Let It Be is the kind of album that never really gets forgotten. It was the final record from the biggest band of the 20th century, after all. And while the album’s title track remains the most noteworthy and long-enduring song on the album, there are other songs on Let It Be that I think deserve just as much love as “Let It Be”. Let’s take a look!
“Across The Universe”
A ballad for the ages, it’s no surprise that a whole film revolving around The Beatles’ music took the title of this gem from Let It Be. Written by John Lennon, this sweet psychedelic song has been recorded in a number of versions. But there’s something about this song’s cut from Let It Be that just sounds so good. “Across The Universe” is also one of several songs that were heavily inspired by The Beatles’ growing interest in Transcendental Meditation in 1967. You can hear a mantra in the song, too.
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“Get Back”
“Get Back” is one of The Beatles’ finest album closers, in my opinion. Written by Paul McCartney, “Get Back” was made even better by the addition of session musician Billy Preston. In a way, the song is a bit of a sharp divergence for the band. Billy Preston is credited on the song, and it also features a rare example of John Lennon on lead guitar. George Harrison had temporarily quit when they were working on the song, so Lennon stepped in. And it actually turned out beautifully in the end.
“The Long And Winding Road”
Paul McCartney’s vocal tone, those strings, the harmonies, that bass… there’s a lot to love about this “deep cut” from Let It Be. I use “deep cut” loosely, because I don’t think there’s a single song on this legendary career-closing album that could be considered underloved. But I do wish “The Long And Winding Road” got more love from listeners, at least as much as the title track.
Written by McCartney, this gorgeous pop-rock ballad was composed at McCartney’s farm in Scotland in 1968. There was a lot of animosity going on between the band members at the time, so McCartney had to imagine that “it was going to be done by someone like Ray Charles.” It ended up making it to Let It Be, complete with orchestral overdubs via Phil Spector.
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From left, Paul McCartney (playing a Hofner 500/1 violin bass guitar) and John Lennon (playing a Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar) of English rock and pop group The Beatles perform on stage for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) music television show 'Shindig!' at Granville Studios in Fulham, London on 3rd October 1964. The band would play three songs on the show, Kansas City/hey-Hey-Hey!, I'm a Loser and Boys. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)







