Don't Let Me Down (Beatles song)

Composition

Written by John Lennon as an anguished love song to Yoko Ono, it was interpreted by Paul McCartney as a "genuine plea", with Lennon saying to Ono, "I'm really stepping out of line on this one. I'm really just letting my vulnerability be seen, so you must not let me down."

The song is in the key of E major and is in time during the verse, chorus and bridge, but changes to in the pick-up to the verse. It grew (like "Sun King") from the Fm7–E changes from Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross" with McCartney arranging instrumental and vocal parts and George Harrison adding a descending two-part lead guitar accompaniment to the verse and a countermelody in the bridge. Alan W. Pollack states that "the counterpoint melody played in octaves during the Alternate Verse by the bass and lead guitars is one of the more novel, unusual instrumental touches you'll find anywhere in the Beatles catalogue."

Recording and release

Multiple versions of "Don't Let Me Down" were recorded by the Beatles during the Get Back (Let It Be) recording sessions. The version recorded on 28 January 1969, with vocal overdubs in early February, was released as a B-side to the single "Get Back", recorded the same day. "Get Back" reached number one and "Don't Let Me Down" reached number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100. When the "Get Back" project was revisited, Phil Spector dropped "Don't Let Me Down" from the Let It Be (1970) album.

The Beatles performed "Don't Let Me Down" twice during their rooftop concert of 30 January 1969, and the first performance was included in the Let It Be (1970) film, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. In November 2003, a composite edit of the two rooftop versions was released on Let It Be... Naked. Both versions were seen in the 2022 film The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert and are featured on the live album.

The B-side version of the song was included on the Beatles' compilations Hey Jude, 1967–1970, Past Masters Volume 2 and Mono Masters. The same recording also appears on the soundtrack to the 1988 documentary, Imagine: John Lennon.

In 2021, numerous versions of the song were included on Let It Be: Special Edition, including the Get Back LP version and a new mix of the original B-side version with an added dialogue introduction.

Reception

Richie Unterberger of AllMusic called it "one of the Beatles' most powerful love songs", Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the song as "heart-wrenching soul" and Roy Carr and Tony Tyler called it "a superb sobber from misery-expert J. W. O. Lennon, MBE. And still one of the most highly underrated Beatle underbellies." Author Ian MacDonald praised "Don't Let Me Down" and declared that "this track vies with 'Come Together' for consideration as the best of Lennon's late-style Beatles records". "Don't Let Me Down" is the most viewed video on the Beatles' YouTube channel, with over 510 million views.

Notable cover versions

Jamaican singer Marcia Griffiths (a member of the I Threes) recorded a cover of the song in a reggae style in 1989.

American alternative rock band Wilco covered the song along with "Dig a Pony" in 2021. The covers were released exclusively on Amazon Music for a promotional campaign marking the release of the Let It Be: Special Edition reissue.

Personnel

• John Lennon – lead vocal, rhythm guitar
• Paul McCartney – bass guitar, harmony vocal
• George Harrison – lead guitar, backing vocal
• Ringo Starr – drums
• Billy Preston – electric piano

:Personnel per Ian MacDonald

No official producer's credit was included for the single release owing to "the confused roles of George Martin and Glyn Johns". However, the 1967–1970 compilation liner notes credited Martin as the song's producer.

Charts

Notes

References

• {{cite web | access-date=17 August 2008
• {{cite book | author-link=Roy Carr | author-link2=Tony Tyler
• {{cite book
• {{cite book | author-link=Mark Lewisohn
• {{cite book | author-link=Ian MacDonald
• {{cite book | author-link=Barry Miles
• {{cite book | author-link=David Sheff
• {{cite web | access-date=30 July 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927162327/http://www.spfc.org/tours/song.html?song_id=613 | archive-date=27 September 2011 | url-status=dead
• {{cite web | author-link=Richie Unterberger | access-date=25 February 2007
• {{cite web | access-date=2 February 2010
• {{cite book

References

1. Soto-Morettini, Donna. (2014). "Popular Singing and Style". A&C Black.
2. (2010). "1,000 UK Number One Hits". Omnibus Press.
3. (17 November 2003). "Let It Be, Paul". Chicago Tribune.
4. Walter Everett. The Beatles as Musicians. Revolver through the Anthology. Oxford University Press 1999. pp222-223.
5. "Alan W. Pollack's Notes on "Don't Let Me Down"".
6. Winn, John C.. (2009). "That Magic Feeling: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy, Volume Two, 1966–1970". Three Rivers Press.
7. {{AllMusic. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine
8. Shaw, Matt. (26 October 2021). "Listen {{!}} Wilco covers The Beatles for 'Let It Be' reissue".