I think it was sinful that they did not put "Don't let me Down" on the original Let It be album, and may I add if I hear one more person say well the reason they didn't put it on there is because it was just on the Hey Jude album three months prior, SO WHAT! I really like the Glyn John's version as that's the one I've had since late 69 on bootleg. But if I'm being totally honest I love all four versions.
Very interesting, Brian. For me, the Glyn Johns mix is easily in last place. He has some very uneven sequencing and uses clearly inferior takes for several songs. It's a poorly mixed album overall too. Things get murkier for me when trying to order the other three. Naked is much closer to what the Beatles intended plus it includes the wonderful Don't Let Me Down. However, I think the title track is inferior to the Phil Spector version... the guitar solo on his version is vastly superior and the song really needs it. Overall, I'd probably put the 2021 remix at the top of the pile. It manages to slightly dial back some of Spector's excess and sounds spectacular.
We could also mention the bootleg 'Kum Back' version that I bought in London in 1971, and which can now be found on the internet. It contains one unreleased song, Can He Walk.
Let It Be should have been handed over to George Martin. Since the Beatles weren't happy with Glyn Johns mixes, and weren't sure how to handle the recordings they should have given them to Martin to fix up however he thought was best. He had never let them down before, so he should have been given the job. I believe he would have produced the best version of the album.
Toss in another vote for Naked. Sure, it’s the first version I owned (I was a newly-minted young adult in 03), but it really sounds like a raw rock album. It sounds very Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (❤️) with the no-nonsense production. Spector’s nonsense is unbearable after hearing Naked. Truly the closest to what the band originally envisioned. I adore the new sequencing and inclusion of “Don’t Let Me Down.” I won’t whine about a little auto tune or splicing of takes- modern albums do that for the entire damn running time so who cares. Paul knew what he was doing.
Agree with your order of preference....with the Beatles it is cool that we now have all of these options. The Get Back film was monumental too....I am off to see the Rooftop performance at the London IMAX this weekend, can't wait!
There is also the "single" version of Let it Be which was played on the radio in 1970 before the Johns and Spectre versions. George Martin produced this version. You can listen to it on the Beatles 1967-1970 Album. That version is my favorite. Second favorite is Let it be Naked's version. I also never understood why Spectre added the horns to the song Let it Be. Horrible!
Immensely enjoy & appreciate the latest Let it Be box set. But, the Phil Spector production is completely ingrained, will probably remain my primary go to album. To be honest, only listened to “Naked” a handful of times. Interesting listen, but, not all that enthusiastic about it. Look forward to your ongoing release of videos and the wealth of information & appreciation that you provide.
I've had the exact opposite experience with the naked version. I heard the Phil Spector version first (of course), but didn't care for it. But when I listened to the naked version, I loved it. It was like finding a long lost director's cut of Let It Be. All the tracks are more raw and aren't overproduced like they are on the original album. The naked version of Across The Universe in particular blows the original away.
@@applescruff1969 completely disagree with you on your last sentence. The beautiful orchestration and choir in the original and 2021 mix actually make me FEEL like I’m traveling across the universe. The naked version is interesting, but it’s just John Lennon alone with just the few instruments and it feels underwhelming to me.
I definitely don’t hear that boominess you’re talking about in the 2021 remix, it sounds really clear all the way through. To me the original mix IS definitely boomy, the mix is too dark sounding, not a lot oh high frequencies
It'll be a wasted opportunity if they don't release a Get Back soundtrack to accompany Peter Jackson's documentary series. That way, we could actually have full versions of those songs that weren't shown in their entireties (is that even a word?)... Condolences to your grandfather too, mate.
Interesting comparison of the Let it Be albums Brian. My own choice is the Giles Martin mix, I just turn the bass down & find it improves the sound immensely. I’m interested to know where the 2009 remaster would fit into your choices?
Spector created a nice flow for the album, maintaining the spirit of the sessions while picking the right takes of each song. However, the orchestration and tape echo he lathered on some songs almost ruin it. I think most people go for it because of nostalgia. Get Back didn’t take itself seriously and I agree wholeheartedly with you on Naked. While the really good Giles Martin mix is my grudging go-to right now, the ideal version of the album would be some kind of a combination of the strongest point of each one.
Agreed the original is still the best. Even though I bought the original when it came out, I was very objective when ranking them. I was very disappointed with Glyn’s version. It sounded like another outtake record to me, Naked is my number 2, followed by Giles and the Glyn’s. I did a shootout of 5 different pressings of the original version and was surprised that my original sounded better than I remember. The late 70s purple Capitol pressing was extremely good too, beating out an 80s rainbow and a mid 70s red vinyl Japanese pressing. I believe the original red apple gets a bad rap because of the counterfeits that were made after the first run and ended up in cut out bins. I had one and it was awful. Great overview!
Hi Brian, Cool video as always. I do have a few minor corrections. The take of “The Long and Winding Road” on the Glynn John’s mix is the same take that Phill Spector used. He used the vocals and piano from that take, Ringo replaced the drums, and of course he added strings, etc. There are session notes that document all this. And “Let it Be” on the Glynn John’s mix has an overdub. It’s the guitar solo. Your comments regarding “Let it Be…Naked” are spot on. They sucked the life out of those songs.
The new Giles Martin mix has become my go-to. I generally enjoy Spector's work on the album but find the original production little rough around the edges - Across The Universe sound particularly muddy - and the remix smooths that out. Glyn Johns album is great as a bonus disc of outtakes, but most of the songs are clearly unfinished and if it had been released in 1969 it would have been a disaster. What was he thinking picking those takes of I've Got a Feeling, Dig A Pony and Don't Let Me Down? And don't get me started on the track listing. Let It Be Naked is just a total waste - it should have been a collection of live, unedited takes, rather than the strange, Frankenstein's monster we got. Really enjoy your videos Brian, glad to have you back!
I have a Japanese Let It Be (Flag series) from 1976 which sounds great. My go to LP at the moment. I do prefer the original UK version. Let It Be naked was great, but i’m shocked to learn that they used auto tune on it. I had the bootleg of Get Back with the Glyn Johns. I wish they would release the new mix seperately since that was the original concept. mixI haven’t heard the new Giles Martin mix.
In my opinion and from how copyright works in the UK these remixes were a necessity to hold on to their copyrights since music there and also Canada would into the public domain after 50 years.
I don't bash the original Phil Spector version too much as it was my first version listened to for years. However, thinking of how far music technology has come, and what modern listeners expect - I think Giles Martin was putting out something that could stand up to modern recordings. Bass heaviness is the current trend and has been for decades. What it's done for Ringo's drums is bringing out subtle details in his playing that you didn't catch before. Sometimes before you could barely tell he was playing the bass drum or quadrupling on the snare - I love that. And as for the wall of sound - I can separate a harp, and a violin from the Phil Spector mud in say Across the Universe. Didn't even know some of that was there! Also, in Long & Winding Road - the piano comes back out more with the harp and strings and choir. It all now sounds magical together. Like buying a brand new album in 2021 or 2022. I'll always love the originals, but now the Beatles are like a brand new band again thanks to Giles Martin. Approach it that way and you may gain a larger appreciation for these remixes.
Very interesting ...I have all except the Glynn's one and I wish I could get it ! As a bootleg it's hard to get, isn't it ? You have a clue or a link for me, please ? It is funny, for now (except Glynn's mix I don't know), my rank would be exactly the opposite of yours !
As a young person who just got into the Beatles this year with no prior nostalgia or experience, Let It Be Naked is absolutely the best by far. The Phil Spector version is just trying to be too much, it both feels overproduced and incomplete due to its stylistic nature (documentary type recordings) and production (Phil Spector's huge, full sound) totally clashing This is most clearly seen on The Long and Winding Road. Sure the production is pretty in theory, but the Spector additions totally kill the intimate nature of the song
"Let it be naked" is by FAR the best version! I'm fine with it being edited - Phil edited his version - so why not post-work on the Naked version? And the Glyn Johns version suffers for NOT being edited! The band was by then a studio unit so it's no wonder their live performances wasn't consistent enough for a whole take - The End with the Doors was edited from two takes! The Glyn Johns version is interesting but annoying after the first listens to loose, too much talk thet doesn't hold up after repeated listens. The Phil Spector version has nothing to do with the original concept AT ALL - it is Spector coming sugar on top and in some cases making some ok decisions with edits but all in all the point is there had to be a compromise. John Lennons wish couldn't be honored because the band wasn't up for it at the time they had a hard time coming up with whole takes - that is why they shelved the whole project - they couldn't get it right they way they (John) wanted it to be. For it to be released up to their usual standard there had to be a compromise - at the time Lennon wasn't up for going through the tapes so Lennon and Harrison gave them to Spector - and at least the two + Ringo were pleased with the results compared to the Glyn Johns versions. But it wasn't any of their key songs who got the heavy treatment like "Long and winding road" did... Anyways "Let it be naked" is a version that holds up for repeated listens - "Don't let me down" is on there - the versions are edited but to my ears they work really great - it's actually of all the versions what Lennon wanted - really good concise takes of the 4 playing together - so what if they had to edit it and do a minimum of autotuning - it's only rock and roll ;-) When it comes to Giles remix - it actually improves on the Spector version - but really the Spector version was faulty from the get go - and is the real Frankenstein of the bunch! Naked goes for the original concept and it swings great and the sound is better than the others!
5:41 Bob the Cat clearly preferred LET IT BE NAKED, went straight for it. But it's true that auto-tuning destroys the spirit of the album and this band in particular. I can't understand how PM let that get by him, unless this is evidence of PM's reputation of overproducing. Nor can I understand why Bob the Cat pussyfooted around that issue and didn't address it in his walk-on - - unless he did address it, so rowdily that he contravened RU-vid's code of conduct and had to be edited out of the room. And here's to your Grandpa's memory - - good that you kept his T-shirt in good shape: this too is preservation, in the same spirit as archiving music.
Great video, Brian. Glyn John's GET BACK and NAKED...for me. GET BACK is what they intended. Actually like the KUM BACK boot the best of all. Can't stand Spector's bastardization & overproduction. Unlistenable. Giles didn't de-Spectorize the original enough. Agree with your comments on NAKED. An opportunity missed for sure. Could have had another whole lp of various tracks. The title and artwork really are horrible.
I tend to go to Naked the most for the official versions followed by the Glyn Johns version. I am not a fan of the orchestrated Spector tracks, I don't mind his choices for running order and how he handled the more live sounding tracks but the orchestrated tracks really sink the album for me. Giles' remix I think did make for a better take on Spector's Across the Universe but nothing could salvage the Spector take on The Long and Winding Road. Often when I put on Long And Winding Road it's either the one on Anthology 3 or the one from the Get Back sessions/ rehearsals where they do it as a Ray Charles style bluesy number with Billy Preston sometimes known as Along The River Rhine.
Let It Be…Naked is the only way to go…the Spector mixes suck especially what he added…why you would use those parts on any current remix is beyond me; McCartney was involved in Naked; what else do you need to know?
Okay I can't leave you hanging, I'll get down to the meat and potatoes of this...4. let it be naked...3. remix Let It be...... 2.Glyn Johns get back...... 1.Original version Let It be. Now I could wake up tomorrow and switch out three and one easily. Great video Brian
Get Back then Let It Be Naked, In my opinion Phil Spector ruined Let It Be. That is my least favorite album. Get Back is the official version of the bootleg Kum Back of the late 60's early 70's. So basically I have been listening to Get Back for 52 years. Get back is how the Beatles were suppose to sound.
