I want to buy one of these but am not sure which version to get. Any suggestions will be aprreciated

Well, I've grown accostumed to the Let It Be version as it was done by Phil Spector and his 'wall of sound' in 1970. Comparing to the 'new' Naked-version, it's clear that the songs Dig It and Maggie Mae have been removed in favour of Don't Let Me Down. Fine by me. The talking (most of the times by John Lennon) from the rooftop concert has also been removed. In that opinion, the Naked-version may even be more a studio-album! There are differences between the songs on these two albums, but that doesn't count for every song. The most obvious example is The Long And Winding Road. Paul McCartney (and George Martin as well) always said they hated the way Phil Spector had added all kinds of choirs, violins and other strings to the arrangement. On the Naked-version, the song can be heard more in the way McCartney meant it. I Me Mine, Across The Universe and Let It Be are other songs that are more simplified and got rid of the strings and choirs from Phil Spector. My opinion is that they are much more clear and more Beatles-songs than on the old version. Other songs show no or just slight differences. I think that the Naked-version is more the album as an answer to the original idea of getting back the plain, simple, non-bombastic songs. That also the reason why I like it better and should prefer buying the Naked-version. But there's been a lot of discussion about this already.

Get Get Back sessions

My suggestion is to get the original "Let It Be", and the bootleg of "As Nature Intended", which is the Glyn Johns mix. Its outstanding. I like 'Naked' but still prefer the bootleg version. Easy to find on Ebay.

I prefer the original

I haven't listened to all of the original album, but of the songs I've heard, I like Let It Be...Naked better.  The naked version of the song Let It Be is WAY better than the original release, much better guitar solo.

Naked does sound better, but I miss Dig It.

Yeah I also love the Let it be...naked version better.  It just sounds more realistic than the original verson.  If you watch the movie and then you listen to the album then you can tell that 99% of the dialogue before an after songs are fake.  I personally think Phil Spector messed up Let it be.  Plus if you Buy the Let it be...Naked version(CD) you get a cool bonus CD called fly on the wall.  Its cool audio from the Get Back sessions.

Fly On The Wall ...cool? COOL?? I think not, when you consider what they could have put on. Hours of interesting dialogue, other songs ... man, you are too easily satisfied Wordno.

I like LIBN, but I do prefer the original version of the song Let It Be. If you have the money, I'd suggest getting both.

Well they can't put several hours of audio on a CD.  I'm sure they just picked out what they thought was the best and put it on the Cd.  I do have to agree with you on the fact that I can be easily satisfied.  But I really don't see how thats a major problem.  I just think Fly on the wall was an enjoyable listen.  Its better than not getting it at all.  Sometimes its also good to be satisfied with what you have then always wanting more.

Quoted from Wordno

Well they can't put several hours of audio on a CD.  I'm sure they just picked out what they thought was the best and put it on the Cd.  I do have to agree with you on the fact that I can be easily satisfied.  But I really don't see how thats a major problem.  I just think Fly on the wall was an enjoyable listen.  Its better than not getting it at all.  Sometimes its also good to be satisfied with what you have then always wanting more.

Thanks for the sermon there.

They can certainly put more than a few minutes on a CD!! Thirty Days of material they had, and we got a few minutes!

And your faith that they "just picked out what they thought was the best" is touching, but misplaced. The material on Fly On The Wall are mere dull snippets. I take it you haven't heard very much bootlegged material from the Jan 1969 Get Back Sessions.

I agree that they could have put so much more on there. A CD can hold like 80 minutes, right? Or at least the blank ones I use can.

Oh the wit.

I'm not sure if you knew, but 20 to 30 minutes is not a 'few' minutes.  I don't know why you are getting so worked up that my opinion doesn't match yours.  I happened to like Fly on the wall.  Sheesh, Forgive me for not having the same opinion as Ydoll Gwyn.  If you weren't satisfied with Fly on the wall then don't criticize me on the fact that I think it was cool, just stick to something that satisfisy's you like the bootlegged material from the Jan 1969 Get back sessions.

OK already. 22 minutes near enough. 22 minutes out of Thirty Days, sheesh. The point is, many many fans felt that Fly was a lazy tidbit to throw at them. Like I said, there is some great dialogue that could have been put out, and also some great alternative versions of songs, and new songs.

But if you're happy with the crumbs from the rich man's table, good luck t'ya. But I'll aim higher ...

I like them both, for different reasons. The Long and Winding Road without the chorus and so on is interesting, but I really don't care for that song either way. Probably Paul's main motivation for doing Let It Be Naked. I think I could have lived without it. Oh, and I love the guitar solo in Let It Be on the original version SO much better. I know most people don't, but that sharp, loud guitar just does it for me. Gives the song more of an edge or something. I like the drums better on the original version too. For the same reasons. Sounds more interesting.

Quoted from Maccalvr

I like them both, for different reasons. The Long and Winding Road without the chorus and so on is interesting, but I really don't care for that song either way. Probably Paul's main motivation for doing Let It Be Naked. I think I could have lived without it. Oh, and I love the guitar solo in Let It Be on the original version SO much better. I know most people don't, but that sharp, loud guitar just does it for me. Gives the song more of an edge or something. I like the drums better on the original version too. For the same reasons. Sounds more interesting.

Sandra, you're going to be stunned, but I agree with what you've written there, except maybe you like Winding a bit more than I do! LOL.

Of all the versions of LIB itself, the original album's is the one I like best also.

At the end of the day I grew up when only the original version was available.

The new version is a treat. A curio. I tend to at first master what they had originally released before delving into the re-mixes. That's just me though. It makes finding the new cuts and out-takes a great experience when comparing them to what the world had listened to at the time.

Tough one...

I dislike the talking between the songs on LIB and inclusion of Maggie Mae and Dig It, because it makes the album sound sloppy, but I must say I do like the orchestration on some of the songs...

But if you're getting just one of the two, get the original. It's the real deal, like it or not.

the new version isn't bad, it sounds clear so i suggest that one but like mairi says get both if you can

Get both they are both different,also you may want to get some Get Back session boots,they will blow you away.

And keep your eye out for the original Get Back album,that was shelved in favor of Spectors craziness thats out there somewhere.

Dimeadozen.org
bootcity.org
thetradersden.org

Get some really great boots there!

Quoted from Ydoll_Gwyn

Fly On The Wall ...cool? COOL?? I think not, when you consider what they could have put on. Hours of interesting dialogue, other songs ... man, you are too easily satisfied Wordno.

I listened to Fly,one time,since I have most of the Get Back Sessions, and they just found most of the stolen tapes,there is so much better stuff they could have added here,but had I not ever heard any of the Bootlegs I think I would have found it cool.

As for Let it Be Naked,it really was naked,and not one of my favorites,they should just fix all the nagra rolls,or whatever they have,and release them,raw! the way they were recorded,and as someone said earlier Glynn Johns had an album ready to go,that may have been the best one to date.

Here's what they should have done--It should have been a two disc set:
Disc 1--"Let It Be" and "Let It Be Naked"
Disc 2--Both versions of the Glyn John's mixes.

Quoted from juniorsfarm

Here's what they should have done--It should have been a two disc set:
Disc 1--"Let It Be" and "Let It Be Naked"
Disc 2--Both versions of the Glyn John's mixes.

kind of ruin the point of having a let it be c.d. on the shelves tho

Quoted from ma_tt2

kind of ruin the point of having a let it be c.d. on the shelves tho

You could say the same clueless thing about Let It Be Naked then. If you're going to release a different version, why not include the mixes that are in existence?

well I picked up Let It Be Naked yesterday and I am very pleased with the sound. Songs I could not listen to before like dont let me down and the long and winding road are much better on this version. I also prefer across the universe on the naked version

Well, I'm sorry, but the Glyn John's mixes are outstanding and they should have gone all the way rather than 1/2, but they probably thought that only die-hards would go for the whole package. Accountants don't know much about artistry.

So if I wanted a fuller collection I would get both, from what I read. Would everyone say thats correct? I've already heard the original which was fantastic, but Naked is not known to me.

l.i.b.

Its ironic that they altered "Let It Be", isn't it?

Quoted from Harrison

I haven't listened to all of the original album, but of the songs I've heard, I like Let It Be...Naked better.  The naked version of the song Let It Be is WAY better than the original release, much better guitar solo.

What?!?!!

The guitar solo is sooo much better and more emotional in the LIB version, and it soars higher, AND Harrison gets more time to shine in the song with his work at the end of the song.

LIB's LIB > LIBN's LIB

^I agree with this. I absolutely love the original LIB, and the solo is my favorite part of it. I didn't like how they changed it.

The solo on Let if Be has a much harder edge to it. I love the distortion on it if that's what you call it. I like it SO much better. The one on LIBN is kind of boring to me compared to the one on LIB. And, I've always read that it was John doing it, not George. He had to come in and redo it because of a mistake George made? Something like that. I can't remember exactly what I read. George is on LIBN though. Well, if I'm wrong, I know someone around here will soon correct me.

http://www.beatles-discography.com/beatles-albums.html

Go to L and go down to LIB.  You'll see this quote:

"...[Phil Spector] decided to re-mix a song that was already riding high in the charts! He decided to mix in George's brand-new solo and lengthen the whole thing by repeating part of the final chorus."

Cool, thanks. I don't know why I thought I read it was John! Anyway, here's a link to a cool article on Let it Be and Let it Be...Naked.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2125388

The links on the bottom are also cool articles. I like the one about the origin of the name Beatles.

I was just redoing a compilation disc, and some of the songs came from "Let It Be/Naked", and I have to say, I miss the banter and extraeaneous stuff that is not on 'Naked'. Maybe I'm just used to LIB, but the "I dig a pygmy..." before "Two of Us" just seems to need to be there. 'Naked' is too sterile.

Let it be naked all the way. Ir sounds so much better without all the extra stuff. Plus let it be naked comes with the second cd which totally rocks. their voices on some, if not all, the songs sound a lot better.

Let It Be is a great classic rock album by the Beatles with great tracks on it which is highly underrated in their history by the some fans because of the breakup.  LIBN was released to satisfy Paul's ego for the most part because he thought Phil Spector screwed him producing the original.

Personally, I like LITBN better.
The Spector production was awful.

Quoted from Wayne_L.

Let It Be is a great classic rock album by the Beatles with great tracks on it which is highly underrated in their history by the some fans because of the breakup.  LIBN was released to satisfy Paul's ego for the most part because he thought Phil Spector screwed him producing the original.

Agree. It's my 3rd favourite album.

Origional is alright but sooo patchy. at the moment i prefer let it be...naked, but like anything else it always changes

Quoted from Wordno

Oh the wit.

I'm not sure if you knew, but 20 to 30 minutes is not a 'few' minutes.  I don't know why you are getting so worked up that my opinion doesn't match yours.  I happened to like Fly on the wall.  Sheesh, Forgive me for not having the same opinion as Ydoll Gwyn.  If you weren't satisfied with Fly on the wall then don't criticize me on the fact that I think it was cool, just stick to something that satisfisy's you like the bootlegged material from the Jan 1969 Get back sessions.

I'm with you Wordno. I like FOTW. Remember, there's an almost complete song - Because I Love You So. I really love that. Fun listening with FOTW, though only 20+ minutes. Bit mean really.

Quoted from Bobber

. Paul McCartney (and George Martin as well) always said they hated the way Phil Spector had added all kinds of choirs, violins and other strings to the arrangement. On the Naked-version, the song can be heard more in the way McCartney meant it.

IMO Spector's version is better. A very nostalgic (and in a way final) Beatles song. On the Naked version there is an electric piano. Where did that come from? The sixties or recently? Best thing about Naked is the omission of the annoying speaking. Including DLMD is very agreeable. Glad that Maggie Mae is off it. And LARS. LARS is too short to be meaningful. Dig A Pony is so annoying, with daft lyrics. Should have been pushed out for All Things Must Pass.

Odd bit on FOTW - John says 'Alexander The Great was a big'ead. Aw, that's a nice fireplace!'

I like them both too much to be able to choose. Although 'Let it be...naked' isn't really what it is suppose to be. If it was suppose to be 'Let it be' without the overdubs than it would sound like a bloody mess. Let it be...naked is in reality a clean version of 'Let it be'. Songs like 'I've got a feeling' on LIBN aren't even natural as its just both versions of 'I've got a feeling' that was preformed on the rooftop put together.(Original is so much more superior). 'Dig a pony' is played faster and cleaned up. It sounds better on Naked than the original....but things are taken out and I think a few things are added on both versions. 'I me mine' wasn't even recorded during the Get back sessions...why its their is beyond me..both versions rock though. 'Don't let me down' is awesome, but they switched John's ly