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Rating:
“What a shame to end with an album like ‘Let It Be.’ Then the boys called me and said they wanted to make a more beautiful one. That's how ‘Abbey Road’ was born””.
These are the words of George Martin. It's a bit amusing that such a balanced man could voice such a drastic opinion. “Let It Be” certainly has the terrible sin of being poorly produced, but it's certainly not a “shame.” Two things are noticeable on first listening:
1) Musically, it is superior to “Rubber Soul”;
2) Its “songwriting” is superior to that of “Abbey Road” - which is certainly a milestone in the history of record production, but is also an album less inspired and, at times, quite modest in terms of songs.
What's saddest is that I've read more pages criticizing "Maxwell’s Silver Hammer" (present in “Abbey Road”) than talking well about “Two of Us” or “Dig a Pony.”
At the time, about 15 years ago, I was shocked by the harsh criticisms – some truly ridiculous, like those that put "Let It Be" at the same level as “Beatles for Sale.” When then I saw "Please, Please Me" among the top 500 albums of all time, I began to wonder "where did these people have their ears" - as Page said after the nonsense written about "Led Zeppelin III."
Then, with age, we understand that thinking with our own head is less natural than we think, and I realized that an opinion like that of a big shot like George Martin, or the Beatles themselves, certainly influenced the mediocre critics who now write for specialist magazines, and who were teenage Beatles fans in the 60s.
Fortunately, Mark Heertsgaard, in his “A Day in the Life,” destroys this “critical commonplace” against “Let It Be”: “This record certainly doesn't have the strength of “Revolver” or “Pepper,” but it absolutely cannot be passed off as a minor album.”
Obviously, if you listen to certain background voices or some idiotic vocal introductions to serious songs like “Two of Us” or “Let It Be,” McCartney's stifled laughs in “I’ve Got a Feeling,” certain incomprehensible games like “Dig It” or “Maggie Mae,” a silly song like “1 After 909,” which was almost ready in 1963 to be put in “Please Please Me” – it's clear that some superficial person might think this record is more of a joke than a musical proposal. Some things the Beatles could have spared us. They are jokes that aren't funny.
Instead, it's really impressive the series of gems present here, and remarkable the richness of the lyrics, especially of Paul. Some of McCartney's writings on this record truly deserve applause. As John would say: “When he wanted to write a nice lyric, he did it brilliantly”. Paul wrote these songs after the end of the sessions of the “White” album, when in his “times of troubles” he realized that after the end of John's marriage to Cynthia, his own marriage to the Beatles was also about to end. Many lyrics reflect this bitter awareness. Now I'll move on to a kind of track-by-track, because these songs deserve it, given how beautiful and underrated they are. If you're not interested, skip ahead and read the conclusion.
“I Me Mine” is a song by Harrison about the excess of ego. Unfortunately, the lyrics aren't exceptional, but some verses remain excellent. The idea is really nice.
“Across the Universe,” according to John, as it was, was “a mediocre track due to lack of work.” I never understood what he meant. It's one of his greatest masterpieces, for how the music (splendid) combines with the lyrics (excellent metrically). Strange that this piece was despised and labeled boring by Ian MacDonald. I don't like the lyrics in terms of content because it talks about Lennon's experiences with LSD. There are two versions, a heavier one, I'd say “mandolined” on the album (Phil Spector's work) and a more sober, more folk-melancholic one, and for me more beautiful, in “Past Masters II” (released about a year earlier as a single).
“Dig a Pony” is an excellent song, a very imaginative and well-rhythmed guitar piece. The lyrics are silly. With all John could say at the time (the press hating him because of Yoko Ono, his drug addiction (heroin), the arrest for drugs, the end of his friendship with Paul, his desire to leave the group and change life) he wasted such a song to write nonsense. In any case, if it is true that, in content, it is a trivial text, technically it is truly studied. A remarkably (albeit nonsensical) text, very well integrated into the music. A song to be proud of: if not a masterpiece, certainly a minor masterpiece. Truly notable is John's improvement as a guitarist (here with his famous white guitar, made famous thanks to the Apple Records rooftop concert); he could have become a great guitarist – if he hadn't let his laziness win.
“I’ve Got a Feeling” represents one of the Beatles' greatest melodic masterpieces, with nice work on the guitar. Although being a love song, “I’ve Got a Feeling” is absolutely mature: it's Paul saying he finally found the right woman. It's the group’s “A Day in the Life” minor version, because of John's passage in Paul's text (“Everybody had a hard year…”) – a passage that fits very well in the song, but not perfectly in the text. It would not have taken much to improve it. There really wasn't the will to work (on John's part) to bring it to perfection.
Even “The Long and Winding Road” I've never seen as a love song. If personal interpretations are allowed, in my "interpretation with hindsight" I see it as an act of resignation from Paul towards his friend who was now completely lost behind Yoko: “The long and winding road traveled by the two of us, will never disappear. You will never know the times I cried, and tried (to save our friendship)”. Be that as it may, I consider it among the group’s masterpieces, despite Spector's overly “Hollywood soundtrack” arrangement. The gorgeous original version with Billy Preston on organ (found in the homonymous film) is enchanting for its grace and sobriety; I fully understand Paul's anger for what Spector did.
“Two of Us” is a memory of Paul towards his brotherly friend John and, as Antonio Taormina says, “the road home inevitably represents the long journey traveled by the two Beatles”. Truly a beautiful folk, and one of Paul's best lyrics. The final "Goodbye" leaves a small space for hope that John would come to his senses.
In “Get Back” (one of McCartney's musical masterpieces), Paul doesn't indulge in memories but writes almost a plea (very well disguised as an apparently trivial text) for his brotherly friend to come back to himself “Get back Jo,” and for Yoko Ono (here called “Sweet Loretta Martin”) to go away (“Get back to where you once belonged”). Watch the version of the concert on the rooftop, with a great Lennon on guitar and a virtuous McCartney on bass.
And here we are at “Let It Be” - the Beatles song that gives me the greatest emotion ever, and certainly my favorite among Paul's lyrics. Lennon accused this song of bigoted Catholicism, a ridiculous accusation: “Let It Be” doesn’t talk about the Madonna or angels; “Let It Be” is about hope, and in an absolutely sincere and touching way. A truly bad positioning choice. Absurd to relegate such a song in the middle of the album - especially given that the Beatles had intelligently placed “Tomorrow Never Knows” at the end of “Revolver” and “A Day in the Life” at the end of “Sgt. Pepper”. There are four versions of "Let It Be": one on the album (with Spector's excessive distorted guitar); one released as a single (with less distortion in the guitar, and a finale made of organ and choirs); and the “naked” version (with Paul's voice more prominent); and that from the film, with the guitar sound even more crystalline. It's a matter of taste to decide the most beautiful. When the Beatles were sent the acetates of the album by mail, they all remained silent because of the poor production. However, Lennon had the (perverse) idea of releasing it as it was: “We wanted to release it in those pathetic conditions, to destroy the myth of the Beatles. I wanted to show myself with my pants down; so they would cut the worship created by “Pepper””. Then John followed the sensible advice of others and the album was abandoned in a basement. The stratospheric commercial success of “Abbey Road,” awakened Lennon, who went to retrieve it and gave it to Spector. The rest of the story is found in every Beatles book.
Apart from the nonsense written by critics, “Let It Be” is truly an excellent album: 7 tracks are among the best ever composed by the Beatles. I really have no idea what it could have been if the songs had been worked on during the “Abbey Road” recordings. What it could have been with a 16-track recorder?
What fills me with regret is the fact that when an EMI executive, seeing the paucity of the Medley songs, told the Beatles to make the best of the best of “Abbey Road” and the best of “Let It Be,” Lennon got furious saying he didn’t even want to hear about “Let It Be.”
Because of John's closure, today we are left with two (great) albums that leave something to be desired (one for the depth of certain songs; the other for the production) instead of one majestic Masterpiece.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Two of Us (03:36)
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
02 Dig a Pony (03:54)
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 Across the Universe (03:47)
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
06 Let It Be (04:03)
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
07 Maggie Mae (00:40)
Oh, dirty Maggie Mae
they have taken her away
and she'll never walk
down Lime Street anymore
Oh, the judge she guilty found her
of robbing the homeward bounder
dirty no good robbin' Maggie Mae
It's the part of Liverpool
She returned me to
Two pound ten a week
that was my pay
09 One After 909 (02:53)
(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
11 For You Blue (02:32)
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
12 Get Back (03:07)
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...]
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Other reviews
By lucio mazzi
Let it be, let it go, now we must think about what to do when we grow up...
Phil Spector... managed to ruin with pompous and pretentious production even the little good that was there.
By enbar77
Let it be, at the end of the day, indeed, let it be...
Thank God that after forty years and more, I can say that it was better this way (and it shows). Beatles Immortal!
