Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

Beatles: single, LP, film due

THE NEW BEATLES single, ‘Let It Be’ c/w ‘You Know My Name’ is provisionally scheduled for release on February 20. Both Lennon-McCartney songs from the ‘Get Back’ film ‘Let It Be’ has Paul as lead singer while ‘You Know My Name’ is a novelty song. The Beatles are expected in the studios very soon for fresh work on their Get Back’ album which should be released to tie in with the film.

The film is expected to be premiered in both London and New York either late February or early March.

Ringo Starr predicts the 1970s will produce a big new pop star — either a solo artist or a group who will achieve overnight success because communications throughout the world are so quick.

George Harrison’s new year resolutions are: not to travel too far east; not to play in any supergroup; not to give any interviews!

Other releases from Apple are: January 9 — ‘Magic Christian Music’ by Badfinger, album by Badfinger which has three songs from the film; January 23 — single from Billy Preston, as yet untitled; January 30 — Mary Hopkin’ third single titled ‘Temma Harbour’; February 6 — a Jackie Lomax single ‘How The Web Was Woven’; February 13 — single from Doris Troy titled ‘Ain’t It Cute’ which she co-wrote with George Harrison.

From Record Mirror – January 3, 1970

TUESDAY

Back to Apple to hear the new Beatles single—Let It Be, which is a hymn. Paul McCartney played this to me in the EMI studios 18 months ago while they were recording their white album, and the tune’s stuck in my brain ever since. It’s quite the best Beatles single since Hey Jude, and should be out within about three weeks. Ringo’s album of standards sounds very camp by comparison.

Ray Connolly – From Evening Standard – January 31, 1970

‘LET IT BE’ ANOTHER ‘HEY JUDE’

BEATLES’ new single, “Let It Be” — out on February 27 — should make as big an impact as “Hey Jude,” writes Ray Coleman, who heard an advance pressing this week. It is hymnal in style and the sort of sound the Beatles have been producing for Billy Preston: loaded with gospel feeling and the voice of Paul McCartney at its most soulful, as on “Hey Jude.” After hearing it once or twice you can’t stop humming it. The song, a beauty, was written by Paul.

Ringo, whose debut solo album, called “Ringo Stardust” is being completed next month and is out in March, makes up in charm what he lacks in voice. It is an LP of ballad oldies. Songs recorded so far include “Stardust,” “Night And Day,” “Blue Turning Grey Over You,” “Buy Me A Beer, Mr. Shane,” and “Whispering Grass.” Described as “songs my stepfather likes to sing,” they come across with hefty, swinging arrangements written specially by such top bandleaders as Count Basie, Nelson Riddle, Quincy Jones, Elmer Bernstein and Herb Alpert. Ringo is accompanied by George Martin’s Orchestra. His vocals sound deadpan and the effect is like a pub singsong in Liverpool’s Dingle. The LP will probably sell a million.

Ringo has written the sleeve notes for the next Count Basie LP, called “Come Together/Something.”

From Disc And Music Echo – January 31, 1970

Beatles’ disc delay

THE Beatles’ new single — Paul McCartney’s semi-religious ballad “Let It Be” — will not now be released next Friday, February 27. An Apple spokesman explained that, because of promotion difficulties, the record is being held back for a further week until March 6.

As previously exclusively reported in NME, “Let It Be” Is a McCartney solo and contains references to “Mother Mary” which could be regarded either in a religious context, or as a tribute to Paul’s late mother — whose name was also Mary. The record features piano and organ.

“Let It Be” is featured in the Beatles’ full-length film documentary, completed last year, and which is still only tentatively scheduled for release this spring. It is understood that negotiations for one major company to distribute the movie have fallen through. New negotiations are taking place elsewhere.

An Apple spokesman added that the soundtrack film album would be released at the same time as the movie’s release, but should not be regarded as the official Beatles’ follow-up LP to “Abbey Road.” Some of the tracks were recorded In 1968.

Title of the film is still uncertain between “Get Back” or “Let It Be.”

From New Musical Express – February 21, 1970

BEATLES: Let It Be (Apple)

AN inspirational ballad with a profoundly philosophic lyric, emotionally and expressively delivered by Paul McCartney. Opens with clanking piano, and maintains a steady beat behind the vocal.

Then, in the reprise section, there’s an instrumental passage with the accent on swinging organ (guess who!), in which the beat noticeably intensifies. Finally, Paul returns for the impassioned climax.

The vocal is supported throughout by heavenly choir, which emphasises the pseudo-religious nature of the lyric and its references to “Mother Mary.”

As ever with the Beatles, this is a record to stop you dead in your tracks and compel you to listen attentively. Melodically, I don’t regard it as quite as catchy as some of their discs — “Hey Jude,” for instance — but it’s still unmistakably stamped with the hallmark of quality.

From New Musical Express – February 28, 1970

Not a Beatle hit, more a McCartney solo smash!

LET IT BE (Apple): AFTER years of Beatle releases, I still find a very peculiar thing — that I’m always a bit disappointed the first time I hear them but by the second and third times I’m raving with the best of them.

This new single — more a Paul McCartney solo than anything else — is no exception. The clever man has come up with a song that’s just right for now and has exactly the right commercial hook line to keep everyone singing it forever.

I was a bit surprised he didn’t break into his Ray Charles bit halfway through, but instead, craftily really, he’s kept his voice away from actually gospelling so it provides just the right delicate balance to the song and the fine throbbing guitar break. Pointless to add, it will be hugely huge.

From Disc And Music Echo – February 28, 1970

Beatles: curiouser and curiouser!

SOMETHING very interesting is going on in a mix-up this week between the Beatles, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, and the tale of two singles. Last week Aretha announced she was to release “Let It Be,” a song by Paul McCartney, as her new British single.

Great. A Beatles’ song is bound to be brilliant; and handled by Aretha it would be a natural passport to the hit parade. Also, Paul is reported to have personally sent her the song to record. Fine — except for one thing. The same song was also scheduled for simultaneous release here BY THE BEATLES THEMSELVES!

For the first time ever, someone had dared to challenge the Beatles in chart battle! Other artists have, of course, “covered” Lennon or McCartney material and had hits. But always after John, Paul, George and Ringo had first recorded and released them themselves. No one had actually recorded the SAME song for release at exactly the SAME time.

Good luck

And not only that, but other Americans — people like Jose Feliciano and Buddy Greco — are reported to also have got hold of “Let It Be,” recognised it at once as a possible mammoth money-spinner, and rushed wild-eyed into the recording studio, rubbing their hands in anticipation.

Apple were nonchalant and, apparently, not annoyed at the news. “Good luck to Aretha!” they commented to Disc coolly. “She’s a fantastic artist and free to do Beatles songs like everyone else.”

Then suddenly two things happened in swift succession. The Beatles’ single — like Aretha’s, arranged for release tomorrow, Friday — was surprisingly put back seven days to March 6; and then Atlantic, Aretha’s label, presumably embarrassed at their error, SCRAPPED “Let It Be” altogether!

Funny. Why not let them both fight it out in the chart? Chances are that Aretha would have picked up plenty of interest and airplay, which could only do her good; and the Beatles’ sales certainly wouldn’t suffer as a result. And, as always, the public would be the referee. So what went wrong?

Over to Apple. “‘Let It Be’ was put back a week to be nearer the release of the Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ film, in which it’s featured.” And when is the movie out? “No date has been decided.”

Isn’t the real reason, perhaps, that John Lennon wants the chart clear so that “Instant Karma,” his Plastic Ono Band offering, can get to No. 1? A John Lennon song pipped at the post by a Paul McCartney composition… it just would not do!

But Apple says: “There is an innocence and beauty implicit in the making of music which Apple does not wish to contaminate with comment, chit-chat, or controversy.”

And Atlantic’s argument? “Aretha’s ‘Let It Be’ was scrapped for two reasons. The main one being that ‘Call Me,’ a song she wrote herself, and the B-side here, was selling extraordinarily well as the A-side in the States. And it was logical to assume it could do the same here. Also, we decided that perhaps putting a Beatles’ song out on the same date was a bit unwise.”

“Let It Be,” a beautiful soul ballad which spotlights Paul as lead vocalist, and also on piano, was written by McCartney nearly a year ago for the “Get Back” LP. At that time it wasn’t considered as a single for the group. Then, as often happens, “pirate” recordings of “Get Back” reached America — and many DJs started plugging the tracks… among them “Let It Be.”

But Atlantic alleges: “As far as we know Paul wrote the song specially for Aretha, and sent it to her to record. She did, and it was put on her album ‘This Girl’s In Love With You.’ It was released as a single because it’s a very good song. Very strong for Aretha. And she needs a hit here.”

Now things have changed yet again. Aretha, unsuccessful with her last single — another Paul song “Eleanor Rigby” — is to release “Call Me,” with the old Dusty Springfield hit “Son Of A Preacher Man” as B-side, as her next British single. While “Let It Be,” say Atlantic, will become her single later in the year. So she’ll be following in the Beatles’ footsteps anyway — rather as Wilson Pickett did last year with “Hey Jude.”

From Disc And Music Echo – February 28, 1970