Let It Be/Get Back 50th Anniversary Releases! (Content and Sound Quality Discussion Only)!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bruce Burgess, Jul 16, 2020.

  1. Claudio Dirani

    Claudio Dirani A Fly On Apple's Wall

    Location:
    São Paulo, Brazil
    It's odd, to say at least, to find a beautiful book pretentious...imho, of course.
     
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  2. jeighson1

    jeighson1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ann Arbor, MI
    I changed my mind over the last year. Here is my revised effort to combine the best aspects of Glyn Johns’ Get Back album, Phil’s original Let It Be, and the Giles remix into one coherent album:

    1. Two of Us -2021 mix
    2. Dig A Pony - 2009 Remaster
    3. One After 909 - 2009 Remaster
    4. Across The Universe - 2021 mix
    5. I Me Mine - 2009 Remaster
    6. Let It Be - 2021 Remix
    7. For You Blue - 2021 mix
    8. I’ve Got A Feeling - 2021 Remix
    9. Don't Let Me Down - 1969 Glyn Johns mix
    10. The Long and Winding Road - 2009 Remaster
    11. All Things Must Pass - Anthology 3 version
    12. Get Back - 1969 Glyn Johns mix

    Heard here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14WushlXawLEBR222lUkym
     
  3. maui jim

    maui jim Forum Resident

    Location:
    West of LA
    Can you explain why you chose the versions you did?
     
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  4. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Interesting.... But you prefer the take of "Don't Let Me Down" that Glyn Johns selected over the single and the "Let It Be Naked" composite?
     
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  5. EmceeEscher

    EmceeEscher Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Really wish the I Had a Dream/I Want You jam with Billy Preston had been included in the Let it Be box. That would be a great link track to throw into an ultimate Get Back mix.

    That SDE could have had a whole disc of jams/covers, lots of short snippets that are cool and could work in a "roll your own" tracklist.
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2023
  6. Carl80

    Carl80 Forum Resident

    I agree, would have liked that I Had A Dream included also, which makes you think he said there was 50 odd hours he went through for the doc, how many little jams/gems we might not get to hear , though grateful for the 8 hours released, there’s got to be so much more in the can which probably includes more Abbey Rd jams.
     
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  7. raphph

    raphph Taking a trip on an ocean liner…

    Location:
    London
    Deffo missed opportunity for original LP to not have rooftop songs on one side and ballads etc on another.

    side a
    1. One After 909 (Roof)
    2. Don’t Let Me Down (Roof 1)
    3. I’ve Got A Feeling (Roof 1)
    4. Dig A Pony (Roof)
    5. Get Back (Roof 3 and audition speech)

    side b
    6. The Long And Winding Road
    7. I Me Mine
    8. Two Of Us
    9. Dig It
    10. Let It Be

    Suddenly it’s a fantastic album
     
  8. EmceeEscher

    EmceeEscher Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, TX

    I think nixing Don't Let Me Down from the album wrecked a lot of things, including the ability to basically split it up roughly evenly into Rooftop and Studio sides. I'd flip your idea, and start with the studio then move on to the roof and do this...which also preserves Get Back and DLMD single versions as unique performances, different from the LP which uses Rooftop for those.

    A
    1. Let it Be
    2. I Me Mine (Glyn Johns)
    3. Across the Universe (Glyn Johns)
    4. For You Blue
    5. Dig It
    6. The Long and Winding Road (Glyn Johns)
    7. Two of Us

    B
    8. Get Back (roof 2)
    9. Don't Let Me Down (roof 1)
    10. One After 909
    11. Dig a Pony
    12. I've Got a Feeling
    13. Get Back (reprise - Glyn Johns)

    The dressed up orchestral versions of The Long and Winding Road & Across the Universe could be a single released after the album. No need for those to throw off the vibe of the soundtrack record when singles exist.
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2023
  9. zipp

    zipp Forum Resident

    To me it was always a no-brainer to put the rooftop concert on one side of the album. It fitted perfectly the concept of new songs being played live and then becoming the album.

    The studio side is a bit more difficult to sequence. Myself I'd go for this:

    1. Two of Us
    2. The Long and Winding Road
    3. For You Blue
    4. Across the Universe
    5. I Me Mine
    6. Dig It
    7. Let It Be

    Add in the rock and roll medley and you end up with fourteen tracks, which is the gold standard for Beatle albums.

    John mentions 14 tracks as his goal at one point during Jackson's film.
     
  10. hoggydoggy

    hoggydoggy Forum Resident

    In my imaginings, I find myself being more drawn to the idea of a George Martin version of Let It Be these days - the idea of a proper LP of the best takes & songs, without the extraneous chit-chat is very appealing to me.

    In this situation, it doesn't take a massive leap of imagination to run with a scenario where, having had George oversee The Threetles sessions in early January 1970 and mixing the Let It Be single, Paul, George & Ringo didn't just simply say to GM to run with it & put together a commercial album of songs from this period.

    In my world, this is a scenario where Don't Let Me Down & Old Brown Shoe *weren't* on the Beatles Again/Hey Jude album in the States - as we know, there were other non-album songs which could have filled these gaps. Also, here the Apple rehearsals of Old Brown Shoe did make the finished cut of the Let It Be movie, which means that the studio cut of this song from April 1969 is claimed for the LIB album too - logically, if I Me Mine from Jan 1970 can be considered a Let It Be song, then so can OBS!

    (As for Across The Universe, why not put it onto Hey Jude instead?!)

    We don't of course have George Martin mixes of most of these songs, but you can get the feel of my GM-produced version of Let It Be with the following sequence,

    Two Of Us (Spector version, with fake intro cropped)
    Don't Let Me Down (single version)
    Old Brown Shoe (single version)
    Dig A Pony (Spector version, but again losing chat before & after)
    Let It Be (single version)

    I've Got A Feeling (Spector version, as is)
    I Me Mine (Anthology 3 version, excluding orchestration)
    One After 909 (Spector version, minus chat at end)
    For You Blue (Giles Martin 2021 mix)
    The Long & Winding Road (LIB...N version)
    Get Back (single version)

    I Me Mine here is the original short cut (it was Spector's idea to extend it through copying & pasting bits) and L&WR stays exactly how Paul left it, when he left Abbey Road as a Beatle for the last time on 4th January 1970. It's still only 35 minutes long, but I don't believe there is anything else from the songs played in January 1969 that would have got George M's seal of approval.
     
  11. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    I think we could have had your fantasy album (which is great, by the way), plus a bit of studio chatter. This was a very cool quality about the album when it came out in 1970. Your track selection however, is far better than the actual released album. I’m a fan of having both worlds.
     
  12. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    I guess there’s no love for Maggie May in all these resequencings? I always enjoyed that brief bit of live in the studio humor.
     
  13. jeighson1

    jeighson1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ann Arbor, MI
    Yes, yes I do. The Glyn Johns take is looser, a little raggedy—I could do without the “coochy coo” bit—but they really sound like they’ve enjoying themselves, and in they’re in the groove of the song. There are a lot of little details of the backing vocals that are endearing to me. It sounds earnest, like it should. I believe it was recorded the first day Billy Preston played with them, so they’re reveling in the new dimension Billy freshly brought to their sound. Paul’s bass playing is imaginative, Ringo’s intro crash is iconic, things the single version doesn’t have.

    Meanwhile, on the single version, I feel like Paul is using his forced, insincere voice, sorta putting it on, not ‘with’ John. More like, “here I am, the great Paul McCartney doing another great harmony vocal.”

    And before anyone asks, yes, I also like the Glynis version better than the rooftop versions, which are okay, but again lack what, for me, is that magic groove.
     
  14. jeighson1

    jeighson1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ann Arbor, MI
    Sure.

    Two Of Us - both original and 2021 mixes are great. Giles’ balancing of the two vocals, slightly separated in the stereo picture, with John and Paul about equal in volume, suits the song and is the deciding factor (2021 mix wins).
    Dig A Pony - I ultimately decided the Glyn Johns take is too ragged for repeated listens. I tried to like the 2021 mix, and in some ways i do, but I figured out what was wrong with it for me. It’s kind of a static song by design. It needs some motion. Billy’s electric piano provides this, keeps the song rhythmically engaging. Phil was right to mix it up in volume. While I’d prefer a clearer sound, I cannot ultimately accept it mixed lower like in the 2021 mix. (Original Spector mix wins)
    One After 909 - Only the original has George’s tasty lead guitar fills up loud enough, they really make the song cook. 2021 recesses them into the mix, rejected!
    Across The Universe - In 2021 mix, Giles fixes this song. He slowed the song down (as also did the original album version) but with a modern plug-in where John’s voice doesn’t sound slowed down. Now it’s at the right key/tempo without sounding draggy. Orchestra better integrated too.
    I Me Mine - Love the original mix, now even more having the 2021 to compare with. George’s estate asked for the orchestral touches to be mixed down. Well, they are no Phil Spector. It was a mistake, it’s a great orchestral score that brings intensity to the song. Phil had the correct volume all along.
    Let It Be - 2021 mix is pretty faithful to the original but just seems a touch clearer and more present, more searing, an improvement.
    For You Blue - This was a close call. The extra clarity for 2021 mix seemed ultimately better for this song. Original maybe a little murky.
    I’ve Got A Feeling - 2021 mix sounds exciting and live. The dual vocals at the end are mixed better. Original sounds a bit awkward how it changes for the split vocals.
    Down Let Me Down - see my previous post
    Long And Winding Road - I thought I liked the 2021 better, after thinking I liked the 2015 better. But ultimately, the iconic original wins for me with all its maudlin charm. It also sits better in the album when sounding a touch quaint, which suits the song too. The 2021 mix is more slick, the orchestra more opulent and full. But maybe it’s too much for the album, even if I also do appreciate it. The deciding factor though is the sound of Paul’s vocal. Original has it sorta dry but present. He’s with you. With 2021 mix, you can immediately hear processing on the first few lines of the vocal and then sounds sorta austere, even generic after that, not touching and present.
    All Things Must Pass - only “Beatles” version that sounds kinda finished and I liked the sparseness after Winding Road.
    Get Back - The Glyn John version is apparently an earlier generation of tape of the single mix and sounds less muddy. Giles didn’t improve on the mix in 2021, and also he mixed it like Phil without the great coda. Gotta have the coda, and don’t need the pre-song chatter on this one.

    I toiled over the song order for a while. I went with, musically and emotively, which songs felt like they best followed the one before, and looked for the best overall musical journey. “The rooftop concert on one side, the studio stuff on the other” sounds like a nice organizing principle, in theory. But it didn’t survive the repeated listens test for me. For it to sound like a unified album, it was better to integrate them. “One After 909” early on is a nod to Glyn’s order—I like having that rousing one near the beginning, before a couple serious songs—although I ultimately decided that Phil Spector made some good song order choices, as you can see reflected in the song order I arrived it, and I tried a LOT of different ideas. YMMV
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2023
  15. maui jim

    maui jim Forum Resident

    Location:
    West of LA
    Thanks for the explanation.
     
  16. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    Great explanations and I agree with quite a few of them..maybe most. The one which stands out most to me is your take on 909; for the most part, I like what Giles did for this album remix; but like you, I can’t understand why George’s great fills were pushed back. Not only do they go a very long way in “driving” the song, they showcase George in some of his (tastefully)showiest lead playing of that time period. While I like Giles’s remixes generally, this is one of those questionable moments.
     
  17. Library Eye

    Library Eye Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I'm revisiting this selection for related upcoming entry in my blog series on a fictional foreign Beatles discography which I started about one year after that post, and in addition to other considerations have updated responses regarding the three choices you asked about:
    • One After 909 — I am now sourcing this from the Get Back: The Rooftop Performance (Live) release
    • Dig A Pony — Listened again comparing to 1970 album version, and at least at times Preston's contributions seem mixed a bit more prominently on LIB…N compared to LIB, so staying with that
    • I've Got a Feeling — Remains a tough call but I do like having a solid alt to the rooftop (take one) version on Let It Be, with some of take two, and the LIB…N composite provides that. The first take is however absolutely right on
    … still with intention that second two would much benefit from some surrounding chatter/comments restored/added
     
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  18. aravel

    aravel starchitect...then, father!

    Location:
    GDL - MEX
    I'm an amateur regarding Beatles sutff, so not sure If my complain goes here: just received Let It Be, Remix a 2021 PRessing...and is NOT a gatefold pressing, like my brother had since like forever with those pics taken while they were recording...why they don't advertise this when buying on Line? Disappointed :sigh:
     
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  19. NumberEight

    NumberEight Came too late and stayed too long

    It’s based on the UK original, which was not a gatefold.

    Similarly, the 2022 Revolver reissue has three extra tracks on the sleeve (and on the record) that were not on the US version.
     
  20. aravel

    aravel starchitect...then, father!

    Location:
    GDL - MEX
    Oh, thank you! :wave:
    Well, my ignorance shows that I must spend more time at SHMF :cry:
     
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  21. Library Eye

    Library Eye Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Re-revisited this and as much as I like aspects of the composite I've Got a Feeling, including hearing more of Preston there as well, I cannot abide by how dead the …Naked release made the opening sound compared to other sources— it must be one of the worst things about …Naked. The recording from roof conveys an explosive start to the performance but on …Naked it's utterly lifeless. It's at least half a minute in before I can get over that and actually enjoy the rest of it. If choosing based on sound, not what I might like about the composite, have to go with rooftop take one either from newish rooftop release or this may be case where I pick the Giles Martin remix; unlike a feeling I've got from a lot of his remixes, this one seems to indicate he does indeed appreciate rock 'n' roll.
     
  22. SilverBottomSavior

    SilverBottomSavior Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hershey, PA
    The Naked release was a mess of heavy noise reduction use and the misguided idea that any chatter should be removed to give the illusion of a finished studio album. It could have been great, but it wasn't. Giles definitely did a better job with the same versions. But nobody is going to be happy with such a mess of different versions and mixes, none of which truly satisfy or hang together cohesively when you pick and choose. That's sadly just the way it's always gonna be.
     
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  23. wwright

    wwright Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco, CA.
    I love the remixes - Let It Be, Pepper and Revolver in particular. Really appreciate that a proper effort has been made, particularly the deeper focus on SQ with the arrival of the mono box.

    And as an aside, comparing the Let It Be UK 2/2 to the 3/3 was illuminating. The 2/2 definitely sounded a tiny bit better.

    The 3/3 was still great, but the SQ on the first pressing was sweet.
     
  24. SJB

    SJB Beloved Parasitic Nuisance

    The U.S. version was originally a gatefold as a compromise - outside the U.S., the album included a big book of color photos and dialogue from the sessions. United Artists, which had the U.S. rights to the album, didn't want to put out the expensive package, so instead a few photos from the book ended up in the gatefold. When Capitol reissued the album in the 1980s, the gatefold was gone, but the same photos now appeared on the inner sleeve, and the LP included a poster of the album cover.
     
  25. BeatlesObsessive

    BeatlesObsessive The Earl of Sandwich Ness

     

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