In the studio
The Beatles released two versions of Let It Be during their career, although both were based on the same recording.
The group first attempted the song at Twickenham Film Studios in London, where they made what was to become the Let It Be film. It made its debut on 3 January, the second day of filming, with a solo rendition by Paul McCartney.
Three versions were attempted with the whole group on 8 January. McCartney led with piano and vocals, with the other Beatles tentatively joining in. Further work continued the following day, with 16 versions helping to knock the song into shape. During one of the takes McCartney sang the line: "Read the Record Mirror, let it be".
10 January saw one solo attempt by McCartney, playing before the group started work properly. The Beatles never attempted it again at Twickenham, however – George Harrison temporarily quit the group on this day, only agreeing to rejoin if sessions moved to Apple Studios.
Recording at Apple
Two versions of Let It Be were recorded on 23 January 1969, the second day of recording at Apple. They spent more time on it on 25 January, recording 18 versions, one of which was included on Anthology 3. The recording lacks the final verse – instead of "And when the night is cloudy..." McCartney repeated the first verse.
The Beatles recorded 28 versions of Let It Be on 26 January, with Billy Preston on organ. Much of the session was taken up with work on the song, and by 16 takes of The Long And Winding Road. It seems likely that at this point both songs had become central to the group's next album.
Twelve versions were recorded on 27 January, and another take was made two days later. The group were preparing for the Apple rooftop performance at this stage, and so were focusing on their more uptempo songs.
On 31 January they returned to Let It Be, recording 22 takes with McCartney on piano, John Lennon playing bass, Harrison on lead guitar, Ringo Starr on drums and Billy Preston playing organ.
The occasion was the 'Apple studio performance', during which they were to record the songs unsuitable for the previous day's rooftop show. The day was also filmed, and portions of it featured in the Let It Be movie.
Making progress
The Beatles taped nine takes of Let It Be on 31 January, numbered 20-27. Take 27 actually consisted of two audio-only attempts, the first of which the group judged good enough to receive further overdubs.
John Lennon's iconoclastic query – "Are we supposed to giddle [giggle] in the solo?" – was asked prior to take 23. It was used on Anthology 3, as were his comments "I think that was rather grand. I'd take one home with me" and "OK, let's track it... You bounder, you cheat!" – the latter spoken after take 25.
George Harrison added a new guitar solo on 30 April, recorded through a rotating Leslie speaker. This solo was used on the single version of the song, and is available on the Past Masters collection. It was also supposed to feature in the aborted Get Back album.
Work on the song stopped until 4 January 1970, which was the last session by The Beatles as a group, although Lennon was absent.
McCartney replaced Lennon's bass guitar part, then two trumpets, two trombones and a tenor saxophone were overdubbed by session musicians, as was McCartney's descending piano motifs in between chorus and verses.
Three reduction mixes were then made, and a simultaneous overdub of brass and woodwind double-tracked the previous recording. Cellos, again played by session musicians, were also added during the reduction mixes.
McCartney, his wife Linda and George Harrison triple-tracked some high harmony vocals, and more reduction mixes were made. The day's final recording saw Harrison add lead guitar, including a new solo, along with maracas by McCartney and extra drums by Starr. This solo can be heard on the Let It Be album.
The album version was mixed by Phil Spector on 26 March 1970. Spector used the 4 January guitar solo, and emphasised the brass and strings. He also added huge amounts of tape echo to Starr's hi-hat in the second verse, and slightly extended the song by repeating part of the final chorus.
A new mix was made for 2003's Let It Be... Naked. Spector's echo was removed, as were the maracas and tom tom overdubs from 4 January. Billy Preston's Lowrey organ is also more prominent in the first verse, and added guitar flourishes come to the fore. The guitar solo was from a different take from 31 January.
Another day when Lennon was asked about a McCartney song, and he hadn’t caught the dragon. People drone on and on about McCartney wanting “Lennon’s mind”. Lennon’s remarks here are pure jealousy.
Let It Be was written during the White Album sessions, fully a year before “Bridge….Waters” was out.
Lennon with his typical Paul-attacks. Rarely based on fact (and ever-changing).
Let It Be is gorgeous.
All the published versions of Lennon’s Playboy interview are riddled with transcription errors and deliberate edits which often distort the meaning of what was said. The actual transcription of Lennon’s comments about “Let it Be” are as follows:
Playboy: “Let it Be”?
Lennon: That’s Paul.
Playboy: Nothing (unintelligible) Beatles?
Lennon: What can you say? Nothing to do with the Beatles, no… it could have been Wings, right?
Playboy: Yeah. Except it, I mean that was the one that everybody said was the statement after Paul was…
Lennon (interrupting): Oh, I have no idea, you see I don’t know what he’s thinking when he writes “Let it Be.” He probably heard a gospel song. No, I think he was inspired by “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.”
Playboy: Uh huh.
Lennon: That’s my feeling, although I have no, nothing to go on, you know… that he wanted to write a “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.”
From the correct transcription, it’s clear that his intent is not to disparage the song but simply to say that he does not know what type of statement Paul might have been trying to make.with the song.
Thank you for the full transcription. I agree that it’s clear John didn’t set out to disparage the song and was just trying to brush the question off, as he didn’t want to speculate on one of Paul’s songs. Of course, it’s quite likely not to be his favourite song, but I don’t think he actually intends to bash it as it’s now been insisted everywhere from Wikipedia to various biographies.
If anything, the banter at the end of the take in the Anthology indicates that he thought it was at least decent — “I think that was rather grand. I’d take one home with me. OK let’s track it.”
Lennon also was quoted in the Playboy interview as saying:
He had a little spurt just before we split. I think the shock of Yoko and what was happening gave him a creative spurt including “Let It Be” and “Long And Winding Road,” ‘cuz that was the last gasp from him.
Suggesting “Let it Be” was part of a creative spurt also is clearly a positive comment. It’s too bad the myth that he disliked the song is so widely disseminated.
Well, it seems to have depended on which side of Paul’s face he wanted to slap.
Your quote presents a textbook example of a “left-handed compliment”.
When I was 10 years old way back in 1970 my parents gave me an AM/FM small radio I used to listen to at night.That’s when I first heard “Let it be” such a beautiful song that you just can’t forget.That’s when I became a Beatles fan.I went to the record store and bought the 45.Anyone remember 45’s?? I sure have enjoyed them through the years and still like them as much as ever.
Yet more evidence that Lennon could be an utter twat at times. Let it be was recorded a full year before Bridge over troubled waters was released.
I’m I the only one who , on watching the infamous scene in Let it Be where Harrison is throwing a strop saying to Paul, I’ll play what you want me to play or not play at all, thinks, Harrison was a precious jealous member of the awkward squad? McCartney is walking on eggshells in this scene , going out if his way to not annoy the precocious little child.
Hey,
No, I don’t think George was being precious or jealous. I think he was genuinely (and reasonably) fed up with be instructed on what to play.
George just had enough of being bossed around by Paul! After that scene, George left, went home and wrote “WAH-WAH” which appeared on his up and coming solo album “All Things Must Pass” George was Great 😉
I don’t think George wanted to be there in the first place, according to Anthology.
I was only 11 years old when Let It Be was released. It was one of the best years of my life and this song as well as the LP Abbey Road in late 1969 were a major part of my soundtrack.
I was also 11 when Let It Be came out. Born in 1959, I love this song. I still do, but I must admit that the message is just so-so to me. What type of statement is it? I mean, Paul says to just let things be. So, bad lyrics but a lovely melody and musical arrangement.
I have a reel to reel recording of this song . The song is not finished and paul is humming in a lot of it. Has ajyone heard something like this . Any information wouldbe great
Maybe it’s only me, but I can hear Lennon’s bass part in the released version:
If you listen to Take 27A (the original take), you can hear that Lennon plays “F”-“A”-“C” notes just after McCartney sings “Let It Be”, in every verse.
McCartney’s bass part, in those sections, goes like: “F”-“E”-“D”-“C”.
So, Lennon plays an “A” instead of McCartney’s “E” and “D”.
So it’s like:
F – E – D – C (McCartney);
F – A – C (Lennon).
On the Past Masters version (and on the Let It Be version too), I can clearly hear an “A” under the “E” and “D”, especially at 2:11 and 2:39. It sounds like there are two bass parts together in those spots.
What do you think?
I’ve never liked the song, either. It’s pretty on the surface, but that’s all it is, it’s another impressive, but empty, genre exercise from the master of empty genre exercises.