This Florida Georgia Line Song Sounds Like The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’
The Beatles‘ “Let It Be” is one of the most beloved hit songs of the 1970s. Florida Georgia Line have every reason to try to mimic the song. One of Florida Georgia Line’s biggest hits has a chord progression that sounds like that of “Let It Be.” Interestingly, a member of Florida Georgia Line said the band’s fans had a strong response to the song in question.
A Florida Georgia Line song has a structure like The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ and other hits
Florida Georgia Line became famous for “bro country” songs like “Cruise” and “This Is How We Roll” that focus on sexy ladies, partying, beer, and trucks. Their love song “H.O.L.Y.” is a departure from that style. “H.O.L.Y.,” an acronym for “high on loving you,” is a ballad that blends spirituality with sensuality.
Rolling Stone reports that “H.O.L.Y.” uses a descending chord progression similar to The Beatles’ “Let It Be.” Notably, the structure of “Let It Be” has long been a part of popular music. The book A Sound Mind: How I Fell in Love With Classical Music (and Decided to Rewrite Its Entire History) says that “Let It Be” is derived from Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D, one of the most famous classical pieces ever. Other popular songs derived from Canon in D include Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “No Woman, No Cry,” Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” and Kylie Minogue’s “I Should Be So Lucky.”
The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ has a religious vibe similar to ‘H.O.L.Y.’
“H.O.L.Y.” is also similar to “Let It Be” in another way. Both tracks use religious imagery. “Let It Be” famously mentions “Mother Mary.” Fans sometimes interpret the woman in the song to be the biblical Virgin Mary.
Meanwhile, “H.O.L.Y.” is entirely based on religious wordplay. The narrator compares his relationship with his girlfriend to a baptism that drove away his demons. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what love is!
Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line discussed the reaction to his song
Neither Tyler Hubbard nor Brian Kelley, the two members of Florida Georgia Line, wrote “H.O.L.Y.” During a 2016 interview with The Boot, Hubbard discussed his reaction to the track. “Sometimes a song just comes in, and when you’re in the studio, you just know,” he said. “I think I would have personally been really shocked if it didn’t have a pretty good response. But I really don’t think we were prepared for the response that we were getting. Every single night, live, when people just hear that we’re about to play ‘H.O.L.Y.,’ the place just erupts. We didn’t even feel that with ‘Cruise.’
“To come out with a song and be out for a couple of months and to have the reaction it has is absolutely mind-blowing,” he added. “I don’t think we really were expecting it to be quite so huge.”
The Beatles and Florida Georgia Line are very different but they both saw the power in adding a little gospel to their top 40 music.
