The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ Special Edition Review: ‘The Thrill Was Still There’
by Jeff Burger
More than half a century after The Beatles’ breakup, the flood of new material continues unabated with the latest in a series of dramatically expanded editions of their classic LPs. In just the past few years, we’ve witnessed the release of boxed sets devoted to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (aka The White Album) and Abbey Road. Now comes a special edition of Let It Be, the group’s 12th studio album, which first appeared in May 1970, shortly after the group split up. It was their last regular release, though they mostly recorded it in early 1969, prior to the making of Abbey Road.
Listen to the 2021 mix of “Let it Be”
Like the earlier boxes, Let It Be is available in several versions, the most lavish of which lives up to its “super deluxe” billing with 57 tracks on five CDs plus a Blu-ray and an oversized, 105-page hardcover book. The book includes a foreword by Paul McCartney and an introduction by Beatles producer George Martin’s son Giles, who produced the box’s new mixes. Also here are reminiscences from sound engineer Glyn Johns, an essay on “The Myth and Reality of the Let It Be Sessions” by journalist John Harris, detailed track notes by Beatles historian Kevin Howlett, and more. Previously unseen photos of the band as well as images of handwritten lyrics and assorted other memorabilia illustrate the volume.
The main attraction, though, is of course the music, and it’s well worth hearing. Granted, roughly half of this box consists simply of alternate mixes of previously released material. But some of these mixes vary substantially from the familiar recordings, and the set also includes 27 previously unreleased jams, rehearsal performances, and outtakes.
As for the quality of the music, it’s true that the Beatles made these recordings at a time when they were fracturing, and the original album’s lack of cohesiveness reflects that. (Another reason it doesn’t hang together so well is that it melds live rooftop and basement recordings with polished studio creations.) Moreover, the original release suffers at times from the contributions of Phil Spector, whose embellishments to George Martin’s original production prove less than ideally suited to this project. Finally, while the record includes some classic tracks, such as “Across the Universe,” “Let It Be” and “Get Back,” there are also a couple that feel like filler.
Listen to a previously unreleased version of “Get Back”
So, no, the original Let It Be is not the Beatles’ finest moment, but that’s a high bar. The 1970 album does deliver a lot to like, and the “super deluxe” new edition delivers a lot more. Certainly, there’s enough here to substantiate McCartney’s assertion in the accompanying book that “the thrill was still there” when the Fab Four got together to create this material.
The first CD features a new stereo mix by Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, the team that also worked on the three other aforementioned boxes. This mix, which evidences subtle but welcome improvements over the one on the 1970 album, can also be heard on the Blu-ray in high-res stereo and DTS-HD Master surround-sound versions.
Related: Our Album Rewind of Abbey Road
Discs two and three house material from studio sessions, rehearsals and jams, including between-song chatter. There are all sorts of delights on these discs—and lots of evidence that the Beatles could still have fun together in the studio. At one point, they offer a revamped snippet from “Please Please Me” after launching into “Let It Be.” At another, they use the Everly Brothers’ “Wake Up Little Susie” to work their way into “I Me Mine.”
Also here are early versions of Abbey Road’s “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window,” “Polythene Pam,” “Oh! Darling,” “Something” and “Octopus’s Garden,” as well as a couple of glimpses of upcoming solo work: an unplugged rendition of John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth” and an informal reading of George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” that differs dramatically from the version that later surfaced as the title cut of his superb solo debut album (which also recently reappeared in a vastly expanded boxed set).
Listen to Billy Preston jam on “Without a Song”
Disc four features the previously unreleased Get Back album, which Johns put together—reportedly on spec—in the spring of 1969. In marked (and undoubtedly deliberate) contrast to the polished, heavily produced albums that the Beatles had recently released, Get Back features rough early takes, false starts and between-song banter for a live-in-the-studio ambiance. At one point, a few sloppy choruses of “Save the Last Dance for Me” segue into “Don’t Let Me Down,” a song the Beatles omitted from Let It Be but released as a single in 1969. (Also here but not on the ultimately released LP is a song called “Teddy Boy” that would show up on McCartney’s eponymous solo debut.) The project was shelved while the group recorded Abbey Road; when it was resurrected, it evolved into the much slicker Let It Be.
A brief fifth CD offers new mixes of the single versions of “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Let It Be,” as well as 1970 Johns mixes of “I Me Mine” and “Across the Universe.” The latter is a bit more stripped down than the familiar version and arguably just as captivating.
Particularly given the wealth of material in this box, it’s difficult to understand why it does not include Let It Be…Naked, the 2003 alternative mix that strips out most of Phil Spector’s embellishments to deliver a sound that McCartney preferred. (Naked also replaces “Dig It” and “Maggie May” with “Don’t Let Me Down.”) The omission of that edition (and of the mix on the original 1970 album) notwithstanding, however, the new box contains more than enough pleasures to justify its purchase. True, some people might ask, for example, “Do we really need three more takes and mixes of ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ or five more of ‘Get Back’?” But as any serious Beatles fan will tell you, the answer is “Yes. Yes, we do.”
Bonus Video: Watch the trailer for the forthcoming Get Back film
Related: Our Review of The Beatles: Get Back book
2 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationAn album with Across the Universe, Let it Be, Long & Winding Road, Get Back for any other artist would be an extraordinary achievement. Also Two of Us , I’ve Got a Feeling , I Me Mine, For You Blue & Dig A Pony are fantastic songs. Last Don’t Let Me Down is one of the Beatles best songs although relegated to just a B side. Such is quality of their work that the Let it Be Get Back sessions are considered less than some of their other work. I disagree. It is an amazing joyful Fabulous work. After all it is the Beatles. Listening to remix of Across the Universe is very very beautiful & heart warming. Cheers
I was hoping for ” suzy parker ” & ” lawdy miss clawdy ” both of which were in the original film and countless boots.
There’s so many boots out there , Apple could do digital release of them all .