LET IT BE

Until only recently I have always assumed that Let It Be was the final album by the Beatles but, come to think of it, it does make more sense seeing it as a link between the White Album and Abbey Road. I regard this release as slightly above its 1968 predecessor with definite signs of what would occur on Abbey Road. So naturally I've never been able to understand the criticism that Let It Be has received over the years and the re-released Let It Be... Naked only made me even more baffled. Let me now have my short defense speech for this album!

Granted that most of this material was meant to be performed live there was a definite need to tone down the studio experiments that the Beatles have become known for ever since their seclusion in the studio from Revolver and onward. They couldn't exactly return to their jolly Fab Four days and perform two minute cheerful tunes mixed with a few solo spot ballads here and there. The inspiration for the band's direction came from the U.S. Blues scene that was already adapted by George Harrison's friend Eric Clapton, on this side of the Atlantic ocean. Still, it would be unflattering to say that the Beatles just ripped off their musical direction without adding anything new to it.

First off, when the Beatles do anything they always adjust the style by making it polished and pulpy for the masses to enjoy. This might not be something that the hardcore Blues fans would prefer since the whole genre is based around the raw emotion of the artist, but I honestly think that the band got away with it! Dig A Pony, I've Got A Feeling and Get Back are highly enjoyable tunes that still have that definite touch that only Lennon/McCartney could achieve while the short interludes in between some of the tracks create a highly loose atmosphere of being right in the middle of a fictive live performance. Yes, you can most definitely count me in as a supporter of adding a short extract from the 15 minute Dig It-jam on this record. No matter how little we've got to hear of it on this album it's definitely an important part of the Get Back-sessions, just like many of the great White Album-session outtakes that should have made it to the final release.

George Harrison's contributions to this album might not be generally considered as good as those on Abbey Road, but I happen to completely adore the Phil Spector overdubbed version of I Me Mine even thought the chorus might not be as strong as the intro and verse sections might have made it out to be. Let's not forget that this album also features magnificent highlights like the nostalgic Two Of Us, moody Across The Universe, plus two of Paul McCartney's best songs, namely Let It Be and Long And Winding Road! The latter has been poorly received for Phil Spector's mixing in the studio, but I happen to think that Spector's overdubs add more character to the already excellent composition and actually make it even better!

How can I possibly consider this anything less than a masterpiece after mentioning all these great moments that make Let It Be? This beautiful compilation of songs might not have been finished by the Beatles, but I definitely prefer it to the reissued version called Let It Be... Naked. The cover art is, in my opinion, on par with Revolver, in other words a masterpiece well worthy of its musical content!

***** star songs: Two Of Us (3:36) Across The Universe (3:48) I Me Mine (2:25) Let It Be (4:03) Long And Winding Road (3:37)

**** star songs: Dig A Pony (3:54) Dig It (0:49) Maggie Mae (0:40) I've Got A Feeling (3:37) One After 909 (2:55) For You Blue (2:32) Get Back (3:07)