Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Strange Coincidence: 50th Anniversary of “Let it Be” Falls on Mother’s Day Weekend, Song is About Paul McCartney’s Mom, Mary

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Beatle fans are getting ready for the 50th anniversary of “Let it Be.” The album was released on May 8, 1970 in the UK and May 9th in the US. (I was at EJ Korvette’s that day.)

Coincidence? The “Let it Be” release falls on Mother’s Day. The song, “Let it Be,” was inspired by Paul McCartney’s late mother, Mary McCartney, who died when he was 14. He dreamt about her, thus the opening lines of “Mother May comes to me.”

Weird, huh?

“Let it Be” was supposed to come out earlier that spring. The Beatles appeared on “Ed Sullivan” in February, and the album was supposed to follow. But Paul McCartney’s first solo album, “McCartney,” was slotted in for that time, and McCartney refused to change it. So “Let it Be” was pushed back a bit.

As it turned out, they were each mega hits and remain so to this day. If only they could have all seen the future.

Friday would be the official release day anniversary. Maybe everyone can play “Let it Be” at noon on Friday. Beatles Sirius channel? What do you say?

Of course we all know the story of Phil Spector remixing the finish version with strings and choirs and flights of angels. The “Let it Be…Naked” album sets the story straight, and everyone can debate which is best.

It’s hoped that in the fall we’ll have a remixed album, and the original “Let it Be” film. The Peter Jackson documentary that repurposes the film into a documentary will arrive on September 5th in some form. Can’t wait to see hear and see all of it!

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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