The Beatles‘ Let It Be remains the Fab Four’s most divisive album. While some Beatles fans see it as a monumental achievement, others think it’s a messy end to the band’s run of classic albums. Regardless, one of the most important songs from that era of The Beatles was excluded from the album’s tracklist. Here’s a look at why a certain blues ballad belongs on Let It Be.
The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ returned to the roots of rock ‘n’ roll
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Let It Be‘s bluesy sound makes it stand out from all of The Beatles’ other projects. Tracks like “For You Blue,” “One After 909,” “Get Back,” and “Dig a Pony” all see the Fab Four returning to the roots of rock ‘n’ roll. However, their most famous blues ballad, “Don’t Let Me Down,” is nowhere to be found on the album.
The track was released as the B-side to the more popular “Get Back.” Those two songs work great as a combo. “Get Back” shows off the more upbeat side of the genre but “Don’t Let Me Down” is plaintive. In addition, “Get Back” highlights The Beatles’ knack for nonsensical lyrics while “Don’t Let Me Down” is pathetically realistic.
A later version of ‘Let It Be’ includes ‘Don’t Let Me Down’
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“Don’t Let Me Down” also would have been an excellent choice for Let It Be because the album has so many filler tracks on it. “Dig a Pony,” “Maggie Mae,” and “One After 909” are all low-effort trash. Meanwhile, “Don’t Let Me Down” is the sort of masterpiece that would have raised the album’s critical standing.
Paul McCartney later released a record called Let It Be… Naked. The record reflects his original vision for Let It Be and it includes “Don’t Let Me Down.” Some fans see Let It Be… Naked as the definitive version of Let It Be.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles’ ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ is about heroin and Yoko Ono
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In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed the origin of “Don’t Let Me Down.” “It was a very tense period: John was with Yoko and had escalated to heroin and all the accompanying paranoias and he was putting himself out on a limb,” he said. “I think that as much as it excited and amused him, at the same time it secretly terrified him.
“So ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ was a genuine plea, ‘Don’t let me down, please, whatever you do. I’m out on this limb, I know I’m doing all this stuff, just don’t let me down,’” Paul added. “It was saying to Yoko, ‘I’m really stepping out of line on this one. I’m really letting my vulnerability be seen, so you must not let me down.’ I think it was a genuine cry for help.
“It was a good song,” he continued. “We recorded it in the basement of Apple [Records] for Let It Be and later did it up on the roof for the film [Let It Be]. We went through it quite a lot for this one.”
“Don’t Let Me Down” was worthy of a Beatles album and it gave fans a peek into John’s personal life.
