Paul McCartney writes to Allen Klein about “The Long And Winding Road”

On April 1, 1970, Phil Spector supervised the recording of orchestral and choral overdubs for three songs to be released on the Beatles’ album “Let It Be“: “Across The Universe,” “The Long And Winding Road,” and “I Me Mine.”

The orchestral arrangements added to “The Long And Winding Road” became a significant source of contention for Paul McCartney. Although Paul had considered the addition of strings during the original recording sessions in January 1969, he strongly objected upon hearing Phil Spector’s heavily orchestrated final mix.

Expressing his dissatisfaction, Paul wrote a letter to Beatles manager Allen Klein on April 14, 1970, requesting a reworked version of the mix.

Eventually, a more authentic and pared-down rendition of “The Long And Winding Road,” devoid of Spector’s embellishments, was released on the 2003 album “Let It Be… Naked“, giving listeners the version Paul McCartney had initially envisioned.

On January 26, 1969, during the “Get Back” sessions, Paul McCartney mentioned that he was considering adding strings to “The Long And Winding Road“:

George Martin: Paul’s thinking of having strings anyway.

George Harrison: Paul, are you gonna have strings?

Paul McCartney: Dunno

George Martin: George was saying that the piano and the electric piano tends to be doing the same thing.

Paul McCartney: Yeah.

George Harrison: Well, it’s like – There’s only parts where you can hear the electric piano properly, or the piano properly.

Paul McCartney: Yes.

George Harrison: Most of the time, you know, like, they mix together.

George Martin: Like your Leslie guitar contributes too. I mean, it is a bit in the same range as the electric piano with that vibrato on.

Paul McCartney: Yeah. I think it needs, like, a lot of, uh…

Ringo Starr: Cleaning.

Paul McCartney: Cleaning, yeah.

George Martin: Actually, the thing is, it’s a nice feel to it, but it’s rather like everything else we’ve done. And this particular song doesn’t need that. It needs something a little more clinical.

Paul McCartney: See, the only way I’ve ever heard it is, like, in my head, is, like, Ray Charles’s band. I haven’t really even listened to them.

George Harrison: It would be nice with some brass just doing the sustaining chord thing.

Paul McCartney: Yeah.

George Martin: It’s hardly Beatles mode… […]

Paul McCartney: We were planning to do it anyway for a couple of numbers, just to have a bit of brass and bit of strings.

From Peter Jackson’s film “The Beatles: Get Back“, 2021

When Paul heard [the “Let It Be” album mixed by Phil Spector], particularly what he referred to as Spector’s sickly sweet version of “The Long and Winding Road,” he was furious. He rushed straight into Apple and berated Klein so loudly you could hear him throughout the building. “It’s not us anymore!” he shouted.

Klein’s rude comment was, “Your original material sucked. It was unusable. John thinks Phil is a genius and I agree with him.”

Tony Bramwell – From “Magical Mystery Tours: My Life with the Beatles“, 2014

A few weeks ago, I was sent a remixed version of my song ‘The Long And Winding Road’ with harps, horns, an orchestra, and a women’s choir added. No one had asked me what I thought. I couldn’t believe it. I would never have female voices on a Beatles record. The record came with a note from Allen Klein saying he thought the changes were necessary. I don’t blame Phil Spector for doing it, but it just goes to show that it’s no good me sitting here thinking I’m in control because obviously I’m not. Anyway, I’ve sent Klein a letter asking for some things to be altered, but I haven’t received an answer yet.

Paul McCartney – Interview with the Evening Standard, April 21, 1970

Even at the beginning, Paul said, ‘Yes,’ and then he heard it. I spoke to him on the phone and said, ‘Do you like it?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, it’s okay.’ He didn’t put it down, and then, suddenly, he didn’t want it to go out. It was two weeks after that that he wanted to cancel it.

Ringo Starr – From “The Beatles: Off the Record” by Keith Badman

We were getting a ‘re-producer’ instead of just a producer, and he added all sorts of stuff… backing that I perhaps wouldn’t have put on. I mean, I don’t think it made it the worst record ever, but the fact that now people were putting stuff on our records that certainly one of us didn’t know about was wrong.

Paul McCartney – Quoted in Classic Rock, May 2020

A few weeks ago, I was sent a remixed version of my song ‘The Long And Winding Road’ with harps, horns, an orchestra, and a women’s choir added. No one had asked me what I thought. I couldn’t believe it. I would never have female voices on a Beatles record. The record came with a note from Allen Klein saying he thought the changes were necessary. I don’t blame Phil Spector for doing it, but it just goes to show that it’s no good me sitting here thinking I’m in control because obviously I’m not. Anyway, I’ve sent Klein a letter asking for some things to be altered, but I haven’t received an answer yet.

Paul McCartney – Interview with Ray Conolly, from the “Evening Standard”, April 16, 1970

Allen Klein decided – possibly having consulted the others, but certainly not me – that Let It Be would be re-produced for disc by Phil Spector.

So now we were getting a ‘re-producer’ instead of just a producer, and he added on all sorts of stuff – singing ladies on The Long And Winding Road – backing that I perhaps wouldn’t have put on. I mean, I don’t think it made it the worst record ever, but the fact that now people were putting stuff on our records that certainly one of us didn’t know about was wrong. I’m not sure whether the others knew about it. It was just, ‘Oh, get it finished up. Go on – do whatever you want.’ We were all getting fed up.

Paul McCartney – The Anthology Book

Dear Sir,

In future, no one will be allowed to add to or subtract from a recording of one of my songs without my permission.

I had considered orchestrating ‘The Long And Winding Road’ but I had decided against it. I, therefore, want it altered to these specifications:

1. Strings, horns, voices and all added noises to be reduced in volume.
2. Vocal and Beatle instrumentation to be brought up in volume.
3. Harp to be removed completely at the end of the song and original piano notes to be substituted.
4. Don’t ever do it again.

Signed

Paul McCartney

c.c. Phil Spector
John Eastman

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