Frustration, anger, disappointment. Modern life revolves around the hustle of sleep, eat, and work, never pausing to reflect, never hesitating. Society’s mantra of go-go-go has compelled, even condoned, a generation of embittered souls to seek solace in forcibly coercing temporary pleasure rather than letting happiness manifest itself naturally. Paul McCartney, famed member of the Beatles, offers a healing message to this disillusionment in his song, “Let it Be, ”eventually making it the culminating theme to the end of the band’s professional career. A stunning ballad for peace, colored with religious undertones, McCartney’s lyrics are not only viewed as a final farewell, but an anthem for hope. Deliberated through its appeal to people of all walks of life, the song’s omen of suffering conceives a confession of innocence, while its unwavering faith begs listeners to “let it be,” a fitting moral and the transcendent emblem of an era.
One of the most endearing traits of the ballad, “Let it Be,” is in its transparent vulnerability: epitomizing the fragility of a world plagued by world wars and incessant hopelessness, McCartney appeals to the plight of humankind, offering a beacon of optimism to remedy a suffering universal to the hearts of many. In the lyrics, the songwriter speaks of “broken-hearted people” and those “who may [have] parted." Painting an picture of isolated souls, the words evoke a sense of being alone and being at odds with fellow peers. This is a loneliness all too familiar with the baby boomer generation and still extremely palpable nowadays. Pain is unavoidable, but realizing that one is not alone in that state of mind is strangely comforting. The emotional impact of the song serves not as an insincere trick of bathos, but instead a genuine rallying cry for peace. The universality of suffering traverses beyond ethnic and gender barriers, uniting the whole of human existence on same side. Paul McCartney’s reconcilatory words became the comforting anthem of the American nation after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, becoming a hymn for the disheartened. Exhibiting a passive tenderness, “Let it Be” stood out as a remarkable testament to human strength in response to the horrific crisis. Performed by McCartney at the 9/11 benefit concert in New York City, the song alluded to “times of trouble” implying the desolation left behind by the attacks, but somehow still being able to portray the suffering as an opportunity for people to come together, rather than fall apart. Highlighting universal hardship, the Beatles’ “Let it Be” champions an everlasting hopefulness in the face of persistent pain.
Thematically, the lyrics of the song encompasses a myriad of emotions, but none as compelling as Paul McCartney’s plea for resolution through faith, a notion embraced by believers and nonbelievers alike. Executed in a nearly solemn fashion, the song itself carries subtle religious connotations, referring to Mother Mary - the Virgin Mary - “tell[ing] the hour of darkness, a broken-hearted world, an eternal light, and an eternal life giving wisdom,"as affirmed by author Jeffrey McLeod. Although the Beatles were never firm believers of religion, as frontman John Lennon once comically proclaimed that the band was more popular than Jesus, Paul McCartney unveils a deep-rooted trust in higher divinities in his verses, eloquently presenting fate and one’s acceptance of fate as the only path to true happiness. His audience, isolated and alienated by radical events, turned to this preaching of hope to cope with their own restlessness. An epochal descant, the song symbolized a movement spurring the revival of faith, a movement enveloping nations and people from across the spectrum. On a personal level, McCartney was becoming insecure of the band's future while writing the song. As McLeod puts it, “the four guys who had been close friends for years were coming unglued." Channeling this uncertainty into “Let it Be,” the musician’s voice is vulnerable yet resolute in his acknowledgment of inevitable change. Almost prayerfully, McCartney’s hope seems to swell along the course of the music, as he puts his idealism in the “words of wisdom: let it be.” Accepting change and accepting that every event, negative or positive, has a purpose, is a belief within its own, a religion of optimism where faith and bliss go hand in hand.
Many critics have declared that “Let it Be” pales in comparison to other iconic Beatles songs and its influence on cultural society peaks at a bare minimum. On the contrary, McCartney’s work is a legacy standing independently of the band, inspiring people of his own generation as well as this one. Lennon, who felt little affection for the song, thought it was inspired by Bridge Over Troubled Waters” a number written by him prior, accusing McCartney of stealing his vibe. Sandwiching “Let it Be” between the throwaway Dig It and the lascivious Maggie Mae on the album, Lennon undermines the significance of the ballad by effectively eradicating its perceived portentousness. Nevertheless, its poignant moral ironically became the precedent for John Lennon’s own ode to world peace, “Imagine” and continues to be one of the most cherished artistic expressions of the century. Holding its own amongst other Beatles hits, “Let it Be” is distinguished to have held relevance even after its prime, being covered numerous times by several artists, including Joan Baez and Lesley Garrett, and lending its message to charities and peace movements. Embodying the go-with-the-flow mindset of the 1960s and the activist approach of the ‘70s, McCartney’s lyrics defined an entire era but also provided a cautionary truism that endures to this day.
Hailed as one of the most noteworthy songs of the twentieth century, the Beatles’ ”Let it Be” is a monumental icon in music history, uniting people against a universal suffering and preaching resolution through faith in three definitive syllables: let it be.