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DM's Beatles forums    Beatles forums    Albums  ›  Did Spector do a good job on Let It Be? Moderators: Sandra, BlueMeanie

Did Spector do a good job on Let It Be?  This thread currently has 1,500 views. Print
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real01
June 17, 2007, 5:18pm Report to Moderator
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I mean, the orchestrations...and the production...
The guys wanted to record an album like in early days ("their intention being to return to the live-in-the-studio set-up thath harked back to their earliest days with EMI." (Anthology booklet).
The best songs on the album are those orchestrated: Across The Universe, The Long And Winding Road, I Me Mine.
Of course, album shows Spector's eccentricism (is that the correct word?): Beatles talking at the start and the end of songs, songs like Maggie Mae, Dig It, Get Back leaving "unfinished"...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_It_Be_(album)
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Andy Smith
June 17, 2007, 5:29pm Report to Moderator

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I've never been a huge fan of the album & i think Spector wrecked a lot of the
songs by putting that orchestration & chit-chat on the album!
He was a brilliant producer of those Ronettes etc recordings but i don't think he
did the beatles a lot of favours. It's just my opinion I Me Mine has probley the
best orchestration for me that works. i like the Long & Winding Road without the
orchestration, as on the Naked album. and i've preferred the Wildlife version of
Across The Universe.



HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO THE WHITE ALBUM! you say its your birthday!
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tkitna
June 17, 2007, 11:38pm Report to Moderator

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Paul said he ruined his songs on the album if thats any indication to you.

I think 'Let It Be' is easily their worst and Spectors production has something to do with it (although he didnt have a lot to work with in all honesty).


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alexis
June 18, 2007, 12:46am Report to Moderator

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I don't like the strings and angel choirs much at all.

I love the talking by the Beatles though!


I love John,
I love Paul,
And George and Ringo,
I love them all!

Alexis
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Hello Goodbye
June 18, 2007, 6:17am Report to Moderator

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Even at the time of the album's release, we had access to the original takes before Phil Spector's production work.  Nearly everyone preferred the original takes.  I bought the album, but taped the pre-orchestrated songs when played on the radio.


I can stay till it's time to go
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BlueMeanie
June 18, 2007, 7:37am Report to Moderator

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I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Let It Be. I believe Spector did an OK job, though most of the work had already been completed by Glyn Johns. Long And Winding Road didn't need orchestrating - best version - Anthology 3, but at least he was able to make something of I Me Mine. I like the chatter between them, and I think there should have been more - as Spector originally intended. On the other hand I can't stand Let It Be...Naked.


I just want you to reassure him - talk to him, make him see the error of his ways. Then I'll hit him.
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TheMasterOfGoingFaster
June 18, 2007, 7:54am Report to Moderator
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They could have had more on it but it's ok, Naked that is. There are a few things on Let It Be but it's in some way not the best set of tunes for whatever reason.
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maninthequeue
June 18, 2007, 5:39pm Report to Moderator
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The bottom line for me is that I vastly prefer Let It Be Naked to Phil Spector's original production of Let It Be .


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DarkSweetLady
June 19, 2007, 11:10pm Report to Moderator

~now that's my cup of tea~
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quite frankly i hate the guy....

  did you know that he fired off guns in the studio when lennon was recording.... crazy... idk but that's what my mom heard on court tv....  from that one japenese girl lennon had an affair with....


~Floating down the stream of time, from life to life with me~





Four Lads Who Stole the World's Heart and Never Gave it Back
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harihead
June 20, 2007, 1:02am Report to Moderator

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That's a true story, DSL. Spector fired a gun into the air, right next to the recording engineer. The guy was furious-- these guys make their living based on their hearing, and to have a gun go off next to the guy's head was inexcusable, for any number of reasons. I'm pretty sure the recording crew chewed him a new one over that, no matter that Spector could throw his own hissy fits in the studio.


All you've got to do is choose love.  That's how I live it now.  I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden.  I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007

For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
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adamzero
June 20, 2007, 3:20am Report to Moderator

"The dude abides."
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I think overall I'd give Specter a B+ for what he had to work with.  I like the "fly on the wall" bits (in fact it's hard to listen to "Naked" without the little bits).  I give him props for including "Maggie Mae" which in some respects is most representative of the sessions, if not "great art."  

He clearly overdoes "The Long and Winding Road", but I find the song itself a little cloying to begin with.  It's certainly no "Let it Be."  I wonder what George Martin would have done with it.  Probably something alot more tasteful.

Specter shines on "I Me Mine" beefing up the song and extending it.  I like his version of "Across the Universe"--the strings are almost sappy, but the slowed down speed gives John a spacier feel appropriate to the song.  

The real knuckleheads are the Beatles themselves for not doing a final version of "All Things Must Pass" and making John take an hour (or day) more to write some decent words for "I Dig a Pony" which could have been a killer track.  
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Andy Smith
June 20, 2007, 1:08pm Report to Moderator

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Yes, i heard that there was bootleg tape somewhere recorded during the
'Rock & Roll' sessions with Lennon saying, 'Phil, just put the gun down!'
Phil Spector was a brilliant producer in the 60's but a total weirdo!



HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO THE WHITE ALBUM! you say its your birthday!
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Mairi
June 20, 2007, 1:09pm Report to Moderator

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Let It Be is great and so is Across the Universe. I don't like the Long and Winding road, though the Naked version doesn't do much for me either. Y'know, Let It Be isn't really a great album. I think Spector did the best with what he had. And I love his work with John.
He may be a psychopath and a murderer (probably), but that doesn't stop me from enjoying his work.


You're so vain, you probably think this post is about you.
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Kevin
June 20, 2007, 1:23pm Report to Moderator

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Quoted from Mairi

He may be a psychopath and a murderer (probably), but that doesn't stop me from enjoying his work.


Here's a nice painting by Hitler for you to admire  



don't follow leaders
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Mairi
June 20, 2007, 1:33pm Report to Moderator

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It's interesting that you should post that. I just did a project on Hitler for history class. To be honest I find his artwork rather bland. It may be technically good, but you could buy that stuff at a gift shop. No wonder he was rejected by art schools.


You're so vain, you probably think this post is about you.
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