Beatles
Home
Beatles
Biography
Beatles Discography
Beatles Song Lyrics
Beatles Songwriting
Beatles Store
Beatles Links
For more information
Review of the Beatles "Let it Be...Naked"
The Beatles new CD "Let it Be (Naked)" is was released Wednesday, November 20th 2003. The release actually contains two CDs. The main disc is the Let It Be album, remixed without the Phil Spector strings and choirs and tape speed alterations. In addition, the tape hiss has been removed. The purpose of re-releasing this disc is to let fans hear the band play as they had intended: without studio trickery. The accompanying CD contains excerpts from the Beatles rehearsals, with bits of songs, banter, and conversations between the Beatles about the future of the album and the band.
The main Let It Be disc sounds amazing. Each instrument sounds warm and amazingly analog--despite being cleaned and remixed in a digital environment. After about two listens, I had already erased the prior version of Let It Be from my memory banks and replaced it with Let It Be Naked. You can really hear each Beatle playing--you can pick them out of the mix amazingly well...each song on the Let It Be disc just sounds great. The removal of the Phil Spector string arrangements and patch-ups enable you to hear the band's musicianship so much better. In particular, I love the version of Across the Universe. John Lennon's voice sounds as simple and haunting and honest and magical as it ever has. You can really hear the beautifully arranged Indian instruments so much better.
Interestingly, Let It Be Naked does not contain all the same tracks as the disc Phil Spector assembled. The tracks are:
- Get Back
- Dig a Pony
- For You Blue
- The Long and Winding Road
- Two of Us
- I've got a feeling
- One after 909
- I Me Mine
- Across the Universe
- Let it Be
The original CD contained the songs:
- Two Of Us
- Dig A Pony
- Across The Universe
- I Me Mine
- Dig It / Let It Be
- Maggie Mae / I've Got A Feeling
- The One After 909
- The Long And Winding Road
- For You Blue / Get Back
Notice the omission of Dig It and the rearrangement of the songs. Also, the "hour the angels come" banter is no longer there...although, the Fly On the Wall second disc contains the longer excerpt of John's "hour the angels come" banter.
The Fly on the Wall disc is very cool. You get to hear the Beatles excitement about playing as a band again, and you get to hear them work through their plans for a album or tv appearance or last live gig. They even discuss renting a boat and sailing to Arabia to record a last gig of them performing live...imagine that instead of the famous rooftop gig. The Fly on the Wall disc captures great moments of the Beatles breaking out into song. It reveals how great the Beatles were as musicians in much the same way as the Anthology CDs reveal how great they were in the studio.
The Let It Be Naked disc is a must have for anyone wanting to own a copy of the Let It Be songs. It's so good that I'd recommend buying the Let It Be Naked disc instead of the original disc.
Looking for Beatles sheet music?
Check out http://www.thebeatlessheetmusic.com!