Deconstructing The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles (Isolated Tracks)

The Long and Winding Road was written sometime in 1968 and was inspired by the winding roads that lead up to his High Park Farm property in Scotland. Paul has stated countless times that the arrangement he was looking for was something along the lines of Ray Charles. The song was worked on during the early sessions at Twickenham with Paul and Mal going over the lyrics. However the song wouldn't be worked on with the full band untill January 26, 1969 where the final master's basic track was recorded. This consisted of Paul on piano, John on bass, George on acoustic guitar mic'd both with a contact mic on his acoustic and also through a Leslie speaker, Ringo on drums, and Billy Preston on electric piano. Glyn Johns took a liking to this take which he used on his version of the album. The song was worked on the next day on January 27, but on January 31 the song was recorded again with a subdued drum part and George switching his Rosewood Telecaster. This subdued version would be used nearly 3 decades later on Let It Be... Naked.

Fast forward to 1970 a year later Phil Spector would get his hands on the Let It Be tapes. He would later be quoted saying, "The Long and Winding Road was a terrible recording when I first heard it...It was really awful...It was a farce and I had to do everything I could to cover up the mistakes." So cover up he did along with recruiting Ringo to also record snare hits, Phil brought in a 49 piece orchestra to record a new orchestra and choir arrangement by Richard Hewson and John Barham respectively on April 1, 1970. Richard Hewson recalled that, "I started off quite modestly, y'know, with six violins and three violas, three cellos." But after a few calls the arranged spiraled to a 49 piece orchestra complete with choir, brass, and strings. Almost going mad in this session Phil Spector was calmed down by Ringo who took him aside and said, "Look, they can't do that, they're doing the best they can. Just cool it." With the overdubs done an early mix of Let It Be was sent out to the four Beatles for approval. However Paul did not take the overly orchestrated version well.

The Long and Winding Road is possibly the most controversial Beatle song and became one of the cited reasons Paul sued to break up the Beatles partnership. Paul's hatred towards Phil Spector's overdubs was so strong it spawned the Let It Be... Naked project which aimed to create an album that sounded like a four piece band and Billy Preston. When discussing The Long and Winding Road on January 26, 1969 George Martin asked Paul if he wanted strings which Paul replied, "Dunno". Paul later says that he envisioned the song to be, "Simple, but full. I don't like it to be bare...". It's clear that Paul wanted more time to work on the song, but given the circumstances after Get Back with Abbey Road and John leaving the band in September 1969 he was never given the chance.

After receiving the mix Paul wrote a letter to Phil Spector and Alen Klein that said,"
Dear Sir,

In future no one will be allowed to add to or subtract from a recording of one of my songs without my permission.

I had considered orchestrating The Long And Winding Road but I had decided against it. I therefore want it altered to these specifications:

1. Strings, horns, voices and all added noises to be reduced in volume.
2. Vocal and Beatle instrumentation to be brought up in volume.
3. Harp to be removed completely at the end of the song and original piano notes to be substituted.
4. Don’t ever do it again.
Signed
Paul McCartney"

This however fell on deaths ears and the song would be released as is. Paul would say in 2001 that, "At least in the past if you were gonna put strings on it someone would run the arrangement past me. And I’d say great, or not great, or fix it. It was not being consulted, then putting out what I thought was.. crap."

Enjoy this isolation of The Long and Winding Road which I think turned out really nicely.

Here is also a mix that aligns with the letter Paul sent:    • The Long and Winding Road (2024 "Lett...  

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------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intro (0:00)
Piano (0:19)
Vocals (3:53)
Bass (7:20)
Drums (10:50)
Guitar (14:22)
Electric Piano (17:55)
Overdubbed Snare Hits (21:25)
Strings/Harp (24:16)
Choir (27:47)
Brass (29:21)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul McCartney - Vocals, Piano (Bluthner Model One Concert Grand)
John Lennon - Bass (1961 Fender Bass VI)
George Harrison - Lead Guitar (1968 Gibson J-200)
Ringo Starr - Drums (1968 Ludwig Hollywood Maple)
Billy Preston - Electric Piano (1968 Fender Rhodes Seventy-Three Sparkle Top)
Uncredited Orchestral Musicians - 18 violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos, harp, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 guitars, 14 female voices
Richard Hewson - Orchestral Arrangement
John Barham - Choral Arrangement
#thebeatles #paulmccartney #thelongandwindingroad #georgeharrison #johnlennon #letitbe