I’m on kind of a Beatles kick after seeing Love in Las Vegas, so I think I’ll plow through all the Beatles albums and post some thoughts. Since the songs are so familiar to me, I’ll rate each from one to five stars, and generate an amusing “Best Beatles Songs” list.

My ratings may seem a bit harsh - but they’re relative to other Beatles songs - two or three star ratings appear often because the four and five star songs are so incredible.

This album was recorded before Abbey Road but released after. So unfortunately, the impression is that the Beatles fell apart before their break-up, fragmenting into solo careers. The “true” career ending album is Abbey Road.

There was a concept behind Let It Be: the Beatles getting back to their live performance origins, culminating in a big concert. Their practice sessions were filmed and recorded, but things collapsed, in-fighting took its toll, and the project culminated in an energetic but decidedly less-ambitious rooftop gig. The album was shelved, and the Beatles moved on to record the more flattering Abbey Road. American producer Phil Spector (famous for his “wall of sound”) was called after the fact to spin some gold out of the recorded hay. The result was the album Let it Be.

Overall, it’s a confused, disjointed mess, with glimmers of Beatle magic. There are a few songs I love (the stunning Let It Be and Across The Universe) while others I admittedly don’t. Probably the wisest thing Phil Spector did was limit the number of tracks to a dozen, covering up away the carnage (and inadvertently boosting this album higher on my album ranking list than it might have otherwise). If the Beatles needed anything at this point (other than lawyers to sue each other) it was an editor.

Note: For a refreshing “modern” take on this album, it’s worth checking out Paul’s Let it Be… Naked that was released in 2003. It strips away much of the Phil Spector window dressing, revealing unadulterated versions of The Long and Winding Road, I Me Mine and Across the Universe, deletes the goofy Lennon snippets, and adds Don’t Let Me Down to the album. I’d probably rate that version higher than the original one presented here.

Two Of Us

= 4 stars

This capable duet tries to re-establish the songwriting partnership between John and Paul, which at this point was strained. I can’t help but read into it a forced feeling, but it largely comes across as sincere. The Paul solo section is more than a bit mundane.

Dig A Pony

= 5 stars

I like this song much better than Two Of Us because it sports some inspired Lennon imagery, and his variations on rhymes for “indicate” (syndicate, radiate) I love. The guitar lick is a loopy treat, and the climax of “all I want is you” and Paul and John wrapping themselves around the world “you” as the music drops out is a treat.

Across The Universe

= 5 stars

Here’s John at his most introspective best, wondering about all the crap going on in the world and finding peace within his own happy, active mind, although surely a bit burned out from all the drugs and interpersonal tension. Despite some unwelcome additions by Phil Spector - an honest core shines through. I especially love the sentiment “nothing’s going to change my world,” repeated several times like a mantra.

I Me Mine

= 2 stars

George sneaks in and attempts to do the Lennon shifting rhythm thing, but I can’t get into it. The resulting effect is decent, but George’s songs on Abbey Road blow this trifle away.

Dig It

= 1 star

This shouldn’t even be counted as a song, but it shows up as a separate track.

Let It Be

= 4 stars

It may be sacrilege for me to rate this song at 4 stars, but I’ve always heard it as a second version of Hey Jude and unfortunately, the awkward George guitar solo hurts the otherwise perfect aura. A close 5 star contendor, but I’ve been reserving the 5 star rating for perfection.

Maggie Mae

= 1 star

When I was a kid and watched Beatles cartoons, this sort of John goofing around thing was appealing, but feels like a mockery of the whole enterprise.

I’ve Got A Feeling

= 5 stars

I love this song for one main reason: the contrast of Paul and John. Paul sounds almost desperate to write a hit song and keep the Beatles together. Meanwhile, John’s playing along, but kind of in this relaxed, “Why are you so stressed out?” kind of groove. Plus his lines referencing “wet dreams” “hair down” reinforce his lackadasical vibe - a tad subversive and poking fun at Paul’s serious energy. The nice touch is how Paul and John’s melodies eventually combine, as they both fit the chords of the verse.

One After 909

= 2 stars

The Beatles cover themselves. Interesting if you think about how different the Beatles sounded on this album as compared to how they did on Please Please Me, but unfortunately the result is less than exciting. It’s kind of sad, really.

The Long And Winding Road

= 3 stars

This is a really over-the-top, cheeseball Paul number. Was trying to write the next Hey Jude? Anyhow, this gawky teenager of a song is dressed up with some sugar-coated Phil Spector strings and sent out to the prom before ready.

For You Blue

= 2 stars

This sounds like a throwaway from George. The slide guitar and pick-pick sounds still drive me up the wall.

Get Back

= 5 stars

This is rather corny Paul as well, but at least it has a beat and a shiny keyboard solo from Billy Preston. I guess this is the album’s statement about getting back to one’s roots, and while the other three didn’t totally go along with the idea, the sentiment is more or less there, here. And what I didn’t give to Paul on his song Let It Be, I feel better about giving him credit here.

Wikipedia: Let It Be

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