Let It Be: Special Edition

Let It Be: Special Edition is an expanded reissue of the original 1970 album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released by Apple Records on 15 October 2021 and includes a new stereo remix of the album, as well as a Dolby Atmos mix, by Giles Martin, the son of Beatles producer George Martin.

Let It Be: Special Edition
Compilation album by
the Beatles
Released15 October 2021 (2021-10-15)
RecordedFebruary 1968 – April 1970
StudioApple, EMI and Twickenham Film Studios, London
Length164:27
LabelApple
Producer
The Beatles chronology
The Singles Collection
(2019)		 Let It Be: Special Edition
(2021)		 Get Back — The Rooftop Performance
(2022)

Background and content

This was not the first time Let It Be was released as a box set. The original album came out in a limited edition box set in the UK on 8 May 1970, which went out of print by that December and was replaced in circulation with a standard issue LP. Aside from the LP, the original box set included a 164-page paperback book.[1]

Like the previous Beatles 50th anniversary box sets, Let It Be: Special Edition was originally going to be released the same month as the original album. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release was delayed until October 2021 while the release of the Get Back documentary series was delayed until November 2021. Additionally, the release dates of the super deluxe editions of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and All Things Must Pass were delayed until April 2021 and August 2021 respectively.[2][3]

A trailer for Let It Be: Special Edition was released in August 2021, two months before its release. It was also revealed that a book containing essays, photos, session notes and a message from Paul McCartney on his thoughts on both the box set and the upcoming Get Back documentary will be included in the box set[4] Let It Be: Special Edition features a remix of the original Let It Be album by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, along with session highlights, outtakes, an EP featuring four additional unreleased tracks and new mixes and a remaster of Glyn Johns' original 1969 Get Back mix.[5][6] Let It Be: Special Edition is available in both CD and vinyl formats.[7][8][9][10]

The box set included the first official release of the 1969 Get Back mix, which was previously available in bootleg form.[11] However, some sources state that due to a mixup, the true 1969 mix is available only on the Japan Super High Material (SHM) CD release, and that the mix on all other releases combines elements from both the 1969 mix and the 1970 mix of the Get Back album.[12]

On 28 January 2022, the full audio recording of the rooftop concert was released to streaming services as The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Performance.[13]

Reception

Let It Be: Special Edition received positive reviews.[14][15][16] In an online review, music critic David Quantick stated the box set "does wonders for the record" and that it gives the listener "a bird’s-eye view of the sessions".[17] Pitchfork gave it a 9.1 rating and said in their review that the box set shines a light on "the brilliant and tumultuous process" of the album, and called some of the outtakes "uncomfortable and fascinating".[18]

On Metacritic, Let It Be: Special Edition holds an aggregate score of 91 out of 100, based on seven reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[19]

Track listings

New stereo mix of original album

All tracks are written by Lennon–McCartney, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocal(s)Length
1."Two of Us" McCartney with Lennon3:36
2."Dig a Pony" Lennon3:54
3."Across the Universe" Lennon3:48
4."I Me Mine"George HarrisonHarrison2:26
5."Dig It"Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Richard StarkeyLennon0:50
6."Let It Be" McCartney4:03
7."Maggie Mae"Traditional; arranged by Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, StarkeyLennon with McCartney0:40
8."I've Got a Feeling" McCartney and Lennon3:37
9."One After 909" Lennon with McCartney2:54
10."The Long and Winding Road" McCartney3:38
11."For You Blue"HarrisonHarrison2:32
12."Get Back" McCartney3:09
Total length:34:37

Super Deluxe edition tracks
Disc 2: Get Back – Apple Sessions
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Morning Camera" / "Two of Us" (Speech / Take 4) 3:42
2."Maggie Mae" / "Fancy My Chances with You"Traditional / Lennon–McCartney0:58
3."Can You Dig It?" 2:02
4."I Don't Know Why I'm Moaning" (Speech) 1:22
5."For You Blue" (Take 4)Harrison2:52
6."Let It Be" / "Please Please Me" / "Let It Be" (Take 10) 4:32
7."I've Got a Feeling" (Take 10) 3:37
8."Dig a Pony" (Take 14) 4:01
9."Get Back" (Take 19) 3:57
10."Like Making an Album?" (Speech) 0:42
11."One After 909" (Take 3) 3:27
12."Don't Let Me Down" (First Rooftop Performance) 3:28
13."The Long and Winding Road" (Take 19) 3:47
14."Wake Up Little Susie" / "I Me Mine" (Take 11)Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant / Harrison2:15
Total length:40:42
Disc 3: Get Back – Rehearsals and Apple Jams
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."On the Day Shift Now" / "All Things Must Pass" (Speech / Rehearsals)Harrison4:22
2."Concentrate on the Sound" 1:07
3."Gimme Some Truth" (Rehearsals)Lennon1:19
4."I Me Mine" (Rehearsals)Harrison1:35
5."She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" (Rehearsals) 2:50
6."Polythene Pam" (Rehearsals) 1:19
7."Octopus's Garden" (Rehearsals)Starkey1:50
8."Oh! Darling" (Jam) 5:19
9."Get Back" (Take 8) 3:52
10."The Walk" (Jam)Jimmy McCracklin, Bob Garlic0:55
11."Without a Song" (Jam – Billy Preston with John and Ringo)Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu2:00
12."Something" (Rehearsals)Harrison1:24
13."Let It Be" (Take 28) 4:42
Total length:32:34
Disc 4: Get Back LP – Glyn Johns 1969 Mix
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One After 909" 3:06
2."I'm Ready (Rocker)" / "Save the Last Dance for Me" / "Don't Let Me Down" (Medley)Fats Domino, Al Lewis, Sylvester Bradford / Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman / Lennon–McCartney1:56
3."Don't Let Me Down" 4:05
4."Dig a Pony" 4:13
5."I've Got a Feeling" 2:53
6."Get Back" 3:13
7."For You Blue" (1969 mix with 1970 lead vocal overdub)Harrison2:53
8."Teddy Boy"McCartney3:41
9."Two of Us" 3:29
10."Maggie Mae"Traditional0:38
11."Dig It"Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Starkey4:09
12."Let It Be" 4:09
13."The Long And Winding Road" 3:39
14."Get Back" (Reprise) 0:40
Total length:42:45
Disc 5: Let It Be EP
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Across The Universe" (Unreleased Glyn Johns 1970 Mix) 3:31
2."I Me Mine" (Unreleased Glyn Johns 1970 Mix)Harrison1:45
3."Don't Let Me Down" (New Mix of Original Single Version) 4:08
4."Let It Be" (New Mix of Original Single Version) 3:52
Total length:13:16

Personnel
  • Giles Martin – mixing supervisor
  • Sam Okell – mixing co-engineer

Charts
Chart performance for Let It Be: Special Edition
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] 2
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 6
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[22] 2
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[23] 8
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[24] 14
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 5
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[26] 3
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[27] 34
Irish Albums (OCC)[28] 3
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[29] 5
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[30] 22
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[31] 5
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 3
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 2
US Billboard 200[34] 5

References
  1. "The Beatles Let it Be, 1970 complete UK box set (No"replacement" items!) Stock Ref HHB582 : Pleasures of Past Times". pleasuresofpasttimes.com. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  2. "John Lennon's 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band' to be celebrated in new 'Ultimate Collection' reissue". NME. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  3. "'All Things Must Pass' 50th Anniversary Releases". George Harrison. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  4. Irwin, Corey (26 August 2021). "Beatles Announce 'Let It Be' Special Edition Box Set". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  5. "Beatles' 'Let It Be' Deluxe Editions Set for October, Preceding Peter Jackson's Documentary Series". Variety. 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  6. Monroe, Jazz (26 August 2021). "The Beatles Announce Let It Be Reissue". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  7. "Let It Be Special Edition: Super Deluxe | The Beatles". www.thebeatles.com. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  8. Carty, Pat. "Dig A Pony? The Beatles - Let It Be Super Deluxe Edition". Hotpress. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  9. "Let It Be – Special Edition (Super Deluxe)". Beatles UK/EU. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  10. "Let It Be – Special Edition (Super Deluxe Vinyl)". Beatles UK/EU. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  11. Gallucci, Michael (16 February 2013). "Top 10 Beatles Bootleg Albums". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  12. admin (22 October 2021). "Wrong Masters for the 'Glyn Johns 1969 Mix', and Japan to the rescue". The Daily Beatle. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  13. Willman, Chris (27 January 2022). "Beatles' 'Rooftop Performance' to Be Released as a Streaming Audio Album". Variety. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  14. "Let It Be – Super Deluxe Version Repaints the Beatles' Final Album". SPIN. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  15. "The Beatles / Let It Be reissue – SuperDeluxeEdition". 26 August 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  16. "Another take". Otago Daily Times Online News. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  17. Quantick, David (15 October 2021). "50 years of The Beatles' Let It Be improved via panoramic expansion". loudersound. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  18. "The Beatles: Let It Be (Super Deluxe)". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  19. Let It Be [2021 Mix] [Super Deluxe Edition] [Box Set] by The Beatles, retrieved 25 October 2021
  20. "ARIA Top 50 Albums for week of 25 October 2021". ARIA Charts. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  21. "Ultratop.be – The Beatles – Let It Be" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  22. "Ultratop.be – The Beatles – Let It Be" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  23. "Billboard Canadian Albums". FYIMusicNews. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  24. "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 42.Týden 2021 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  25. "The Beatles: Let It Be" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  26. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Beatles – Let It Be" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  27. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2021. 42. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  28. "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  29. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  30. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  31. "Spanishcharts.com – The Beatles – Let It Be". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  32. "Swisscharts.com – The Beatles – Let It Be". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  33. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  34. "Young Thug's "Punk" Debuts at No.1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
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