Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 22, 28, 30 January 1969
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Glyn Johns
Released: 11 April 1969 (UK), 5 May 1969 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: harmony vocals, bass
George Harrison: lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums
Billy Preston: electric piano
Available on:
Past Masters
Let It Be... Naked
Although just one new song (Dig A Pony) by John Lennon made it onto the Let It Be album, he did compose this love song to Yoko Ono, which was recorded during the same sessions and released as the b-side to Get Back.
As with Abbey Road's I Want You (She's So Heavy), Don't Let Me Down was a lyrically simple and direct song inspired by his infatuation with Ono.
When it gets down to it, when you're drowning, you don't say, "I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me," you just scream.
Rolling Stone, 1970
Although Lennon was revealing his feelings and fears in song as far back as 1964's If I Fell and I'm A Loser, Don't Let Me Down was one of the first examples of the raw soul-baring that would reach a peak on Cold Turkey and the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album.
It was a very tense period: John was with Yoko and had escalated to heroin and all the accompanying paranoias and he was putting himself out on a limb. I think that as much as it excited and amused him, and the same time it secretly terrified him. So Don't Let Me Down was a genuine plea... It was saying to Yoko, 'I'm really stepping out of line on this one. I'm really letting my vulnerability be seen, so you must not let me down.' I think it was a genuine cry for help. It was a good song.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
Don't Let Me Down was released as the flip-side of Get Back in the UK in April 1969, and in the US in May. Like its a-side, the song was credited to The Beatles with Billy Preston.
In the studio
The Beatles' first studio recording of Don't Let Me Down was taped on 22 January 1969 at Apple, although rehearsals of the song had been filmed earlier in the month at Twickenham Film Studios.
A version from this first day was selected for inclusion in the unreleased Get Back album, along with a snippet of speech in which Lennon asked Starr to hit the cymbals hard after the intro, to "give me the courage to come screaming in."
On 28 January The Beatles and Preston recorded the version which ended up on the Get Back single. They taped it twice again two days later on the roof of Apple, the first of which was included in the Let It Be film.
We recorded it in the basement of Apple for Let It Be and later did it up on the roof for the film. We went through it quite a lot for this one. I sang harmony on it, which makes me wonder if I helped with a couple of words, but I don't think so. It was John's song.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
An edit of the two rooftop performances was included on 2003's Let It Be... Naked, in place of Dig It and Maggie Mae.
One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I can really sympathize with the sentiment in this song.
There were 3 part harmonies on this song.
I'm partial to the Rooftop version with the lyric,
"And only reese we got the blootchy-koo
Ooh she does
Yes she does"
ME TOO!! My preference would have been for them to leave that in for the Naked version. I had a VHS copy of the film, and played that bit over & over. I still do that when watching Anthology.
Phil Spector totally ruined the Let It Be album, and one of his massive blunders was not including this song. It's absolutely fantastic, one of my five favorite John songs. Spector also butcherd "Across the Universe" and "The Long and Winding Road" with his overproduction. Fortunatley, he's in jail now.
"Let It Be" is not even a Beatles album. Phil Spector produce for his own pleasure. Let It Be is just a Phil Spector album (soloist).
David: It's interesting to note that Lennon disagreed with you, as do I, particularly about "Across The Universe."
Also, I don't think Spector's "over-production" of music has any bearing on why he's been imprisoned...better examples would be the ill-treament he inflicted on his wife, and the rather insane behaviour he showed during the sessions for what would become Lennon's "Rock 'N' Roll."
Plus he killed someone.
Does anyone know why Don't Let Me Down was not included on Let It Be? Any discussion amongst the band or Spector about why it was omitted?
I know Paul put it on Let It Be Naked - but why was it kept of in the first place?
Don't Let Me Down was released on the Hey Jude (or The Beatles Again album) which was released just prior to LIB (if memory serves me right).
I guess that was the reason.
I was very disappointed with the omission because LIB cost a lot of money back then. LIB originally was released in a black box with a beautiful colour book (at least in the USA and Canada).
That must have been an import; the US version was just the album. As far as I know the box set was a UK-only release, issued by Apple and distributed by EMI.
I believe the box-set did have a limited US distribution because I remember when LIB came out, stores had the two versions side by side - the box set being much more expensive I bought the album - my friend bought the box - and so of course I now hate him very much.
He bought the box at a standard dept store - not a record store - at that time we never really had heard of imports.
I bought the box set here in Canada and there was stacks of them in the largest record store in Canada at the time.
I also saw the box set in New York City about a month or so after the release of LIB.
I have never met any information about mixing the single and 'Past Masters' version and I wonder why. It seems to be pretty interesting because while the record is 'live' there are two Lennon voices on it. Was the second overdubbed later by John himself or was it taken from any other take?
In the final version there are two takes and some elements (like voices, screams) from other takes.