I frankly love the Spectorization, although I a willing to go in with anopen mind - not sure if I can erase 30 years of ingrained memory on this though. I like "Let It Be" way more than most fans do, maybe my second or third fave

I think that's going to be an interesting development - how long-time fans accept "Naked" in comparison to how new(er) fans see it (and there has to be someone who will buy this first having never really heard the original.) I don't have decades of history with the album, so this kind of change doesn't seem so blasphemous to me.

More than anything, I really hope this is the start of a remaster campaign, and not simply an anomaly. The entire catalog, aside from the Yellow Submarine Songtrack, is badly in need of being brought up to today's sonic standards.

They are lagging on CD remastering and everything digital. Time to bone up, Mop Tops.

Remastering seems a better use of Apple resources than suing Apple over iTunes.

It would also be good to release the documentary Let It Be on DVD. I only saw it once in the mid-80s.

Let It Be will be released on DVD sometime early-mid next year, from reports I've seen. It was supposed to be ready for simultaneous release with the album but, for whatever reason, that won't be happening.

As for remasters, I really hope we're in for something spectacular - like bonus discs with different mixes, versions, etc. The Beatles and their unbelievably supportive long-time fans deserve something that blows away EVERYTHING ELSE out there. Anything less than that is a travesty. I really hope this extra-special bonus material (plus SACD mixes, as I'm sure they'll be released in a hybrid format like the Dylan sets) is what's setting this back and not stupid projects to reinvent the albums we all know and love.

It seems that everyone always focuses on this period so negatively. The entire period encompasses only one month, January 1969. Half of that month was rehearsals that have been heard by too many ears to be objective. The second half of that month was dedicated to finalizing a set of tunes for a purpose that truly materialized much later(the movie and Let it Be album. The fact the remains that there are some very cool songs that came from this one month period.Both versions of the Glyn Johns Get Back album our good concept records. It works in the same way a live album might work. It shows the band in all its strengths in a live setting. But in reality the very best takes were not selected. In the same way, Dig it and Maggie Mae are probably best left off the album.
So all this hubbub about editing out John is overblown. Phil Spector's Let it Be is a good listening experience. It's a good and uneven album. The spoken word tidbits are OK eventhough they have nothing to do with the movie or much anything else. One track that benefits from his treatment is George's I Me Mine. The others are a treat bare bones. Let It Be...Naked should be awsome sonically and all killer no filler...and hopefully the music album will finally outshine all the negativism that surround it's creation. Some of the best music in History were made under similar stressful conditions and Let it Be...Naked will prove it again.

Thanks Ralph, very nice to have your perspective - as I said earlier, I like Let it Be more than most Beatle fans.

The official release of Let it Be ...Naked allows the Beatles Estate more time to explore the DVD format; along with possible additional music/film outtakes that the period contains. It is probable giving the format Let it Be was filmed to provide it in a fine 5.1 format. The promotion of this period of the Beatles career may be extensive.

Although the Beatles are hardly unknown and unpromoted, given their importance and prominence in popular culture, they have been relatively unexploited. I wonder how much the Beatles themselves have channelled this. What will happen when none are left?

It'll be good to hear Let It Be as nature intended, though it's a shame that they won't be releasing some of the other unreleased stuff from this era.

Maybe one day we'll get to hear a bit more of the 30 days worth of stuff the Beatles laid down in January 1969 and see the film on DVD.

People really exaggerate the production job that Phil Spector did on Let it Be. "I Me Mine" definitely improved, as did "Across the Universe" (has anyone heard the brutal version on Past Masters 2?). The song "Let it Be" itself was also improved by Spector's clever tracking of two Harrison guitar solos at the bridge of the song, and by his non-obtrusive chorus. All of the rest of the songs are stripped down, just as the Beatles wanted. The only place Spector went overboard was with "The Long and Winding Road".

I'm looking forward to this new version of Let it Be, even if most of the stripped down versions have already been released on Anthologies 2 and 3 (and the non-Spector version of the song "Let it Be" was on Past Masters 2 AND "1"). Sounds to me like the Beatles just want a little more money.

I don't get it-- de-spectorized cuts are on Anthology Vol.3. And these are the cuts that would have made it on the Get Back album along with the song titled Rocker and Teddy Boy. A complete revamp of the Let it Be tracks just isn't doing the fans justice. Might as well get used to it....why make such CDs as The Christmas Album, The Esher Tapes (White Album acoustic demos), Live at the Hollywood Bowl, when they already and will forever make millions off what they have out? Was it john that said, "when you die you take nothing with you but your soul"?

Now that the details of 'Let it Be... Naked' are being unraveled; it is clear that we are finally getting a 'Let it Be' that has been thought out. It all boils down to the fact that the Beatles cut some great live in the studio tracks. It's quite an achievement really, considering that it consists of material built basically from scratch in a months time. Sure there's an edit here and there. But not much tampering.There are a few interesting things. First and foremost it is nice that the album kicks off with a rocker 'Get Back and ends with 'Let it Be'

Get Back
Same as the original release; does not have the dialogue and rooftop ending of album version, or the reprise ending of single version. it is barerbones.

Dig A Pony
Rooftop performance, same as the original release; re-did the Phil Spector's edits. Most likely bring the "All I Want Is You" refrains back in.

For You Blue
Same as the original release;a cleaned up version that most likely brings up the acoustics a bit. To give it a band feel.

The Long And Winding Road
Different take to the released versions on Let It Be and Anthology 3; It is a studio performance from the last day of recording; it is the one on the Let it Be film; with lyrics alternation and that excellent middle passage with Billy Prestons keyboards to the fore. It is so much better than Phil Spector's version in my opinion.

Two Of Us
Same as the original release; without the opening 'I dig a Pigmy'...This is a great version of this song.

I've Got A Feeling
Mixture of the two rooftop performances; it is a completely new edit. Which is great because the second 'I Got A Feeling' has one of the best Beatle jam band sequences of their career.This would make it a super 'I Got A Feeling' version.

One After 909
Rooftop performance, same as the original release; a cleaned up version. If you get a chance to listen to the the Glyn John's version. It just seems looser to me. I look forward to this one.

Don't Let Me Down
The Rooftop performance. it is unclear whether there willbe any edits on this one. I don't think its the single version.

I Me Mine
They're keeping it the same as the original release; with the same edits and overdubs. It is unclear whether the orchestration will remain butI assume it will not. Phil's extention of this song was a highlight of the "Let it Be' album.

Across The Universe
Same as the original release; without Phil Spector's overdubs.

Let It Be
Same as the original release; with George's original guitar solo. A less fiery version but the keyboards and guitars sound great on the original release.

...They have taken all the spoken words and intros off this release. It is just the songs that are showcased...The tracklisting has a good flow to it too...I think.

Thanks Ralph - very informative!

great to see some fellow beatle nerd/heads chatting it out. i have to agree with an earlier poster... some of this material is the beatles very best. hmmm... i'm not a young'un.. i'm old enough to be the echo generation of the 1970's... but i first heard let it be in 1978.. taped it off air and it became one of my fave cassette tapes... at the time the album was not easy to find(i could have looked around a lot more) but as the album was generally out of print at that time because of some complication around it being a united artist release or some reason i never saw it rereleased during the "orange capitol label" era and didn't get a copy until 1981 when the purple reissues came out.

anyway... to MY mind... the crux of these sessions was not the sort of live in the studio sound that was accomplished for the movie... but three critical, thus underrated, tracks... dig a pony, one after 909, i've got a feeling... because spector chose the rooftop versions of these three they totally stand out from the album. the beatles REALLY show that they had some live chops... the fact that these songs were recorded out of the apple studios means the engineers and proper EMI staff have a little less control than usual. which means that the beatles and preston really rip loose on these tracks. just crank up the right channel on one after 909 and get a mouthful of brassy george harrision telecaster thru what i believe is a fender twin(something i spent most of my days 20 or 21 years ago doing) to hear a band AVENGING the poodleization of it's sound during it's early 1962 - 1966 era. not that the beatles didn't rock and that george martin and norman smith/geoff emerick didn't produce them with great skill and taste... but the band really lopes forth with some swagger here that comes from their increased confidence, experience, and the live to 8-track(letting every instrument have basically it's OWN track) setting.

say what you will about spector... i think lewisohn, besides giving a balanced assessment of the spector/mccartney-martin split on what was good/bad/indifferent about the Let It Be final release, hit the nail on the head about one thing that is often overlooked... spector had REAL skills when it came to the tone and equalization of this record. forget for a moment the controversies... i me mine, across the universe, long and winding road, and to a lesser extent let it be(as it was pointed out that all of it's overdubs were planned and executed by the beatles while johns was still on the project). but how about these three crucial tracks AND two of us... which benefit from the sort of high end equalization that makes the acoustics really bright and which on the crucial tracks make these guitars and ringo's cymbal really pay dividends. for those four tracks alone and the general rich analogue quality of the original let it be release cut the anthology 3 AND the glynn johns mixes for the two singles get back/don't let me down let it be/ to utter ribbons. at least ONE of spector's edits is to MY MIND critical.. he adds an extra chorus to let it be at the end... but during the last two choruses brings in brassier high end on the drums... giving the perception that the beatles play the song to a harder climax than they do.. forget the guitar overdubs spector decided to highlight even... i've got to admit.. i love the magical melody of the let it be single.. but i have to admit.. spector's version gets me in the guts every time cause it really rocks to its finale based simply on the man's grasp of equilization and editing.

i'm no tremendous fan of george martin and geoff emerick's rather muddy mastering principles. lewisohn confirms that the guy had some issues with strong high end and revolver and the white album suffer tremendously because of this. this leads me to therefore my next concern... i'm a techno junkie.. the digital era has been a whirlwind of miracles... but hey my early euphoria about digital died hard... particularly during some of the more tarted up remasterings of the early 90's. Layla... Badfinger's No Dice... when you hear a recent digital mixdown from old analogue multi's from this era you really come face to face with the crappy way drums sound when put through this process.. they sound like somebody is hitting a soggy cardboard box. it's astounding that bass can sound so tight but anything that is being struck.. a cymbal.. a bright piano crash.. a drum... plucked guitar strings can lose so much in the digital remastering process. thankfully the release of 1's showed that the newer Digital to Analogue processes can rectify this problem... and from what is being talked about RE SuperAudioCD(upon which the ENTIRE remixed and remastered ABKCO(may his name be forever cursed) Stones catalogue has been reissued) and the DVD-Audio product (which gets high marks from anal gearhead obsessives like Neil Young and which EMI has claimed it is leaning toward for it's reissues) SHOULD allow us to hear the beatles catalogue through a reproduction system whose quality will surpass anything we've heard before including the CD and the LP vinyl record.

so HEY!! why are we awaiting a CD here guys??? why isn't Apple not only blowing off our SONIC doors .. but giving us that "more value for the money" things the beatles used to pride themselves on??? you mean.. we're supposed to rush out and buy the Let It Be... Naked CD... then buy the reissued 88 minute Let It Be movie reissue.. complete with the crappy edit of three choruses of let it be into the MIDDLE of the performance pictured in the movie AND the cutaways from George playing the solos of One after 909 and Dig a Pony and from John singing Don't Let Me Down so we can hear english businessmen ask if this is their new single while the songs echo from above??? you mean... the ORIGINAL FABLED long edit of the movie which Allen Klein ordered edited down due to "too many shots of OTHER people not the Beatles"is not even in the OFFING here??? let ALONE a full re-edit of the movie by some sort of newly hired documentary editor so that... let's say January 30, 2004 we can't have ourselves a big re-release party on the thirty fifth anniversary of you know what??? the Beatles are supposed to try to duke it out on the charts with Justin Timberlake and Britney this Christmas just BECAUSE Apple/EMI still can't tell their arses from their elbows at this late date?

i'd have rather waited till Christmas 2004 for this product to have been done RIGHT.. Let It Be...Naked... what are the beatles now? MTV?? call the thing Get Back... get that groovy photo of them on the balcony... give us that 4:46 minute version of Dig It.. Give us the Glyn John balanced Nagra recordings of the electric version of two of us... suzy parker... any covers that work halfway well. make sure you give us the versions that really rock(i AM looking forward to cranking the version of i've got a feeling that is upcoming after hearing it described here.. i've long heard that the other rooftop version is kickass) and LAST but not LEAST... HEY... once we've shelled out for the CD.. are we EVENTUALLY going to get a HIGH RESOLUTION DVD-A stereo mix AND a 5.1(or 7.2) multichannel surround mix when the DVD-A release comes out or not?? oh.. and WHEN will that be.

all this and i JUST found out that George's let it be telecaster which he gave to Delaney Bramlett in December of 1969 just sold at auction on september 16 for $484,000.. man... of ALL the Beatles memoribilia to own in this lifetime... i'd have liked to have that piece.

all that being said.. i'm looking forward.. i hope the digital mixes on this new release sound great... that the old 'white album' level muddiness gives way to abbey road level richness and clarity(and i wait for the day that the DVD-A 192 khz stereo mix of the White Album is available so we can finally put the mono white album to rest(or at least get a newly mastered copy of the mix as a bonus disc!). my belief is this.. i wait until Apple finally REALLY gets its act together on reissues. i believe the FIRST ACT to show this will be when Past Masters ONE and Past Masters TWO are DELETED from the Beatles Catalogue.. they should be replaced with the reissue on 3.5" CD/DVD-A in a decorative 5.25" plastic full size CD adapter in a slimline jewel case... of EVERY ORIGINAL BEATLES SINGLE priced at 1/2 or 1/3 of a full length CD OR packaged with the relevant album. therefore... Rubber Soul would come with Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out and on this CD single can be outtakes, live performances, mono mixes etc. i'd like to see each record packaged separate however... whatever is most reasonable. but the only way for Hey Jude to get its just due.. is NOT to have it on 1's or Past Masters or a rerelease of Hey Jude.. but rather.. to have a fan be able to go to the Beatles record section and be able to pick up Hey Jude/Revolution for say $3.50 to $5.00... perhaps this idea is a bit too late now that we are in the MP3 era. but at least that is how it SHOULD have been done 15 years ago.

sorry for all the rambling.. it's nice to meet fellow fanatics!

I read all the preceding comments with interest and thought i'd make a few of my own.

I particularly agree with the previous post regarding sound quality. Spector did boost up the sonic fidelity of the Let It Be album and gave us a fairly decent recording. Practically all bar The long and winding road are superior to the Glynn Johns mixes heard on Bootlegs and on the singles. The only other niggles are the annoying bits of dialogue (in the spirit of the Get Back concept i know) the repeat echo on the hi hat in Let It Be's first verses. And the inclusion of such pointless tracks as a 55 second Dig It, and Maggie Mae.

Aside from that the rooftop stuff is cool and i would have loved a whole side of that performance coupled with the following days live in the studio style tracks. That really is what the crux of this album is anyway.

Reading the excellent book on this subject who's title i cna't remember but it was subtitled the chronicle of the Beatles Let It Be disaster, I came to the conclusion rapidly that all the camera's witnessed apart from the squabbling was a band that had been off the road for more than two years gradually learning to play as a band again.

In a period of not much more that 2-3 weeks working five day weeks the band just jammed out old favourites and worked on getting their chops together. What seems to the untrained ear as time wasting and aimless doodling is the case in rehearsal rooms around the world. Bands getting used to new material especially musically unschooled ones such as the Beatles take a seeming age to get to grips with the material. But two points about the Beatles perspective on this period sum up my feelings on the subject. One is Paul telling Michael Lindsay Hogg that " We'll get it together our end, you concentrate on your bit" or words to that effect, the other is their assertion that they wanted to not over rehearse the songs. Hence their need to tighten up using oldies. Lennon used the same trick to an extent in his last sessions, the reason we have Milk and Honey at all is because he was breaking in his new band on different songs to keep the prefered songs sounding fresh.

Any listen to the finished Live performances on the Rooftop and then in the Bassment proves that this approach is right on the ball, the band play funkier and dirtier than ever before and the songs are given just the right atmosphere.

I'm not totally convinced that at this point the band were considering splitting despite hindsight to the contrary. The biggest mistake made by them was that they could make an interesting film out of the tedium of Rehearsing a live set. It's a difficult decision for them really. To be truly polished on film they needed to pre-rehearse the songs and then film a less realistic "rehearsal" of already worked out songs. This would have gone against principle of the project which was to be a fly on the wall watching the amazing alchemy of the Beatles creating masterpeices. Trouble is this was a lot like watching paint dry as the Beatles appeared human afterall. Unable to talk to each other in musical terms and still getting to grips with playing as a band after years of overdubbing ( Ringo finally appears to be getting back on track as a drummer by these sessions ) working up songs to the required (high) standard is pretty laborious with much misunderstanding and frustration and a lot of time wasted. Small wonder they often cleared the air with a half-baked Jam.

So in the long run the few weeks leading to the Rooftop concert and the subsequent bassment performance were very productive and well spent. It's just unfortunate that we expected to see more from this band during rehearsals. The results are great, the messiness leading up to it were always there it's just that we never saw them on camera before.

Pepe

This has grown into a really fascinating succession of comments. I'm glad to see some Beatles die-hards here bashing out the details. I never knew most of this stuff and reading it gives new perspective to Let It Be. Very cool - please keep it up!

Yes or no: Will there, or will there not, be any "new" songs, like "Suzy Parker," released on a "Bonus Track" CD with "Let It Be....Naked?"

Love, etc.

INSTEAD OF RE-MASTERING TRY THE JAPANESE PRESSING OF BEATLES CD'S....MUCH BETTER!!!!!

Let's all pray this campaign leads to an expanded "Let It Be" dvd, (at the very least) and eventually a catalog upgrade to either dvd-audio (most likely they'll go all out with graphics) or sacd-hybrid. Anything less would be a total rip at this point. P.s... I heard an advertisment for a radio station broadcast of "Naked", and the teaser for "Don't Let Me Down" was way stripped, sort of like "Revolution" acoustic vs. electric. Maybe we're in for a treat with this one?

I already have Let It Be on DVD.

Dear Beatles Fans,
As an original die-hard fan of the lads from Liverpool I am excited to hear the revised Let It Be. I don't see it as exploitive at all, unless they plan on re-releasing it again as a SACD mix later.
At the heart of the confilict over the George Martin/George Harrison/Glyns John mix vs. the Phil Spector mix of Let It Be was Lennon's conviction that the original mix "was pure sh*te." John felt very strongly that the album was languishing in limbo and someone must kick the final product into gear, where the Fabs had no stomach to do it. John then took the master reels to Spector, and Phil did what he did to the best of his considerable abilities. This caused hard feelings from George M., George H., and Glyns because their mix wasn't used, then Paul, after he heard the strings and brassy EQ on "Long and Winding Road". I don't blame Paul, as I have always cringed when I heard the song with strings. I'm not sure that John would have approved of this re-do of the album, as he was vehemanently opposed to the original mix.
As someone here pointed out, Mr. Spector's abilities as a producer were legendary for good reason, and most of his edits to "Let It Be" were for the good, if and olny if the goal were to make the album fit into the pop landscape of 1969/1970. On the other hand, in John's own words, the album was to be the Beatles "with their knickers down," the raw, uncut band, so to speak, at work. On this premise, contrary to the band's intention going into the project, the Spector production fails. That is why I think that "Let It Be ... Naked" (please guys, couldn't it have just been "Get Back"?) has a fitting place in the magnus opus of the Fab Four. As the long lost project of presenting the boys "with their knickers down" this has been long over-due.
I agree with some comments made here that this should have included several out-takes or less familiar songs and versions of those on the "Let It Be" release. I think that album needn't be redone just to make a point about Spectorization or the lack thereof, I think it should be to serve up the band as they were for that tremendous burst of creativity. This was to be, in retrospect, the first "unplugged" album from the rock pantheon and this is a niche that is wanting in their catalog. We could use much more concert music from the Beatles cleaned up with the whiz-bang technology that can take out most of the noise. I never had the chance to see them in concert and this is what has been needed all along, "Live at the Hollywood Bowl," notwithstanding. The Beatles' instincts were spot-on to do this type of album whan they hadn't performed in concert for nearly five years prior to its inception.
I wish that Apple/Paul/Ringo/Yoko/Olivia would have given us more of the material that was floating around that was part of the "Get Back" project and some of the material that would eventually end up on their respective solo projects, such as "My Sweet Lord" and "Instant Karma."
A friend of mine is putting together the "Next Beatles Album" comprised of the best cuts from their solo efforts released within a year or two after "Let It Be" was released. His critera is that the songs should have at least two, but preferably three Beatles on them done within two years of the release of "Let It Be." This would be a tremendous album with great cuts from "All Things Must Pass," "Plastic Ono Band," "Ringo," etc.
I would also like to see the Capitol versions released in their original track and packaging configurations, as this was the Beatles as I knew and loved them the first time around. I know I can simply re-assemble the albums from the existing material, but it would seem lacking and would not have the polish of the real deal.

Glad to have the chance to ramble on about the Beatles,
Bruce

I managed to score just a couple of tracks from "Naked," namely "Across The Universe" and "Let It Be."
"Universe" has been speed-corrected (finally) and John's voice sounds very sweet. The vocal harmonies have been removed (also a good thing), but as a result you can hear him gasping for air/running out of breath quite a bit. It's a fairly basic swirling guitar/sitar backing track, which sounds suspiciously new, although it's not totally evident given the massive overdubs on the original album version.
"Let It Be" is just the single version minus the orchestral overdubs. Personally, I wish they had used the film version coupled with an overdub of the lead guitar track from the album version (that solo is, to me at least, THE highlight of the original album.) I've also heard a snippet of "Don't Let Me Down," and it sounds like an early, basic run-through of the song, not the single version (does Paul not like the original for some reason?)
I think based on what I've heard so far, this will probably not be the "definitive" version of the album, but will at least provide fans with a couple of superior tracks to use for compilng their own personal "Let It Be." "Universe" is a keeper, I'm sure "Winding Road" will be superior (hey, I'd quit the Beatles too given the original production on that one) provided it has a bit more instrumentation than the "Anthology" version. As for the rest...I can't imagine improving the rooftop songs, "Two Of Us" or "For You Blue". "I Me Mine" will be interesting to hear without orchestration, although quite frankly, I'd replace both Harrison tracks with the demo for "All Things Must Pass" from "Anthology".
Anyway, there's a bit of news for you all, along with some insight. I'd be curious to know what others think of what they've heard so far, along with ANY info on the supposed release of the dvd (the REAL treat of this project provided it's expanded.) Also, does anyone have any info regarding whether or not "new" overdubs are being used for "Naked"? Thanks for this forum. Very interesting posts.

I'd love to know why the rooftop concert wasn't included on a second disc. Everyone probably has a bootleg of this, but wouldn't it be great to have this thing officially released (and remastered, of course) in an audio format?

I loved the "Let It Be" record but look forward to the new version. I must say that on "Anthology 3" I liked the stripped takes of these songs better. One thing that I will miss though is John's quip at the end about "I hope we passed the audition". That was priceless.

"Sounds to me like the Beatles just want a little more money."

I totally agree. I mean really, I'm a die-hard fan of the lads too but just how much money is enough Paul? With the amount of money McCartney has made over the years (last time I checked he was a billionaire) how about showing some fan appreciation and giving us something for free (and I don't mean Kazaa). Just another example of how the industry makes money thanks to technology (nudge, nudge, wink, wink ;-).

I agree with Eric, I like the Spector sound and it will be hard to swallow a no-frills version. Although I haven't heard 'Naked' yet, being a former recording engineer myself it will be interesting just to hear how the original tracks sounded before they were tweaked by Spector.

And speaking of naked, how bout that Paul being a Daddy again at 61! Of course with all of his money he can afford to buy all the viagra he wants.

yeah! after the purists (and I mean that in the best possible way) have waxed rhapsodic about nakedity, BB says bring on the Spector!

How's this for heathen bastardization? I like the Buddy Holly tunes with the posthumous Fireballs accompaniment Norman Petty slapped on better than the naked originals. Blasphemy!

Has everybody forgotten the contribution of the 5th Beatle - Sir George Martin? Imagine how pure they would have sounded without him. Blasphemy I tell you!

I can appreciate both sides of this argument, to the extent that (1) Yes the idea was to create a live, informal, "no tricks" feel, and (2) Spector sure changed that. But bear in mind that Spector did this only because NOBODY else (those in the Beatles) wanted to deal with the tapes. By the time the movie comes around (in 1970, after Abbey Road, having been ignored for 12+ months), the Beatles were all but dissolved (arguments have lingered over who left when, but let's face it: the bloom was off the rose).

Spector shows up to clean up the mess they threw on the shelf months earlier in frustration. And he made a fairly good stab at it. He had to pour over 200+ hours of live tape, divining out 30+ minutes of the best takes of some official songs, through in some chatter, and a few jams (Dig It, Maggie Mae) to give the feel of a session. Now if he had left it at that he likely would have succeeded. Paul probably wouldn't have gone to pout in his musical corner about "Long...Road" and everyone would have said, "good enough." But Spector added his choirs and orchestras (hey, you dance with the devil, you're going to get burned). He is after all, mister mega-production. Ironically, the Beatles had become "mega-minded" too, hence the whole purpose of the project in the first place.

So, if they had just stripped it clean (today) and re-released it as Spector did but without the added fluff then, again, it would probably be OK. But, of course, Beatle fans are fetishists, and any chance to scrape more product from the bottom of the vat and they'll come running. Again, we're talking about 200+ hours of music, and there's bound to be some appeal in hearing another take of a song. That's what years of bootlegs, and the Anthology set, have tried to give us. Having heard the earlier Glyn Johns mixes, with a wide throw of track orderings and track selections, I don't believe there could ever be a simple solution. Much like bootlegs of Dylan's basement tapes, perhaps Apple just needs to put it all out. Put out some massive 200-hour (150 cd?) set of all the tapes. You can't please everyone, and those who continually say you-forgot-this-song, or that-take-is-better-than-this-one can be sent home with the whole package, they can shut up, leave everyone else alone, listen to the whole shooting match and figure out whatever it is THEY want.

...Anyone up for the Brian Wilson's "Smile" tapes next?...

The point is - why give it to Spector in the first place? Why not their own producer George Martin? Why weren't any Beatles with Spector to oversea production? So many whys. It seems rather childish to boo hoo after the fact when they willingly put it in his hands. They obviously didn't want to have anything to do with it. They were more preoccupied with suing each other and competing with their own solo efforts. They knew the type of work Spector produced and they got what they asked for. What more is there to say. Suck it up boys.

Don't forget that by then Spector WAS their producer, at least in part. Around the same time he worked on Harrison's All Things Must Pass and Lennon's Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, classics all.

I suppose so Eric, insomuch as Allen Klein would also be considered their manager. With respect to "Let It Be", I would have proposed a more introspective name for the Naked album - i.e."Let It Bleed".

You're right about management - it was all downhill once Brian was gone

I really believe it is all about megalo-egomaniac McCartney's need to be in the limelight. He must sit around the house going through old tapes dreaming up schemes to stay in the news and relive the glory days.

if you play the 2nd verse of the naked 'across the universe' on a turntable at 45rpm, you will hear a very interesting revelation......

Is Paul dead again?

Though I haven't heard a sound of the new cd, I've had the Get Back acetate bootleg of Glyn Johns version for years now. I'm sure this will be close.
I would just like to point out a myth that has been around for years and alive and well in a few posts above.
Nothing from the rooftop concert is on any version of the album. The whole point of the record was a "get back to our roots" thing they decided to do after three years of studio work. McCartney wanted to tour and Harrison and Lennon didn't. At that time Lennon was sick of it anyway, so the roof was a compromise of sorts done at the end. Proof lies in the actual rooftop version of Get back on Anthology 3.
Pure horsesh*t. No acoustics, and a band that hadn't played live for three years shows. It was done especially for the film. They did run through most of the cuts from the album up there, some more than once.

I LIKE IT BETTER THAN THE SPECTOR,
VERSION IT SHOWS THE BEATLES AS THE,
DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE ALBUM,
THIS IS THE WAY THE ORIGINAL SHOULD, HAVE BEEN RELEASED WITH OUT SPECTOR.

I've only heard a few songs, but I say gimme the Phil.

I haven't heard it enough times yet to render it good or bad yet, but it does tend to be a little "dry." But I do like the mastering - it sounds so much more lively than the much flatter, hissier 80s master that is used on the original Let It Be CDs. I'd be happy if they'd just remaster the whole catalog and be done with re-engineering history.

I love it. Stripped down to its natural elements. You can actually hear George's guitar for the first time.

Have listened to it a few times on my computer at work but not yet on my home system to hear the sonic quality.
That being said, I think the gems of Let It Be...Naked are the version of Don't Let Me Down which sounds like it belonged here all along; and the version of I've Got a Feeling, which is a bit different from the original LP but always one of my favorite later-era Beatle tunes. The version from Anthology 3 was the rooftop performance, which was loose and fun, with a few vocal flubs. Someone earlier mentioned this was an edit of the rooftop performance; it doesn't sound like it to me, though I did read where they used some of the rooftop performances and digitally removed such things as wind noise.
All in all I think justice has been done to the album, although I think I would have left the original running order intact. I also liked the band banter that was on the original...kind of reminded you that they were live in the studio.

Well I think LIBN sounds nice and clean like a 21st century album should and is certainly better for "Don't Let Me Down" getting included. However I think the 2nd disc is a waste of space and could have been added to Disc 1 (and still only filled about 56 mins). Why couldn't we get the "all be-it shoddy" but interesting mixes of ;
Two of Us (the electric version)
Madman,Suzy Parker and Watching Rainbows
All Things Must Pass
Let it Be (where George sings "...she is sitting on the lavatory"..classic scouse humour)
Dig it (the full version)
Commonwealth
Geh Raus
Across the Universe (ya right Richie version)
and many more

I'm sitting here listening to the "Let It Be....Naked", and i'm so glad all the Spectorizing has been diluted. I love the 'old' Let It Be, and this "New:Old" one is just fantastic. Maybe its because I'm not listening to it on some crappy old stereo, with the needle stuck with some dustbunnies, and all the snap, crackle, pop has been left to my morning cereal. I'm just a casual fan, not a fantic, but i'd take this over the old one any day. Enjoy it how it was meant to be. Let it Be.......

I am surprised that one may call oneself a Beatle-fan whithout having a good word for their pure fantastic magic work or without a respect and support them(you should only congratulate Paul for being able to be a father at his age again it only proves his vitality and power you may miss at your age).Remember what Ringo said about Let it be Naked he really appreciated and told Paul that his opinion was right regarding Phil Spector unnecessary contribution,which Paul hated from the first moment (not because he is suddenly in need of money - its ridiculous).Old fans are simply too old to be opened for new concepts, but the Beatles will be able to prove themselves with the changes of new times forever.

Spector rules, when he isn't shooting or imprisoning women

I'd love to see The Doors release a naked version of The Soft Parade, though I recognize that there might not be a huge market for such a release right about now.

That's a strange choice for the digital
treatment,Eric. A lot of Doors fans say
it's the worst LP/CD that they released
during their short career.To give Jim a
bit of credit where credit is due, I've
got to admit that he does a pretty mean
impression of Vic Damone on "Touch Me".

Personally speaking,I'd like to hear the
first two LP's (S/T & Strange Days) and
L.A. Woman re-mastered.

Or even better than that, would be the
emergence of those tapes that The Doors
(w/o Jimbo)supposedly did with Iggy Pop.
Collectors have been wetting themselves
for years about the possibility of these
things existing.

HW - The reason I mention is that it's the most overdone Doors album in terms of production, horns section, etc. Many people think it would have been much better without all that crap. Personally, I like most of it, but it does contain some of the worst songs they ever laid down in the studio (Shaman's Blues, Do It).

In terms of rare recordings: I'd love to hear the Van Morrison / Doors combo live at the Whiskey from 1966 or 1967. Now that would be the stuff.

I don't remember hearing anything about The Doors doing anything with Iggy Pop, only that Iggy saw The Doors and was inspired to start a band. He was awfully young at the time.

That makes total sense Eric.I think that
"Soft Parade"(most of it anyway)could be
salvageable,once stripped of the horns
(very Tijuana Brass sounding)and all of
those syrupy strings that mar the better
cuts on there.

I vaguely remember reading about Iggy
being inspired by The Doors in his auto-
bio "I Need More".It's been years since
I've read that book.



RE: Iggy & The Doors. After Jim died,The
Doors contemplated going on w/o Jim and
auditioned vocalists. Seeing as to how
The Stooges and The Doors had been label
mates at Elektra, mutual acquaintances
introduced them and Iggy gave it a shot.
Rumor has it they played around on some
bluesy material like "Back Door Man" &
similar stuff.

But as Iggy was really strung out on "H"
at the time as well as suffering from
mental illness(which no doubt was fed by
his heroin habit),things didn't work out
and nothing ever came of it. Except that
The Doors put out a couple more LP's w/o
a lead vocalist that are just plain bad
("Other Voices" &I think "Full Circle"?)
in anyone's book.

by then the doors of perception had been slammed shut

I've only heard a few tracks off the two non-Jim Doors albums (they're awfully hard to find these days) and have liked but not loved them. Ray Manzarek is a competent and bluesy bar band frontman, but minus Jim it just wasn't the same. There was a really odd yet compelling song floating around the Internet called "I'm Drunk I'm Stoned" (I believe) that was quite good. I also like some of the Doors-era songs fronted by Ray, particularly "Close to You," which is fairly rollicking.

I haven't heard The Doors(sans Jim) LP's
for a long time. I do remember them as
being close to unlistenable though.
The Ray Manzarek solo things are not too
spectacular either.It's been years since
I've heard 'em, maybe they'll be worth a
second listen.Maybe.

Maybe some brave & enterprising blogger
will yack about the post-Morrison Doors
and the band members post Doors solo LPs
and whatnot.That would be an interesting
post.

"Close To You" is a Willie Dixon penned
tune that Muddy Waters recorded back in
1958. You're right that Ray really does
shine on the bluesy material when he was
fronting the band.

PS: I got to see Ray play 3 songs with X
back in 1980 at The Whiskey A Go-Go in
L.A. He played "The World's A Mess" and
"Nausea" off the first X record and for
their encore the late Top Jimmy came out
and sang a kickass version of "Roadhouse
Blues" with Ray on the keyboards.

That X show sounds great.

I have a solo Robbie Krieger album (mostly if not all instrumental) that ranges from not great to fair. There is an extended Peace Frog jam on it though, which is really the one highlight.

The Doors were definitely down with Dixon as I believe Backdoor Man was another number of his.

Ray produced that first X album - that's why he was there! I had completely forgotten that. Damn, HW, I may have run into you at the Whiskey or Roxy in '80, I had just returned to sunny SoCal from Ohio

We may well have crossed paths at some
point back then Eric.I used to make the
trip from Vegas down to L.A. all of the
time. Quick drive,right about 4 hrs and
you're there.I saw many bands this way,
such as The Ramones at The Whiskey (it
was like seeing them in the living room
of your own home)Iggy at the Stardust
Ballroom (insane show,he was touring in
support of the "Soldier" LP), Dead Boys
at The Starwood (also a great place to
pick up on "New Wave" type girls LOL) &
so many more.

I remember the X show clearly. They had
"The Gears" opening for them and Exene's
sister Mary was killed in a car wreck on
that same evening.It was their big debut
show, as the 1st Slash LP had just been
released. Before seeing them live I had
only ever heard them on the Dangerhouse
Records compilation "Yes L.A." I used to
go see X,Gun Club,Blasters,Top Jimmy and
Ray Campi & His Rockabilly Rebels every
chance I could.I dug the Punk stuff like
The Germs,Black Flag & all but was more
interested in the rootsier punk sounds
like The Gun Club and The Blasters.

If you could name some shows from back
then I could tell you if I was there.
I used to hang out at "The Atomic Cafe"
on Alameda quite a bit, especially after
going to see shows at The Hong Kong Cafe
Madame Wongs(Downtown)and Al's Bar.

Have the 2 remaining BEATLES EVER THOUGHT OF RERELEASING GEORGE HARRISON'S "MY SWEET LORD" AS "MY SWEET LORD NAKED"? DID THE LATE GEORGE HARRISON EVER THINK OF RERELEASING "MY SWEET LORD" AS "MY SWEET LORD NAKED"? I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT SONG NAKED TO HEAR HOW IT SOUNDS.

The recent re-mastering of Beatles stuff in the LOVE album really shows what can be done using modern computer trickery with old master tapes.