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Released in 1976

Let 'Em In

Written by Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney

Last updated on August 6, 2023

Album This song officially appears on the Wings At The Speed Of Sound Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1976

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related interview

From Wikipedia:

“Let ‘Em In” is a song by Wings from their 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and reached the top 3 in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. It was a #2 hit in the UK, and in the US it was a number 3 pop hit and number 1 easy listening hit. In Canada, the song was #3 for three weeks on the pop chart and #1 for three weeks on the MOR chart of RPM magazine. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies. […] The song is noted for the sound of a doorbell, chiming the first eight notes from the Big Ben tune, before the rhythm begins. Phil and Don Everly, both brothers from the Everly Brothers, are named on the group of seven people who are to be admitted into the house. (“PHIL AND DON”) Martin Luther is also mentioned as well. The others include Sister Susie, Brother John, Brother Michael, Uncle Ernie, and Auntie Gin. The song is noted for the false fade out, which, however, becomes loud for the last two notes of the song as it ends. The song makes use of the piano, drums, brass, including a trombone solo, and wind instruments, featuring flutes, plus backup vocals from Linda and the other members of the group Wings.

The song was released worldwide as a 7″ single, except in France where it was released as 12″ single (the first ever McCartney 12″) with both sides labeled “Special Disco Mix“. In fact these were just normal album versions of the songs.

Paul McCartney “shouted out” to several of his relatives and friends in this song: his aunt (“Auntie Gin”) and brother (“Brother Michael”), the Everly Brothers (“Phil and Don”), Keith Moon (“Uncle Ernie”) and Linda’s brother (“Brother John”). His reference to “Sister Suzie” was a reference to Linda, who once recorded a song under the name “Suzie And The Red Stripes.”

It sort of said: let’s have a party, why keep ’em outside? So in listing the kind of people who might be outside the door, I just naturally went to… Auntie Gin, brother Michael – they all exist – Phil and Don being the Everlys. I just wanted a parade of people that we could imagine outside the door, so I drew on all the people I knew.

Paul McCartney, from Club Sandwich N°47/48, Spring 1988

What was the origin of the doorbell used to introduce “Let ‘Em In,” the album’s first track? Were they the McCartney household chimes?

“Well, as it happens, it is our actual doorbell which our drummer bought us, so It has a group significance. And it seemed a good introduction to the album.”

Paul McCartney – From interview with Melody Maker, March 27, 1976

Lyrics

Someone knocking at the door

Somebody ringing the bell

Someone's knocking at the door

Somebody's ringing the bell

Do me a favour

Open the door

And let 'em in

Oh yeah

Someone's knocking at the door

Somebody's ringing the bell

Someone's knocking at the door

Somebody's ringing the bell

Do me a favour

Open the door

And let 'em in

Let ‘em in

Sister Suzy, Brother John

Martin Luther, Phil and Don

Brother Michael, Auntie Gin

Open the door and let 'em in

Oh yeah

Sister Suzy, Brother John

Martin Luther, Phil and Don

Uncle Ernie, Auntie Gin

Open the door and let 'em in

Yeah, yeah

Someone's knocking at the door

Somebody's ringing the bell

Someone's knocking at the door

Somebody's ringing the bell

Do me a favour

Open the door

And let 'em in

Oh yeah, yeah, let ‘em in now

Sister Suzy, Brother John

Martin Luther, Phil and Don

Uncle Ernie, Uncle Ian

Open the door and let 'em in

Yeah, yeah

Someone's knocking at the door

Somebody's ringing the bell

Someone's knocking at the door

Somebody's ringing the bell

Do me a favour

Open the door

And let 'em in

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

Officially appears on

See all official recordings containing “Let 'Em In”

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Let 'Em In”

Related film

Videos

Concert Jul 28, 2010 in Charlotte

Concert Aug 19, 2010 in Pittsburgh

Live performances

“Let 'Em In” has been played in 226 concerts and 95 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where “Let 'Em In” has been played

See all concerts where “Let 'Em In” has been played

Going further

The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present

"Let 'Em In" is one of the songs featured in the book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present," published in 2021. The book explores Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, his time with the Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. It pairs the lyrics of 154 of his songs with his first-person commentary on the circumstances of their creation, the inspirations behind them, and his current thoughts on them.

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Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.

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Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

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Paul Welvang • 7 years ago

The opening chord always strikes me as a little flat - it's preceded by Westminster chimes. The last night there was a show about Westminster & they explained that due to a crack in the largest bell in the Big Ben tower, the 'hour chime' there is flat. Just wondering if this is coincidence or if Paul is basing that opening chord on the Big Ben flat note?

The PaulMcCartney Project • 7 years ago

Thanks Paul for this insightful comment - I think it will be hard to validate this assumption, but that's a tempting one ! Thanks again

Mike Reiss • 7 years ago

Actually no. "Brother John" refers to his wife Linda's brother John and not John Lennon. At least that's what it says on wikipedia and I belive it to be accurate in this case since I don't think Paul had "made up" with John Lennon at that point.

The PaulMcCartney Project • 7 years ago

Thanks Mike - you're right ! Fixing it !

Agustín Soler • 3 years ago

Hello! There is a single version released in Japan which is shorter, partly because it omits the coda and the final notes, after the fade-out section. You can check it here: https://www.discogs.com/es/release/6281317-Wings-Let-Em-In

Martin Shough • 1 year ago

Well, Paul has said that brother John "could be whoever you want" (Perasi, Recording Sessions, p.144), but also that "brother John is either . . . John Eastman or John Lennon" (The Lyrics, p.407) so you could fix it back again if you want to. Paul had, himself, been denied a visa to enter America until the start of 1974 (due to drug convictions), and when he recorded Let 'Em In, John Lennon was still in his own battle with US immigration to retain a green card and avoid deportation. Note that Let 'Em In was a hit in the year of the American Bicentennial of the war of independence (celebrating "bring me your huddled masses" etc) and its military-style fife-and-drum interludes, together with the red-white-and blue stage lighting on Denny with his tricorn soldier's hat during the Wings Over America tour that year, prove to me that Paul knew exactly what he was doing.

The PaulMcCartney Project • 1 year ago

Thanks Martin ! Clearly this page needs editing. Also, Paul has talked about the song in "The Lyrics", interesting to read what he said in the book. He sometimes have changed the story about his own songs, over the years!

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