Beatles - Let It Be (1990)
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Free Music Notes for Let It Be (1990)
Free Music Review: The proof is in the listening
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a very under rated album. The circumstance of its creation and completion leads people to discount it. Unlike the other albums the Beatles produced after they quit touring this one was not a product of multi-tracking pyrotechnics. Instead, it was a recording of live rehearsals for a projected major concert that was steadily down scaled until all that was left was the famous "last performance" on the roof of the Beatles' office building. This is probably one factor that leads people to rate it poorly. Another is that a documentary film was made of the sessions showing the group in four-part disharmony. Finally, the recordings, which were considered a mess, were turned over to super-producer Phil Spector who added strings and other embellishments that are regarded as out of character with the Beatles' original conception of the material. Thus, the album is not usually included in the roster of the group's best work. Case in point -- the Beatles dominated the top ten of VH1's 100 Best Albums, but this record wasn't included at all, let alone in the top 20, which is where I think it belongs.Why do I think this? The proof is in the songs, which I believe include some of the finest the Beatles ever composed.
As with my other album reviews I will rate each song on a scale of 5 stars, with 5 representing a classic or timeless piece, 4 a great song, 3 a craftsman-like work, 2 a pedestrian affair, and 1 a throw away.
Two of Us - 4 stars - This is a rare Lennon-McCartney duet, and all the more poignant for the realization that they were nearing the end of their legendary partnership.
Dig a Pony - 4 stars - This is one of Lennon's many nonsense lyrics. Every line of it could be taken in more than one way. The song has a nice drive to it.
Across the Universe - 5 stars - This is a Lennon composition. It is also one the most beautiful songs ever written, with incredibly poetic lyrics. Strangely, Lennon didn't like this execution of the song and wanted to re-record it. Luckily, the other Beatles talked him out of it. It's hard to imagine how it could have been better. The song is also notable for its background singing. McCartney went outside the Abbey Road studios and recruited three Beatle fans to add vocal color. It must have been the thrill of a lifetime for those three young women. I wonder where they are now and how often they listen to "their Beatle song?" Their friends must be sick of hearing about it.
I Me Mine - 4 stars - This is a Harrison composition that seems to refer to the selfishness that was tearing the Beatles apart at this point. George was having a hard time getting a fair hearing for his songs, many of which later went on to be chart toppers. One of the most interesting things about the Beatle's work was the autobiographical nature of so many of their songs, such as this one. It is also amazing that they were able to record, as a group, songs that seemed to deal with their coming dissolution, both this one and "You Never Give Me Your Money" from "Abbey Road." "I Me Mine" is a very good song.
Dig It -- ??? - This doesn't really qualify as a song. It is, rather, a recording of a jam session with nonsense lyrics added. Its inclusion here adds to an overall depiction of the live sessions from which the album was drawn.
Let It Be - 5 stars - An awesome melody and moving lyrics from Paul. This is another piece that reflects the feelings surrounding the group's coming breakup. Paul has stated that he had been fretting about the situation and had taken to telling himself, "just let it be." The lyrics also contain a reference to Paul's mother, Mary, who died when he was young (something he and Lennon and Bono of U2 share in common). This is a classic, timeless song that will live forever.
Maggie May -- ??? - More improvisational jamming by the Beatles. This is a fragment of an old standard, another snippet thrown in to show the nature of the recording session.
I've Got A Feeling - 4 stars - This is a very fun song, with McCartney taking the cheerful side and Lennon the sardonic, as usual. You'll want to sing along.
One After 909 - 4 stars - This is one of the earliest songs Lennon and McCartney wrote together. It is recorded here for the first time and brings back some of the spirit of the Beatle's early compositions. One purpose of these sessions was to get the Beatle's back to their roots, and this is the one piece on the album that really reflects that goal. The song is a lot of fun.
The Long and Winding Road - 5 stars - This is another Paul McCartney masterpiece. It has a memorable melody and sophisticated, moving lyrics. Paul hated the string arrangements Phil Spector added later, but I think they work. This is another song that will live forever.
For You Blue - 3 stars - This is a Harrison composition. It's a slight piece, but fun. George had better material at hand, but couldn't get it recorded.
Get Back - 5 stars - A classic rock-and-roll number with memorable and mysterious lyrics. It will make you tap your foot and sing. The song evolved as a "found thing" arising out of an improvisational jam.
And so we have 4 five-star songs out of 10 (how many albums can say that?), 5 four-star songs, and 1 three-star song. All in all this is a great album that will reward constant re-listening. The record is also notable for many humorous remarks (mostly or entirely from Lennon) that were thrown in, including the classic, "I'd like to thank you on behalf of the group and myself, and I hope we passed the audition." Pass they did. Pass they did.
Free Music Review: Not perfect, but fans still like it
Hit: 5 Stars
For those who don't know the story, the tension and frustration experienced by The Beatles during the "White Album" sessions reached new heights during the GET BACK sessions. In an attempt to bring spirit to the band, Paul was pushing to have The Beatles play live again. Perhaps his thinking was that playing together (as they used to do) would reunite them (as they used to be). Instead, there was much talk of breaking up. It was decided that the group should at least rehearse together while being filmed, but George Harrison actually walked out and quit the group for a few days. Apparently what John said regarding The Beatles at this time was indeed a group reality: "It had become a job."
Excluding the filming that took place at Twickenham Studios (brought to a close by tension within the band and George's walkout), the GET BACK sessions began on January 22, 1969, and ended just nine days later, all of it taking place at the band's Apple headquarters rather than Abbey Road studios. Although The Beatles behaved a little better when keyboardist Billy Preston was brought in, the sessions did not go well, being mostly jamming--meandering from song to song. As George Martin appropriately pointed out, "they were rudderless at this time." Martin was not on hand for much of this, and even when he was present, it is unclear how involved he was. Engineer Glyn Johns was asked to compile the album--not George Martin. Though Johns complied, the ill-fated GET BACK was never given the group's stamp of approval and was left unreleased for over a year.
In January 1970--after the release of the glorious ABBEY ROAD but prior to Phil Spector's involvement--Glyn Johns was given another shot at compiling the album, but this turned out to be another futile attempt to make presentable the sessions that Paul has called "the break-up of The Beatles on film."
Early in 1969, Allen Klein became involved with The Beatles; it was agreed (excepting Paul) that he should run the group's finances and business affairs. Klein, who profited from any additional Beatles releases, was the most likely impetus behind the release of LET IT BE and the involvement of Phil Spector, with whom Klein had worked previously. Klein was notorious for bringing in his own people; George Harrison himself recalled that it was in fact Allen Klein who suggested to John and George that they should have Spector listen to the tapes. John and George, being Spector fans, certainly approved of the idea. So unbeknown to Paul or George Martin, Phil Spector was brought in to have a go at it. Martin recalled that it was all very sneaky and done behind people's backs at a time when "Allen Klein was running John."
Spector produced the LET IT BE album in seven days, beginning on March 23, 1970, and ending April 2. His version involved many edits and an abundance of remixing. The orchestrated overdubs on "Across The Universe," "The Long And Winding Road," and "I Me Mine" were done in one session--the arrangements were by Richard Hewson, not Spector. Two songs on LET IT BE did not come from the GET BACK sessions. John's vocal on "Across The Universe," along with some of the rhythm instruments, came from the original takes recorded in February 1968; and "I Me Mine" was recorded in January 1970, a full year after the project.
Overall, I don't think that the GET BACK sessions were particularly great, nor do I think that they should be trivialized. Although the performances are perhaps not quite representative of what The Beatles were capable of, the songs themselves are strong enough to overcome these less-than-ideal renditions. Spector essentially took the music from the rehearsal-like sessions, dressed it up, and powdered its nose. I never did believe that the orchestra and choir added to "The Long And Winding Road" turned Paul's song into something phony. This great song holds up under Spector's treatment, and I'm glad that Paul finally admitted it wasn't so bad: "I don't think it made it the worst record ever."
I enjoy Spector's LET IT BE and think it worthy of a five-star rating, probably because I'm such a Beatles fanatic. My gripes, however, are that (1) the recordings of "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down" released as the single should have made the album (instead, Spector's mix is solid but inferior on "Get Back," and he sidestepped "Don't Let Me Down"); and (2) the mix of "Let It Be" that became the single is superior to the one on the album, and I also prefer George's guitar solo on the single.
LET IT BE... NAKED, the latest attempt at presenting the material, does not address the inherent problems with the GET BACK sessions--the reasons that caused them to be rejected in the first place. Instead, this cleaned-up version again exposes a band that was focusing more on problems than on music. Why is LET IT BE thought by many to be the group's weakest effort, and ABBEY ROAD (recorded a few months later) thought by many to be one of the greatest rock albums ever made? I think it is clear that in the case of the latter, (1) the band members put aside their differences to focus on the music; and (2) George Martin was allowed to fully work his magic.
Without getting into further details and writing pages here, suffice it to say that I will always wish that George Martin had been given a serious shot at producing this album from the beginning. Maybe then we would have had another Beatles masterpiece.
Free Music Review: A Beautiful Swan Song
Hit: 5 Stars
To any purpose, Let It Be was the Beatles' last album - even though it wasn't the last one recorded. It was the last Beatles album released, and therefore the last one for the public to hear, and there was an incredibly melancholic sense of finality about it. In all likelihood, Let It Be is one of the Beatles' weakest recordings; the bleakness on it isn't that sharp sarcasm and black humor that made the White Album a classic, but instead it's a sense of dryness and lack of interest from all the members. But even at their lowest, the Fab-Four were the best of the best, and even if it's not as much a piece of creative genius and musical perfection as, say, Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour or Abbey Road (though it doesn't lack in brilliant pieces of music, like `I Me Mine' and the title track) - it actually includes two of my least favorite Beatles tracks, `Across The Universe' and 'The Long And Winding Road' - it's an incredibly beautiful album, and a fascinating document that gives us a better picture than any other work of the Beatles as human beings - who Paul, John, George and Ringo really are, rather than the teen idols of the early days or the psychedelic gurus of '67 - and that makes Let It Be an absolute essential for Beatle fans.The album Let It Be was not composed and perfectly positioned - it's fragmented from various pieces played during rehearsals, some of them more produced, some less. So while it has some of their biggest hits, it also takes chances with strange little experiments - like the intuitive avant-garde Lennon piece `Dig It', or `One After 909' - a surprising return to a great little unreleased rock n' roll tune written by John and Paul in the early days. But of course, the hits get the most attention - Paul's wonderful title track `Let It Be', wonderfully composed and arranged, with a terrific guitar solo by George Harrison and a terrific organ solo by Billy Preston; `Across The Universe', John's rather pretentious pseudo-spiritual song which nobody ever really understands, but it's still beautiful in its own way; `The Long And Winding Road', a pretty little piano-and-vocals ballad by Paul, completely ruined by Phil Spector's patented wall-of-sound production (more on that later); and most of all `Get Back', a superb rockin' song which howls back to the Beatles' roots and what made them - what made all the musicians of their generation, really - turn to rock n' roll in the first place.
I'm more impressed, though, by some of the more obscure pieces. The most incredible track on the album, in my opinion, is George's `I Me Mine', a brilliant song which is a waltz in the verse and a hard rocker in the chorus. It seems that the more Lennon and McCartney got more surly and sulky at each other (look how bored John looks in the movie Let It Be - look at the way he looks at Paul!) - George was actually taking the chance to break away from the two living legends and reach the full of his creative potential; if you want proof, look into his songs on Abbey Road and on his first solo album All Things Must Pass. Other favorites include John's powerful and wise `Dig A Pony', with soulful vocals and great guitar playing; `I've Got A Feeling', a very clever combination of a Lennon song and a McCartney song, turned into a great rock duet (check out the movie to see the process of this song's creation); and `Two Of Us', a lovely duet between John and Paul about how great it was to be young and be great friends, and it's really a pretty sad farewell, because it's more or less the last time the two would truly work together.
What ruins it for me, on many of the tracks, is Phil Spector's production. My intention is not that Phil Spector was not a competent producer - a legend of this proportion is not created for nothing. However, Mr. Spector's production does not go well with the Beatles's sound, on this album less than any. Let It Be was meant to be loose and semi-produced, and Spector's bombastic wall-of-sound style didn't belong here - as clearly shows in the butcher job he did on Paul's `Long And Winding Road' - without Paul's consent or approval, by the way - where he turned a very pretty little ballad (the original version can be found in Anthology 3) into a full scale orchestra piece fit for a Disney soundtrack. He also cut John's brilliant `Dig It' into less than a minute, a criminal act by itself. His influence shows to lesser extent on the other tracks, but I think this album would have done much better had it been produced exclusively by Sir George Martin, truly the fifth Beatle.
But no matter. Let It Be remains a classic, as much as every Beatles album is a classic, and any true music lover who really respects themselves should own each and every one of their recordings; a real Beatles fanatic is not someone who owns all their albums - every music lover should have that - but someone who owns all their albums on both CD and vinyl. Let It Be is a classic and beautiful swan song for the Fab-Four, and if only for the few brilliant tracks on it, don't pass it by.
Free Music Review: Let it Be....Naked and Let it Be Soundtrack Comparison
Hit: 5 Stars
Finally, after more than 33 years, the non orchestral arrangement of Let it Be has been released! On Nov 14, I purchased highly advertised Let it Be...Naked 2-CD set here in Japan. There was a long line to get the new set, so I knew it must be good. I must say, I was quite impressed with the sound quality, and the removal of Phil Spector's various orchestral and choir arrangements. Now for the comparisons of the two albums. First of all, as many people expected, the sound quality is much better, and there is virtually none of the original tape hiss (The only exception is disk 2, which is mostly studio chatter)
Now for the songs:
"Two of Us" the song starts immediately, without the short intro that is on the original. The song itself is the same.
"Dig a Pony" is also the same, but it does not have the false start that was included on the original.
"Across the Universe" is now a beautiful Acoustic song, without the orchestra or choir. This is one of the best songs on the Naked release.
"I Me Mine" is nearly the same. The only difference I noticed was that the stereo separation was slightly modified.
"Dig It" is not on the Naked Album.
"Let it Be" is a different take. A little shorter, by maybe about 15 seconds. Paul's voice has more life to it. The organ is much more defined and louder. The backing voices of the other Beatles sound much better. The guitar solo is different, but better I think. The drums toward the end are somewhat different, but only serious Beatle fans will notice it. There is none of the orchestral arrangement from the original. This is a great song, and I think this new version is better.
"Maggie Mae" was the other song that was not included on the Naked Album.
"I've Got a Feeling" sounds the same, but Paul and Johns voices have been put on the center channel now, which provides more range for the instruments.
"One After 909" does not sound any different.
"The Long and Winding Road" is a totally different take. The Naked version is slightly faster and without the orchestra. Some of the words have changed. The part that goes "Anyway, you'll never know, the many ways I've tried" has been changed to "Anyway, you've always known, the many ways I've tried. Another change in lyrics is where "Don't keep me waiting here" becomes "Don't keep me standing here" The end portion where we hear Paul say "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" is not on this version. This is my favorite song on the new release.
"For You Blue" seems to be unchanged, just much crisper, without any hiss.
"Get Back" suffers from being cut by some 38 seconds. The Naked version of Get back is only 2:34, compared to the 3:12 original release. The song is exactly the same otherwise.
"Don't Let Me Down" is a song which was not included in the original Let it Be Album from 1970. It can be found on Part Masters II. This version is different from that version. This version has not just Lennon, but the other Beatles singing as well.
The 2nd disk, called "Fly on the Wall" has one track, about 22 minutes in length consisting of various Twickenham sessions from 1969. This disk is a treat as it shows the Beatles attitiude in the studio where they recorded their music. I am assuming this starts Jan 1, 1969 due to everyone saying "Happy New Year" to each other. There are a few minutes of various Beatle songs such as "Don't Let Me Down" and "One After 909" It is quite humorous because you hear the Beatles talking about the song "One After 909" they talk about how they never really thought about the meaning of the lyrics in the song.
I don't want to spoil it, but this disk is quite great: both humorous and serious. If you listen well, you will even hear Yoko Ono laughing and speaking in the background at one moment. These various sessions show how the Beatles had arguments such as Ringo Starr's decision "Not to go abroad", and how they should all split up to do separate projects.
To sum it all up, this new release is exceptionally good. The best songs on the album are "The Long and Winding Road", "Let it Be", and "Across the Universe", All of the songs sound great in their new Digitally Re-Mastered and "naked" form. I hope this set receives as much success as the Beatles "1" did.
Enjoy the version of "Let it Be" the way it was always meant to be heard!
Free Music Review: Classic Rock
Hit: 5 Stars
On May 8, 1970 a legendary rock group took it's final bow. The Beatles relased their last full album of new material. Though it was recorded prior to ABBEY ROAD, the trumoil filled LET IT BE was released a year later (after the band had offically broken up). For many critics, this is the band's worst album. I, however, have always had a soft spot for this record. To be fair, the band's in fighting probably kept it from soaring as high as it could have (see LET IT BE...NAKED). However, peel back the Phil Spector nonsense and what you have is a brilliant acoustic Beatles album.
"Two of Us" a jolly little ditty Paul wrote about the joys of getting lost with Linda in the English countryside is hands down my favorite "on the road"-type song every written. This song, as well as the whole album, tends to evoke a gray rain soaked highway (with the sun peaking out behind the clouds casting a perfect rainbow). In a way that imagery could be extended to the recording of the album. "Dig a Pony" and "Across the Universe" are two poetic and beautifully honest Lennon tracks. "Across the Universe" probably being one of the most covered Beatles songs behind "Yesterday." The song is light and floaty, just like the universe. Lyrically the song is John's best poetry (yes even better than "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds").
"I Me Mine" is not my favorite Harrison track, but nevertheless manages to fit in with the rest of the country-flavored album. Perhaps that's not a good description, the album isn't very honky tonk...but it does have a Nashville-via-Liverpool sound. "Dig It" and "Maggie Mae" are two funny and appropriate little songlets (despite what Sir Macca may have you think with his nude version). LET IT BE is most memorable for me because it features the excellent "I've Got a Feeling." This song is the epitomy of why The Beatles worked so well. The song is really two unrelated songs by Paul and John COMBINED into one. John's "Hard Year" and Paul's "Feeling" while seemingly unrelated, merge to form one of the best songs they wrote together. Maybe this is what turns off a lot of the critics, this hodge podging of bits and leftovers...but as a writer I can only sit back and admire how they took two unused songs and melted them into a song that not only eixists as a finished product, but is stronger than the sum of it's parts.
Of course, who can talk about LET IT BE and not mention it's two most famous tracks: "Let it Be" and "The Long and Winding Road." The title track is a lovely piano ballad, that is both secular and spiritual. What this song should be called is 'Hope' because that's what it fills you with when you hear it. I can't tell you how many times this song has saved my life. And I mean that. "The Long and Winding Road" is difficult for me. On one hand, I like the basic song. It's very sentimental and sad (which I like) but I can't stand the Phil Spector-ized original album verison. That said, the LET IT BE...NAKED verison is no good either because though the music is perfect (stripped down to just The Beatles) the lyrics were changed by Paul who opted to us an alternate vocal take. Instead of the familiar "anyway you'll never know/the many ways I've tried" he opted to make it "anyway you've always known/the many ways I've tired." Why is this a big deal? What makes this song so sad (for me) is that it's about being left alone (and waiting) by someone who doesn't realize how bad a shape that other person is. The song was neutral, it didn't place any blame on him or her...the redux makes her the bad guy (in a sense) because she's "always know" the many ways he's tried (and still opted to abandon him). This may seem petty, but this alteration ruined this song in ways that Phil Spector can only dream....so as much as it pains me to say...I guess the "wall of sound" version is the better of the two. Perhaps someday we'll be able to bootleg a spliced verison with the LET IT BE...NAKED music with original lyrics.
The album leaves us the same way The Beatles did (at least as far as live public gigs)...with "Get Back." The groovy keyboards/organ and the galloping drum beat coupled with George's usual reserved guitar work are nothing short of genius. Pauls over-the-top crooning will bring a tear to your eye once the final note is played. The last sound we hear is John thanking a crowd of people and saying "I hope we passed the audition." Well John, you passed-with flying colors.