As you know, there are two versions (heck, in the Beatles anals, there could be more, but we'll concentrate on the two at hand) of Let It Be, the song.  

Version One - the single produced by George Martin

Version Two - the album version produced by Phil Spector

Version One has all the George/John harmonizing, sounds very angelic
Version Two has guitar riffs in place of the hormonizing

Which version is your favorite?  Personally, on a Beatles mix, I put the single version because its "more poppy."  If I'm listening to actual albums, I enjoy the Spector version because it fits well with the rest of the record.

I like the album version with the really blistering guitar on it.

Both(depending).  

I prefer the single version - the strings are not quite as prominent.

I think everything about the single version is better, the backing vocals, the guitar. It's the most well-known one, too.

Quoted from Pasta Cheif

I like the album version with the really blistering guitar on it.

Agreed and I cant understand how anybody could like the single version better. (Al)

I cannot even listen to the single version. I HAVE to have that distorted guitar and Ringo's loud drums. It just makes the song so much more current. Plus when that guitar comes in it just gives me chills. The single version sounds way more dated to me and a little boring. Let It Be is my favorite Beatles song and has been for a looooonnnngg time, but it HAS to be the album version. But then I've always liked a heavier sound in songs. I wish they would have done more of it. My students prefer the album version too. Mainly for the guitar. Like I said, sounds more current.

And the bass is much clearer and cleaner. That gives me chills when it pops in. It's a cleaner mix all around.

Quoted from tkitna

Agreed and I cant understand how anybody could like the single version better. (Al)

The Beatles were at their best when they were harmonizing.  They sounded like angels, and the songs were beautiful.  And it can't be beat on the single version of "Let It Be."  It's the harmonizing that gives me the chills.

...as a side note, I heard "Let It Be...Naked" today for the first time, and what a piece of trash that was!  A collection of PG-13 songs without a hint of kick to them.  Its almost like mental ward musik,, the way they killed every single song on that album...including the title track.  

Quoted from Buttmunker

...as a side note, I heard "Let It Be...Naked" today for the first time, and what a piece of trash that was!  

I have to agree with you there. 'Naked' is everything that the Get Back project was not meant to be. Tight and overproduced. It also contains the worst version of Let It Be officially released. Was it a good idea to take the strings out? Yes. But wouldn't it have been a good idea to plug the gaps? Billy's organ is way too far down in the mix. And they've used the guitar from the single version! For me, I've always considered the single version to be for the kids, with the album version for the grown ups! Though they are, in effect, both from the same 8 track master. There is, on a bootleg, a version with both guitars on it, which makes me wonder if one is George and one is John, though they both sound like George to me.

I have to confess that I've never listened to Naked, and for the same reason I've never gone too deep into the Anthology CD's. My main interest is in the finished product. But I have to say the whole concept is flawed. If it had been done with all their consent then maybe fine, but as it is it just comes across as a major Paul vanity progect. His attempt to justify his 1970 hissy fit over the album seem as misplaced and unwise as Johns 1970 Rolling Stone rant.

Quoted from Kevin

I have to confess that I've never listened to Naked, and for the same reason I've never gone too deep into the Anthology CD's. My main interest is in the finished product. But I have to say the whole concept is flawed. If it had been done with all their consent then maybe fine, but as it is it just comes across as a major Paul vanity progect. His attempt to justify his 1970 hissy fit over the album seem as misplaced and unwise as Johns 1970 Rolling Stone rant.

I've met Paul McCartney twice, and know him to be a friendly bloke, but sometimes he makes it very difficult to like him. And this is one of those times. Fiddling with the running order, of all things, after all this time is a mistake. John's 'I hope we passed the audition' was a perfect ending. I expect it always grated with Paul that the anthemic Let It Be was sandwiched between two bits of studio tomfoolery. And I'm sure it's no coincedence that this was the first time that his voice is the first, and last heard on a Beatles album. I can't pour enough scorn on 'Naked'.

Let it be Naked took the whole heart out of the songs.  It sounded 'sterilized.'  The great thing about the 1970 Let It Be was the 'live, all together unity' sound.

Not for nothing, but as much as I love the songs 'Let It Be' and 'The Long and Winding Road,' they do sound out of place on the original album.  Even George's songs blended nicely with the blusey sound they were making.  I mean, it was both Lennon and McCartney coming up with gems like 'One After 909' and 'I've Got A Feeling,' nice blusey songs, so why did he have to have an out-of-place piano piece like 'The Long & Winding Road' on it?  Why not save it for the next project?

In regards to the song 'Let It Be' on the original album - it had a brilliant intro by John Lennon, saying he wanted to listen to the angels.  This was Phil Spector's doing, and it was a nice touch, you ask me.  I believe it was 'Dig It' that preceeded 'Let It Be,' and that alone warranted Paul's piano song.  (But 'Long/Winding Road' stuck out like a sore thumb.)

All the versions have something to recommend them. I like the harmonies and the great guitar. The Naked version is very clean, so that's nice. I have to say, I don't have a favorite. I mostly remember the one I heard ages ago, and that was the single version, so there you go.

I love both of them, but the guitar solo in the single version just makes me so happy. My favorite song of all time, though (either version).