Why George Harrison and Paul McCartney Didn’t Like ‘Let It Be’ and the Documentary McCartney Thought Redeemed Him
The Let it Be documentary is a tricky subject in The Beatles lore. While it did provide fans with a behind-the-scenes look at the band’s recording process, it also captured many of the band’s most tense moments that would eventually lead to the group’s downfall. Guitarist George Harrison didn’t have fond memories of these recording sessions and said he couldn’t watch Let it Be.
The ‘Let it Be’ documentary captured footage of The Beatles recording an album
Let it Be is a 1970 documentary film directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg featuring The Beatles. The documentary captures the group rehearsing and recording songs for their 12th and final studio album of the same name. The film also includes a spontaneous rooftop performance by The Beatles, their final public performance.
While the film was meant to capture the band’s recording process, it has also been associated with capturing the end of The Beatles. Tensions between the fab four were high then, and various moments between the members were rather heated. The documentary was released a month after Paul McCartney announced the end of The Beatles, even though John Lennon privately told the band he was leaving in 1969.
George Harrison says ‘Let it Be’ makes him ‘aggravated’
In a 1987 interview with Entertainment Tonight, George Harrison revealed that he “couldn’t watch” the Let it Be documentary. For Harrison, it brought back memories of his poor experience with the other Beatles during these sessions. The “Something” singer was beginning to feel neglected by the band, and footage showed him leaving the band temporarily. He said reflecting on those recording sessions made him “aggravated.”
“Let it Be was really supposed to be us rehearsing to make a record. They were just filming the rehearsal that turned into the movie, you ‘Let It Rot’,” Harrison joked. “I didn’t like that. The scenes, like we on the roof, that was quite good. There’s bits and pieces, it’s okay. But most of it just makes me so aggravated so I can’t watch it. Because it was a particularly bad experience that we were having at that time. It’s bad enough when you’re having it. Let alone having it filmed and recorded. So you’ve got to watch it for the rest of your life. I don’t like it.”
The ‘Get Back’ footage provided Paul McCartney with some relief
George Harrison was not alone in feeling uncomfortable with Let it Be. Paul McCartney had similar feelings toward it because he believed it furthered a theory fans had that he was responsible for The Beatles’ breakup. In 2021, Peter Jackson released The Beatles: Get Back, a three-part documentary on Disney+ featuring restored footage from the Let it Be sessions.
In an interview with the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade, McCartney said Jackson sent him a clip that gave him some closure because it featured more highlights of the group getting along.
“He sent me a little clip, and it really saved my life,” McCartney said. “It was like having an old home movie of yourself. But perfect. And, you know… I forgave myself when I saw that. Because I’m thinking no, everyone’s messing around, and we’re all messing around, we’re goofing around. It’s not like we haven’t got to do anything in a month’s time…with these songs we haven’t written yet.”
