Let It Be

Composer
John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Album version - released on Let It Be album Single version - released on "Let It Be"/"You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" single, Past Masters: Volume Two CD album, 1 album Alternate outtake version - released on Anthology 3 album Naked version - released on Let It Be… Naked album

Recording Sessions

Twickenham Film Studios, London, England - January 3, 8, and 9, 1969
Apple Studios, London, England - January 25, 26 and 31, 1969
Olympic Sound Studios, London, England - March 4, 1969 and January 8, 1970
Studio Three, Abbey Road EMI Studios, London, England - April 30, 1969
Studio Two, Abbey Road EMI Studios, London, England - January 4, 1970
Room Four, Abbey Road EMI Studios, London, England - March 26, 1970

Notes

"Let It Be" was written by Paul about the tension within the group's "darkest hour". "I wrote it when all the business problem starts to get me down," Paul said. "I really was passing through my 'hour of darkness' and writing the song was my way of exorcizing the ghosts." Many may tale the "mother Mary" in the lyrics to be a reference to Virgin Mary, but in fact, she is Paul's mother. He said his mother offered him supports in his dreams, "in my darkest hour, mother Mary had come to me."

In the Get Back sessions, this song was rehearsed in the Apple Studios, and was recorded on "Apple Studio Performance" on January 31, 1969. Two different lead guitar solos are overdubbed on April 30, 1969 and January 4, 1970 respectively. The single used a mix from January 4, 1970 with the 1969 guitar solo only, and the album used the same mix with the 1970 solo instead. Before Phil Spector took over the Let It Be, Glyn Johns complied two versions of Get Back, both with "Let It Be" on it. The first version contains a straight live performance from January 31, 1969, without any overdubs. The second contains January 4, 1970 mix with the solo overdubbed on that day. When Phil Spector came in, the album version was overdubbed with cellos, choir and echo to Ringo's hi-hat and extended in length.

On the Anthology 3, a version from January 25, 1969 was released along with a conversation between John and Paul recorded later on January 31, 1969.