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SongsLet It Be·Past MastersLet It Be
Let It Be album cover

Let It Be

1970 · Let It Be

“Mother Mary comes to me”

McCartney's hymn-like piano ballad inspired by a dream of his late mother Mary, recorded during the band's strained Get Back sessions. Album version features a heavier Harrison guitar solo and a Phil Spector orchestral overdub absent from the single. It is the title song of the band's 1970 documentary film.
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Year1970
AlbumLet It BePast Masters
Track6 · Side 132
Duration4:03 (Let It Be album)3:50 (single)
Songwriter(s)McCartneyCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalPaul
RecordedJanuary 31, 1969 – January 4, 1970
ReleasedMarch 6, 1970 (Single)May 8, 1970 (Let It Be)
Song familyPiano song

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Text188 tags

Motif

MotherSpiritualPleaInstructionalSoftnessAutobiographyLightCommunicationSoundTimeWeatherReligionPhilosophicalDreamsFamilyDarkness

Title

Pronoun in titleImperative in titleTitle in chorusTitle is album title

Vocabulary

Positive toneLimited vocabularyPoetic lyrics

Narrative

ImperativeFirst person

Lyrical device

AnaphoraDouble meaning

Rhyme type

Extrametrical rhymeTriple rhymePerfect rhymeIdentical rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Has introMany choruses (4+)Standard verses (2-4)Has interlude

Section links

Intro based on verseOutro based on bridgeChorus variation

Repetition

Consecutive chorusesRecurring lineConsecutive line
Word cloud

Recurring words

agreeanswerfindfronthourlightlivingmotherpeopleshineshinesspeakingstandingtimestomorrowa chancean answeri findit belet itmay benight isof musicthat theythe soundthere isup towhen thewill bea chance thatand in myand when thei wake upsound of musicthere will be

Cover-shared words

chancecomesitletmarymemusicmymyselfnightohrightseeshesoundtheretheythoughuntilwhisperwordsworldyeahand whenbe yeahin myof meon meshe isthe nightthe worldto mewhen iwords of

Lyric shape

[NOUN] isan [NOUN]is [WORD]the [VERB][ADV] will be[NOUN] in [NOUN][NOUN] is [WORD][NOUN] of [NOUN][NOUN] that they[VERB] [NOUN] in[VERB] [NOUN] of[VERB] in the[VERB] up toi [VERB] upin [NOUN] ofin [WORD] ofis [VERB] [NOUN]may be [VERB]the [NOUN] isthe [NOUN] ofthe [VERB] [NOUN]to the [NOUN]when the [NOUN][NOUN] [WORD] [VERB] to[VERB] in the [NOUN]and in my [NOUN]i [VERB] up tothe [NOUN] of [NOUN]to the [NOUN] of[VERB] in the [NOUN] [VERB]and when the [NOUN] isin my [NOUN] of [NOUN]

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] is[NOUN] in[NOUN] of[NOUN] that[VERB] in[VERB] it[VERB] myself[VERB] of[VERB] on[VERB] that[VERB] to[VERB] up[WORD] of[WORD] theya [NOUN]a [VERB]be [VERB]be [WORD]for [WORD]i [VERB]in [NOUN]in [WORD]is [VERB]my [NOUN]of [NOUN]of [VERB]that [NOUN]the [NOUN]will [VERB][VERB] of [NOUN][VERB] on me[VERB] that [NOUN][VERB] to me[WORD] [VERB] it[WORD] [VERB] to[WORD] of [VERB]a [NOUN] thatin my [NOUN]in the [NOUN]the [NOUN] [VERB]when i [VERB][WORD] [VERB] to me

Rhyme scheme

AABAUnique rhyme scheme

Line length

Unique line length

Distinctive word

broken-heartedcloudydarknesspartedtroublewisdom
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Music158 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarBass guitarPianoElectric pianoOrganDrumsPercussionMaracasViolinCelloTrumpetTromboneSaxophoneTenor saxophoneBaritone saxophone

Instrument group

GuitarsStringOrchestralBrassKeyboardsWoodwindPercussion

Guitar work

Guitar solo

Bass work

Stepwise bass line

Music genre

GospelBalladRock

Influence

Gospel influence

Vocal work

SingalongThree-part harmonyVocal harmonies

Solo / Riff

Guitar soloSolo on verseSolo on chorus

Melody

Appoggiatura

Tempo

Slow

Key

C major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusUnique structure

Sections

Has introHas soloMany choruses (4+)Standard verses (2-4)Has interlude

Section links

Intro based on verseSolo on verseOutro based on bridgeChorus variationSolo on chorus

Repetition

Consecutive choruses

Section transition

I to viI to II to IV

Harmony

Deceptive cadenceBorrowed chordPlagal cadenceRock/Mixolydian cadenceDouble plagalAxis of awesomeParallel harmonySensitive female

Composition

Tonic openingTonic endingOnly basic triadsChorus in IVerse in IChorus in viTonic verseTonic chorusNon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminormin7maj7slash chord6

Scale degree

Iii7iiiiiIVmaj7IV6IVVvi♭VII

Chord degree

I–V–vi–IVI–V–IVV–IV–Ivi–IVI–VV–IVV–viIV–I–VI–V–viV–vi–IVIV–II–vivi–iiivi–IV–I–Vvi–IV–IIV–I–viiii–IVI–vi–iiiiii–IV–Ivi–iii–IVIV–I–V–viV–IV–I–vivi–iii–IV–IV–vi–IV–I

Chord shape

C → G → Am → FC → G → DC → G → FC → B♭ → FC → GAm → FC → DmC → G → AmC → B♭C → Dm → B♭C → AmAm → EmAm → F → CC → Dm → B♭ → FC → G → EmC → Am → EmAm → F → C → GAm → B♭Am → B♭ → FAm → Em → FC → B♭ → F → DmC → G → D → EmAm → Em → F → CC → Am → Em → FC → G → Am → F → C → G → FC → G → Em → Bm

Chord literal

C → GG → AmF → CG → FC → G → FAm → FC → AmC → G → AmF → C → GAm → EmG → F → CC → Am → EmEm → F → CAm → Em → F → CG → Am → FC → G → Am → F → C → G → FF → C → Am → EmF → C → G → Am
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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

External entity links: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz recording · MusicBrainz work · Wikidata

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