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Rating: I hope I'm not the only one who thinks that much of the Beatles' post-breakup music productions are mostly excellent marketing operations. Among these, "Real Love" had reached the peak of musical vulgarity, first by passing off a Lennon track as unreleased, which was not unreleased at all, then overdubbing the surviving members' virtuosity onto it.
Not a first, see Natalie Cole (argh!), but still a macabre operation.
After other proofs of great class, see the fundamental Oedipal-hamletic McCartney-Lennon or Lennon-McCartney doubt, now that the Beatles are slowly reuniting underground (forgive the not-so-Oxfordian comment, but given the context... ), a naked version of Let It Be emerges. Naked because it's stripped of the orchestral arrangements, the choirs, and the effects desired by the album's producer, Phil Spector.
Did we need it? According to what's read almost everywhere, it seems so.
The recording is justified by the fact that the Beatles did not love the embellishments desired by the producer, called by EMI to complete the unfinished work of the Fab Four, who were by then in open conflict. In particular, it seems McCartney did not appreciate the orchestral arrangements of "The Long And Winding Road" at all.
Is it believable? Hmm.
Given Ringo Starr's stature and since McCartney is effectively the guardian of the Beatles' artistic legacy, not being able to be contradicted by Lennon and Harrison, some doubt came to my mind.
Let's not tell ourselves fairy tales. We are facing yet another marketing operation.
Then the fact that the album presents more than a reason for interest is another matter.
In fact, it's different from the original. Beyond the restyling that has cleaned up the sound, the tracklist has been modified, both in the order of the songs, by excluding "Dig It" and "Maggie Mae" and introducing "Don't Let Me Down".
The album also features some dialogues of the Beatles in the recording studio. It's all completed by photos and unreleased materials, included in a bonus CD, which can satisfy the most varied fetishes, across the universe.
But all this does not justify an operation that seems altogether unnecessary for understanding the musical history of Her Majesty's baronets.
Ah yes, history. An important keyword.
"If we had the technology back in 1969 that we have now, we would have been able to release 'Let It Be' the way we wanted" McCartney stated. It's known that history does not agree with the hypothetical periods of unreality. It went differently.
Regarding the Beatles, what they represented, their history, Let It Be dressed says much more than naked.
If you really can't do without it, don't buy it. Maybe EMI will learn something. As for the album rating, it can't be anything but five because they are still immortal songs.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Get Back (02:34)
Jo Jo was a man who thought he was a loner
But he knew it couldn't last
Jo Jo left his home in Tucson, Arizona
for some California grass
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back Jo Jo
Go home
Get back, get back
Back to where you once belonged
Get back, get back
Back to where you once belonged
Get back Jo
Sweet Loretta Martin thought she was a woman
But she was another man
All the girls around her say she's got it coming
But she gets it while she can
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back Loretta
Ah, get back
Yeah, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Yeah get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, Ooo
[Past Masters/single version only:
Get back, Loretta,
Your mommy's waiting for you,
Wearin' her high heel shoes and her low neck sweater,
Get back home, Loretta
Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged.
Get back, get back, get back...]
02 Dig a Pony (03:38)
I hi hi hi hi hi hi, dig a pony
Well you can celebrate anything you want
Yes, you can celebrate anything you want
Ooh
I hi hi hi hi hi hi, do a roadhog
Well you can penetrate any place you go
Yes, you can penetrate any place you go
I told you so
All I want is you
Everything has got to be
just like you want it to
Because
I hi hi hi hi hi hi, pick a moondog
Well you can radiate everything you are
Yes, you can radiate everything you are
Ooh
I hi hi hi hi hi hi, roll a stoney
Well you can imitate everyone you know
Yes, you can imitate everyone you know
I told you so
All I want is you
Everything has got to be
just like you want it to
Because
I hi hi hi hi hi hi, feel the wind blow
Well you can indicate everything you see
Yes, you can indicate everything you see
Ooh
I hi hi hi hi hi hi, cold and lonely
Well you can syndicate any boat you row
Yes, you can syndicate any boat you row
I told you so
All I want is you
Everything has got to be
just like you want it to
Because
03 For You Blue (02:27)
Because you're sweet and lovely girl, I love you
Because you're sweet and lovely girl, It's true
I love you more that ever girl, I do
I want you in the morning girl, I love you
I want you at the moment I feel blue
I'm living every moment girl, for you
Bob, bobcat Bob
Go Johnny go
Same ole 12-bar blues
(Elmore James got nothin' on this baby)
I loved you from the moment I saw you
You looked at me, that's all you had to do
I feel it now I hope you feel it too
I'm having the blues
05 Two of Us (03:21)
I dig a Pygmy by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids.
Phase One in which Doris gets her oats.
Two of us riding nowhere
spending someone's hard earned pay
You and me Sunday driving
Not arriving on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home
Two of us sending postcards
writing letters on my wall
You and me burning matches
lifting latches on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home
You and I have memories
longer than the road
that stretches out ahead
Two of us wearing raincoats
standing solo in the sun
You and me chasing paper
getting nowhere on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home
You and I have memories
longer than that road
that stretches out ahead
Two of us wearing raincoats
standing solo in the sun
You and me chasing paper
getting nowhere on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home
We're going home
07 One After 909 (02:44)
(Intro)
My baby says she's traveling
on the one after 909
I said move over honey
I'm traveling on that line
I said move over once
Move over twice
Come on baby,don't be cold as ice
I said I'm traveling on the one after 909
I begged her not to go
And I begged her on my bended knees
You're only fooling around
You're only fooling around with me
I said move over once
Move over twice
Come on baby, don't be cold as ice
I said I'm traveling on the one after 909
I've got my bag, run to the station
Railman says you've got the wrong location
Picked up my bags, run right home
Then I find I've got the number wrong
Well, I said I'm travelingon the one after 909
I said move over honey
I'm traveling on that line
I said move over once
Move over twice
Come on baby, don't be cold as ice
I said I'm traveling on the one after 909
I've got my bag, run to the station
Railman says you've got the wrong location (yeah)
Picked up my bags, run right home (run right home)
Then I find I've got the number wrong
Well, I said I'm traveling
on the one after 909
I said move over honey
I'm traveling on that line
I said move over once
Move over twice
Come on baby, don't be cold as ice
I said I'm traveling on the one after 909
Yeah
10 Across the Universe (03:38)
Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup
They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me
Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe
Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Sounds of laughter, shades of life are ringing through my opened ears
Inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns
And calls me on and on across the universe
Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
11 Let It Be (03:57)
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 brokenhearted 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, yeah, 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
Yeah, let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
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Other reviews
By fosca
Let it be remains a masterpiece, but in its original, tormented and dressed version.
These post-mortem exhumations leave me a feeling of coldness and speculation, nothing more.
By ste84
This album sounds a bit more rock than the old one but ultimately doesn’t add anything new to what we already knew about the Beatles.
It feels like listening to demos: just listen to 'The Long And Winding Road,' 'Across The Universe,' or 'Let It Be' before and after the treatment, and you’ll understand the chasm that separates the two versions.
By cece65
Finally, Sir Paul has done himself justice.
"The Long And Winding Road" with only Paul’s piano and Ringo’s drums is even more magical than the original.
