Let It Be... Naked - Beatles (The) (CD 2003)

I never got into The Beatles.

Gasp! It's true. Before music was a part of my being, my mother and two aunts were wild about The Beatles. I don't know how many concerts my aunt went to but believe me, she's got the memorabilia to show you.

When I did start getting into music, I was turned off by everyone saying how this or that happened because of The Beatles. It was like reverse psychology I suppose. I wanted to discover The Beatles not because of what had been shoved down my throat, but because of my desire to understand what made them tick. Several decades later, I still struggle with having the full appreciation for this group that I *think* I should have. I'm telling you, the hype is difficult to work through :).

But enough about me. You want to know about this cd...

Let It Be was The Beatles last album as a group. It wasn't their last recording rather, it was their last album released (for that time period anyway). Released in 1970, it was supposed to chronicle their early beginnings in the form of an album and film project. At the time, the band was in a lot of turmoil. Yoko was getting on everyone's last nerve (as if). John was strung out. Paul and George weren t seeing eye to eye on songwriting. The band, in general, was on its last leg not artistically, but as friends. They had had too much of each other and instead of just spending some time apart, they broke it off.

The album, like all of their other albums, was eaten up by the buying public. One problem though. The final product wasn't want any of the members wanted. The "wall of sound" that came from the fingertips of uber-producer Phil Spector, numbed out much of the simplistic nature of the tunes.

Or so Paul would lead you to believe. And that's why he and Ringo and by proxy, John and George, released a non-Phil Spector version of their last album.

So, what's different? Fundamentally, the tracks are in different order, a couple were taken off, a couple were added in, a couple are completely devoid of anything that sounds Phil Spector, and they were all remastered so that their sound was kept intact but definitely with an ear towards making the sound and the band more intimate in nature.

Tracks
Get Back (****)
Dig A Pony (***)
For You Blue (****)
The Long And Winding Road (****)
Two Of Us (****)
I've Got A Feeling (*****)
One After 909 (***)
Don't Let Me Down (****)
I Me Mine (*****)
Across The Universe (*****)
Let It Be (****)

I liked the Phil Spector version of The Long and Winding Road. I liked the lush strings and dramatic pauses. That's not to say that there isn't room in this world for other, stripped down versions. Paul's simplistic recording is sweet and your ear is immediately drawn to the somber, melodic piano arrangement. In a way, it replaces the attention that was focused on the strings.

Don't Let Me Down which was shoved to the b-side of the single, Get Back, gets placement on this cd which must make Yoko a very happy woman. Lennon's got a sexual thing going on in this song. He oozes with lots of hormones which were very directed at the Yoko chick. Ah..love and lust, ya gotta enjoy it.

Across The Universe is my most favorite track from this cd. This version features only John's voice and guitar with a splash of tamboura from George. I *love* hearing what is basically all-acoustic John.

Let It Be, again, either this version or Mr. Spector's, I can take and take lots of. Paul's version has no grand choir. Instead, the boys sing the backing ooooh's. This makes for less drama and thus, the song doesn't quite create the goose bumps for me that the Phil version does.

So here's my true confession - for the most part, I can't pick out too many difference in Dig A Pony, For You Blue, Two of Us, One After 909, and I Me Mine. Is it live or memorex?!

I do find myself however, particularly drawn to the bluesy, For You Blue. Reminds me a great deal of the stuff George went on to do with the Traveling Wilburys.

And one song that still sounds fantastic on both versions is the I Me Mine. The guitar work is intricate, precise, and playful during the chorus I love the change in tempo from 3/4 to 2/4 time - it excites me greatly.

Cd Extra
I'm sure that this cd extra is a big deal for the fans. For me, it was just a bunch of noise :). The cd extra entitled, Fly On The Wall, is clips of studio banter, jamming, and rehearsal that surrounded the recording of this album. In a way, it's kind of neat but unless you're a die-hard fan, you get bored of it quickly.