved 13 October 2007
- ^ The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ AMG Review of Let It Be. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ a b c McDonald "Revolution in the Head" 1994 p270
- ^ Sheff "All We Are Saying" 2000 p202
- ^ AMG Review of Bridge over Troubled Water. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ Let It Be sung at Linda's memorial service cnn.com - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ A list of cover versions secondhandsongs.com - Retrieved 21 October 2007
- ^ Wexler "Rare and Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul" liner notes 2007 p 13
- ^ a b c Cover versions bbc.co.uk - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ Lesley Garrett's homepage lesleygarrett.co.uk - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ ?
- ^ Private performance for Putin - 24 May 2003 bbc.co.uk - Retrieved 13 October 2007
- ^ Single chart placing jpgr.co.uk - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ Ferry Aid version uk-charts.com - Retrieved 11 October 2007
- ^ Ferry Aid Single covers 9 November, 2006
- ^ The Sun newpaper and Ferry Aid - 16 May 2002 thesun.co.uk - Retrieved 15 October 2007
[edit] References
- Lewisohn, Mark (1990). EMI's The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions: The Official Story of the Abbey Road Years. Hamlyn. ISBN 0-681-03189-1.
- Lewisohn, Mark (1996). The Complete Beatles Chronicle. Chancellor Press. ISBN 0-7607-0327-2.
- MacDonald , Ian (1994). Revolution in the Head: the Beatles' Records and the Sixties. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0-8050-2780-7.
- Miles, Barry (1997). Many Years From Now. Vintage-Random House. ISBN 0-7493-8658-4.
- Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono (Paperback). St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-25464-4.
- Spitz, Bob (2005). The Beatles. Little Brown. ISBN 0-316-80352-9.
- The Beatles (2000). Anthology. Chronicle Books. ISBN 0-8118-2684-8.
[edit] External links
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