Today’s classic song of the day may be the Beatles’ most popular tune. “Let It Be” was written by Paul McCartney (although officially credited to the Lennon -McCartney team) and sung by Paul. Released on March 6, 1970, the single debuted at #6 on the charts and quickly ascended to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. It was also a #1 hit in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland. (It peaked at #2 in the UK.)
Some incorrectly assume that the song is about the Virgin Mary (“Mother Mary comes to me…”), although McCartney says the song was about his late mother, Mary Patricia McCartney, who he claimed came to him in a dream:
“She was reassuring me, saying, ‘It’s going to be OK, just let it be.’ I felt so great. She gave me the positive words. I woke up and thought, ‘What was that? She said ‘Let It Be.’ That’s good.’ So I wrote the song ‘Let It Be’ out of positivity.”
Despite this popular story, McCartney’s account is contradicted by the Beatles’ road manager, Mal Evans, who said the song was actually about him:
“Paul was meditating one day [during the Beatles’ trip to India] and I came to him in a vision. And I was just standing there saying let it be, let it be, and that’s where the song came from. And it’s funny, because I drove him home from a session one night, and it was three o’clock in the morning, raining, dark in London, and Paul was telling this, you know, saying I’ve wrote this song, he told me the instant, the song is gonna be ‘Brother Malcom’, but uh, I want to change ‘Brother Malcom’ in case we give the wrong idea!”
Evans’ version is backed up by tapes of Paul in the studio during sessions for the White Album in September of 1968, where he’s heard singing an early version of the song with “Brother Malcom” instead of “Mother Mary.” Is it possible? Perhaps.
There were several different versions of “Let It Be” released, all piecing together different tracks from different recording sessions. Note the following:
- The single version, which was produced by George Martin, included a master take recorded on January 31, 1969, with a guitar solo overdubbed by George Harrison on April 30, 1969. Musicians on that take included Paul McCartney on piano and lead vocals, George Harrison on electric guitar, Billy Preston on organ, John Lennon on six-string electric bass (later wiped and overdubbed by Paul McCartney), and Ringo Starr on drums. Orchestra parts and background vocals were added in a session on January 4, 1970.
- The version on the Let It Be album, produced by Phil Spector, includes the January 31, 1969, master take, with a solo overdubbed by Harrison a year later, on January 4, 1970. This version also featured a more aggressive orchestra mix and a delay effect on Ringo’s hi-hat. The final chorus also features an extra “There will be an answer, let it be” line.
- The so-called “original” version included on 2003’s Let It Be… Naked album is created primarily from the January 31, 1969, master take with pieces of a second take recorded the same day spliced in. The piano track comes from another completely different take, more stripped-down drumming (less of the toms but added shaker), and a more subdued guitar solo.
- The version in the Let It Be film, never released as a separate audio recording, is a different take completely with a different chord progression in the instrumental bit and McCartney singing “There will be no sorrow, let it be” instead of “there will be an answer” in the last verse.
Whichever version you listen to, “Let It Be” is a spectacular piece of work. The inspiring lyrics talk about leaving one’s troubles in the past and moving on with life.
Musically, “Let It Be” is simple but effective. The chord progression in the verse is nothing more than I – V – vi – IV, followed by I – V and a IV – I – ii- I turnaround. The chords in the chorus are similar, going I – vi – V – IV – I, followed by I – V and that same IV – I – ii – I turnaround. Very hymn-like, especially in the turnarounds.
Interestingly, the Beatles’ version of “Let It Be” was not the first version released to the public. Before the single or album was cut (and even before the mix was finalized), McCartney sent a rough cut of the tune to Atlantic Records head honcho Jerry Wexler, who passed it on to soul legend and Atlantic recording artist Aretha Franklin. She cut her version in December of 1969 and it was rushed to market in January of 1970, beating the Beatles’ single by over a month.
So here’s your daily bonus video of the day, the newly constructed official music video for “Let It Be,” assembled from restored footage originally shot by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg on January 30, 1970, the day of the group’s famous rooftop concert. (You can see John playing bass, even though his parts were eventually replaced by Paul.)
