The Beatles: Rare And Unseen

The Beatles - Let It Be Copyright - 1970 EMI Records Ltd. 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 McCartney said he wrote "Let It Be", after a dream he 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. 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'." He also said—in a later interview about the dream—that his mother had told him, "It will be alright, just let it be." 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. 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. 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. 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". 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" 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. 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. Lyrics: When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom Let it be And in my hour of darkness She is standing right it front of me Speaking words of wisdom Let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be Whisper words of wisdom Let it be And when the broken hearted people Living in the world agree There will be an answer Let it be For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see There will be an answer Let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be yeah, there will be an answer Let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be Whisper words of wisdom Let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be Whisper words of wisdom Let it be And when the night is cloudy There is still a light that shines on me Shine until tomorrow Let it be I wake up to the sound of music Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom Let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be There will be an answer Let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be There will be an answer Let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be Whisper words of wisdom Let it be