UK single release: Let It Be

The Beatles’ final UK single of their career, not including various reissues and the Anthology releases, was ‘Let It Be’.

The single was issued in stereo only, as Apple R 5833, with ‘You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)’ on the b-side.

By the time of its release The Beatles were essentially no more, with each member working hard on solo or other projects. The single, coming two months ahead of the Let It Be album, was essentially a stopgap to give the impression that they were still working together.

However, the last time all four were together was seven months previously. Recording for ‘Let It Be’ had begun in January 1969, and ‘You Know My Name’ was even older, having been started in May 1967.

‘Let It Be’ failed to top the charts in the United Kingdom – its chart peak was number two. The single entered the charts on 14 March 1970, spent nine weeks on the countdown, plus a further week in October 1970.

Also on this day, the single ‘Govinda’ / ‘Govinda Jai Jai’ by Radha Krshna Temple was released as Apple 25. It was produced by George Harrison.

At Morgan Sound Studios, Ringo Starr completed his debut solo LP, Sentimental Journey. Drums, piano and saxophone, the latter played by Johnny Dankworth, were added to the song ‘You Always Hurt The One You Love’, and it was mixed along with four other songs. The album was released in the UK on 27 March 1970.