The Beatles' "Let It Be... Naked" in stores November 18. - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AKA · 09-18-2003, 04:17 PM

The Beatles Get "Naked"

Stripped-down "Let It Be" coming in November

By Augustin Sedgewick and John Harris
Rolling Stone

The Beatles' Apple Records will release a stripped-down version of Let It Be, the group's 1970 swan song, on November 18th. Dubbed Let It Be . . . Naked, the album does away with the orchestration added by legendary producer Phil Spector and restores Paul McCartney's "back to basics" concept that originally underpinned the project. Two songs, "Maggie Mae" and "Dig It," have been removed from the new set, while "Don't Let Me Down" and background dialogue from the studio sessions have been added. The Let It Be . . . Naked package will also feature a twenty-minute bonus disc of material culled from rehearsal sessions.

"I was listening to it recently, and it was really great," Beatles drummer Ringo Starr told Rolling Stone earlier this year. "I've been away from it a long time too. It fills my heart with joy to hear that band that I was a member of. They were just great. And also, the quietness of the tracks: It's a beautiful CD."

Most of the Let It Be material was recorded in early 1969 for an album and movie originally to be called Get Back. Though the project was intended to showcase the Beatles' returning to their roots as a four-piece rock band, it instead captured the band in the throes of its breakup. The album was temporarily abandoned, and the film, retitled Let It Be, was released the following year.

Spector was later brought in at John Lennon's insistence to compile an album from the hundreds of hours of tape. However, Spector's work, undertaken after the group had effectively split, has always been a source of irritation to Paul McCartney, who took particular exception to the string arrangement on his composition "The Long and Winding Road."

"Paul was always totally opposed to Phil," Starr said. "I told him on the phone, 'You're bloody right again: It sounds great without Phil.' Which it does. Now we'll have to put up with him telling us over and over again, 'I told you.'"

Starr also said that George Harrison approved the release of the stripped-down version of Let It Be before his death in 2001. The project has been underway for at least two years, and it instigated the recovery of the missing Let It Be audio reels by police in the Netherlands in January.

Along with Starr and McCartney, another figure who welcomes the Let It Be reissue is veteran British producer Glyn Johns, who engineered the original sessions. "My version of [the song] 'Get Back' actually was released fairly quickly as a single," he told Rolling Stone. "And my version of [the song] 'Let It Be' was also released, before Phil Spector puked all over it. And I hope you quote me on that. If you hear 'The Long and Winding Road' without all that schlock on it, it's fabulous just like it is."

The Let It Be . . . Naked track listing:

1. Get Back
2. Dig a Pony
3. For You Blue
4. The Long and Winding Road
5. Two of Us
6. I've Got a Feeling
7. One After 909
8. Don't Let Me Down
9. I Me Mine
10. Across the Universe
11. Let It Be

(September 18, 2003)

dr frasier crane · 09-18-2003, 04:41 PM

That sounds really cool! I'll have to buy that.

Penny Lane · 09-18-2003, 07:37 PM

musicradio77 · 09-18-2003, 09:21 PM

I have the "Let It Be (original)" album on tape. I've never heard of a stripped down version of the album without Phil Spector's arrangements. That's kinda funny.

laceyinthesky · 09-18-2003, 10:00 PM

I always thought a lot of the songs on that album were over-produced. I'll definately be buying this one.

Brian · 09-19-2003, 12:36 AM

So is the song "Let It Be" not going to have the organ music? Is that what they are talking about?

Rickenbacker · 09-19-2003, 08:47 PM

The Beatles will never cease to amaze me. Here's a band that *left* us over 30 years ago & they're still making news. Bands, artists & even musical genres come & go, but The Beatles are literally eternal. The nay-sayers make me laugh...

I was watching the McCartney documentary of his concert in Russia's Red Square last night & it was amazing to hear Russian authors & musicians say the Beatles played a part in the fall of communism there.

Anyway, I *have* to own this new cd! (you *know* Paul was ON this project after those stolen tapes were recovered!) I think what would also be very cool for them to put out is "chatter" in the studio. The talking, joking & whatnot between takes. I'd *love* to hear all that. Them interacting w/ each other & George Martin.

daytripper_16 · 09-19-2003, 09:03 PM

Yeah im soo happy this is finally comming out! Im glad that the beatles are still making the news. I am way to young, so i didnt get to enjoy them when they will still together. I appreciate any *new* beatles stuff. I think let it be will sound tons better with out all the background strings and stuff.

musicradio77 · 09-19-2003, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA
[B]Two songs, "Maggie Mae" and "Dig It," have been removed from the new set, while "Don't Let Me Down" and background dialogue from the studio sessions have been added. The Let It Be . . . Naked package will also feature a twenty-minute bonus disc of material culled from rehearsal sessions.

I have the songs "Dig It!" and "Maggie Mae" from the original album.

Crimson and Clover · 09-19-2003, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by laceyinthesky
I'll definately be buying this one.

Yeah me too.

Ian · 09-20-2003, 09:40 PM

Sounds great!

omalleyfan · 09-21-2003, 02:10 PM

now what about Let It Be on DVD?

AKA · 09-23-2003, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by omalleyfan
now what about Let It Be on DVD?

Early-mid 2004.

AKA · 09-24-2003, 05:33 AM

How awful. Look at this hideous cover. Horrible title, even worse cover.

The music will definitely make up for it, though.

Rickenbacker · 09-24-2003, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA
How awful. Look at this hideous cover. Horrible title, even worse cover.

The music will definitely make up for it, though.

Yeah, I was a bit surprised at the title. Humor on Paul's part? I was thinking it'd be something more along the lines of "Get Back" (like it was originally gonna be called) or "Let It Be: Definitive (or Collector's) Edition".

The cover, on the other hand, yeah it's bizarre, but very 60s psychedelic looking. That colored negative effect was popular back then. So I guess it fits. But maybe what they shoulda done was used alternate outtake photos & stuck em in the same order. Lord *knows* there're plenty of great, rarely seen Beatles photos.
Ah well- the music will speak for itself.

09-18-2003, 04:17 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	The Beatles' "Let It Be... Naked" in stores November 18. The Beatles Get "Naked" Stripped-down "Let It Be" coming in November By Augustin Sedgewick and John Harris Rolling Stone The Beatles' Apple Records will release a stripped-down version of Let It Be, the group's 1970 swan song, on November 18th. Dubbed Let It Be . . . Naked, the album does away with the orchestration added by legendary producer Phil Spector and restores Paul McCartney's "back to basics" concept that originally underpinned the project. Two songs, "Maggie Mae" and "Dig It," have been removed from the new set, while "Don't Let Me Down" and background dialogue from the studio sessions have been added. The Let It Be . . . Naked package will also feature a twenty-minute bonus disc of material culled from rehearsal sessions. "I was listening to it recently, and it was really great," Beatles drummer Ringo Starr told Rolling Stone earlier this year. "I've been away from it a long time too. It fills my heart with joy to hear that band that I was a member of. They were just great. And also, the quietness of the tracks: It's a beautiful CD." Most of the Let It Be material was recorded in early 1969 for an album and movie originally to be called Get Back. Though the project was intended to showcase the Beatles' returning to their roots as a four-piece rock band, it instead captured the band in the throes of its breakup. The album was temporarily abandoned, and the film, retitled Let It Be, was released the following year. Spector was later brought in at John Lennon's insistence to compile an album from the hundreds of hours of tape. However, Spector's work, undertaken after the group had effectively split, has always been a source of irritation to Paul McCartney, who took particular exception to the string arrangement on his composition "The Long and Winding Road." "Paul was always totally opposed to Phil," Starr said. "I told him on the phone, 'You're bloody right again: It sounds great without Phil.' Which it does. Now we'll have to put up with him telling us over and over again, 'I told you.'" Starr also said that George Harrison approved the release of the stripped-down version of Let It Be before his death in 2001. The project has been underway for at least two years, and it instigated the recovery of the missing Let It Be audio reels by police in the Netherlands in January. Along with Starr and McCartney, another figure who welcomes the Let It Be reissue is veteran British producer Glyn Johns, who engineered the original sessions. "My version of [the song] 'Get Back' actually was released fairly quickly as a single," he told Rolling Stone. "And my version of [the song] 'Let It Be' was also released, before Phil Spector puked all over it. And I hope you quote me on that. If you hear 'The Long and Winding Road' without all that schlock on it, it's fabulous just like it is." The Let It Be . . . Naked track listing: 1. Get Back 2. Dig a Pony 3. For You Blue 4. The Long and Winding Road 5. Two of Us 6. I've Got a Feeling 7. One After 909 8. Don't Let Me Down 9. I Me Mine 10. Across the Universe 11. Let It Be (September 18, 2003)

09-18-2003, 04:41 PM	#2
dr frasier crane Imagine Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 26, 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 489	That sounds really cool! I'll have to buy that.
	__________________ "I used to exercise, but the ice kept falling out of my glass." - David Lee Roth

09-18-2003, 07:37 PM	#3
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,261	Attached Images
	__________________ Vulgarity is no substitute for wit- Lady Violet Crawley

09-18-2003, 09:21 PM	#4
musicradio77 Disney Expert Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 14, 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 6,475	I have the "Let It Be (original)" album on tape. I've never heard of a stripped down version of the album without Phil Spector's arrangements. That's kinda funny.
	__________________ Musicradio77 Productions

09-24-2003, 05:33 AM	#14
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	How awful. Look at this hideous cover. Horrible title, even worse cover. The music will definitely make up for it, though. Attached Images

09-18-2003, 10:00 PM	#5
laceyinthesky Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 13, 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,906	I always thought a lot of the songs on that album were over-produced. I'll definately be buying this one.

09-19-2003, 12:36 AM	#6
Brian Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Jun 23, 2001 Posts: 20,451	So is the song "Let It Be" not going to have the organ music? Is that what they are talking about?

09-19-2003, 08:47 PM	#7
Rickenbacker Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 15, 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 507	The Beatles will never cease to amaze me. Here's a band that left us over 30 years ago & they're still making news. Bands, artists & even musical genres come & go, but The Beatles are literally eternal. The nay-sayers make me laugh... I was watching the McCartney documentary of his concert in Russia's Red Square last night & it was amazing to hear Russian authors & musicians say the Beatles played a part in the fall of communism there. Anyway, I have to own this new cd! (you know Paul was ON this project after those stolen tapes were recovered!) I think what would also be very cool for them to put out is "chatter" in the studio. The talking, joking & whatnot between takes. I'd love to hear all that. Them interacting w/ each other & George Martin.

09-19-2003, 09:03 PM	#8
daytripper_16 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 16, 2003 Posts: 19	Yeah im soo happy this is finally comming out! Im glad that the beatles are still making the news. I am way to young, so i didnt get to enjoy them when they will still together. I appreciate any new beatles stuff. I think let it be will sound tons better with out all the background strings and stuff.

09-20-2003, 09:40 PM	#11
Ian Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 03, 2000 Posts: 1,235	Sounds great!

09-21-2003, 02:10 PM	#12
omalleyfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 12, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 199	now what about Let It Be on DVD?