Let It Be... Naked
Paul McCartney initiated the project to restore the band's original stripped-down aesthetic and remove Phil Spector's orchestral overdubs. The album is presented in a form which Paul McCartney considered closer to its original artistic vision: to "get back" to the rock and roll sound of their early years. McCartney in particular was always dissatisfied with Spector's mixes of these three tracks, especially for the song "The Long and Winding Road". He felt that the original album's producer did not capture the group's live-to-tape aesthetic intended for the album. George Harrison gave his approval for the Naked project before he died. McCartney's attitude contrasted with Lennon's from his December 1970 interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Lennon had defended Spector's work, saying, "He was given the load of badly recorded shit , and with a lousy feeling to it , ever. And he made something out of it ... When I heard it, I didn't puke." Harrison and Ringo Starr also remained complimentary about Spector's contribution, Starr saying: "I like what Phil did … There's no point bringing him in if you're not going to like the way he does it".
Two songs that had been included on the original album were excised as they did not fit comfortably with the concept of a straight album. The traditional Liverpool folk song "Maggie Mae" and the improvisational piece "Dig It" were removed by album remixer Allan Rouse. Lennon's "Don't Let Me Down" was added to the running order, although Naked features a composite edit of the two versions from the rooftop concert. "I've Got a Feeling" was also presented in a new composite edit of its two rooftop-concert takes. On "The Long and Winding Road", the Naked producers used the final take recorded five days after the rough run-through Spector had selected for the original album. A remix of the take recorded on the 27th of January 1969 was used for both the single and album without the coda recorded on the 28th of January featured in the single version or framing dialogue from the studio and rooftop concert added to the album version. An error in second chorus (the "because" in Lennon's vocal track) was digitally corrected during the process.
A supplementary disc presents unedited studio chatter and song excerpts that were removed from the main album sequence. The 22-minute bonus disc contains song excerpts and dialogue from the many hours of tape which accumulated during the Let It Be sessions. Some of the removed dialogue that had appeared on the original album appears on this disc. In total, the track is 21 minutes and 55 seconds long and brings the album's total length to 56:59. Compiled and edited by Kevin Howlett, the disc includes tracks such as "Sun King" at 0:17 and "Don't Let Me Down" at 0:35. Side four features "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" at 0:05 and "Fancy My Chances with You" at 0:27. Brian Thompson provided technical assistance for the compilation while Ethan Russell handled photography for the project.
On the 13th of November 2003, the completed Let It Be... Naked album had its world premiere with a two-hour radio special from Infinity Broadcasting. The special featured a 50-minute documentary of the original Get Back/Let It Be sessions including interviews with all four Beatles. An uninterrupted broadcast of the new Let It Be... Naked album followed the documentary segment. A 20-minute roundtable discussion was hosted by Pat O'Brien featuring analysis from musicians Sheryl Crow, J.C. Chasez, Billy Joel, and Fred Durst. Record producers Alan Parsons and Jimmy Iovine joined music critic David Fricke, journalist Geraldo Rivera, and Breakfast with the Beatles host Chris Carter for the discussion. The album was released on the 17th of November 2003 by Apple Records following this extensive promotional campaign.
Reviewers debated whether the raw mix improves upon the original or strips away essential artistic elements like humor and grandiosity. AllMusic's Rovi Staff writes that the album sets the record straight and enhances the album's power reclaiming the raw unadorned quality that was meant to be its calling card from the beginning. Dominique Leone of Pitchfork called the album "not essential ... though immaculately presented". Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone noted that while the sonic improvements to the album as a whole are undeniable novices should still get the original. Producer Rick Rubin said he had mixed feelings although excited about a new Beatles release and especially the sound of "Two of Us". Adam Sweeting of The Guardian commented that technically they've done a fine job but the new mix merely emphasises the song's droning vapidity. Salons Thomas Bartlett lamented that Let It Be... Naked stripped the original album of both John's sense of humour and Phil Spector's wacky and at least slightly tongue-in-cheek grandiosity.
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Common questions
Why did Paul McCartney create the Let It Be... Naked album?
Paul McCartney initiated the project to restore the band's original stripped-down aesthetic and remove Phil Spector's orchestral overdubs. He felt that the original album's producer did not capture the group's live-to-tape aesthetic intended for the album.
Which songs were removed from the original Let It Be album in the Naked version?
The traditional Liverpool folk song Maggie Mae and the improvisational piece Dig It were excised as they did not fit comfortably with the concept of a straight album. These tracks were removed by album remixer Allan Rouse.
When was the completed Let It Be... Naked album released to the public?
The album was released on the 17th of November 2003 by Apple Records following an extensive promotional campaign. The world premiere occurred on the 13th of November 2003 with a two-hour radio special from Infinity Broadcasting.
What specific recording date was used for the final take of The Long and Winding Road on the Naked album?
A remix of the take recorded on the 27th of January 1969 was used for both the single and album without the coda recorded on the 28th of January featured in the single version or framing dialogue from the studio and rooftop concert added to the album version.