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5.34pm
6 May 2018
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William Shears Campbell said
@Dark Overlord, it has been brought up on this site before that Paul uses orchestras when he play TLAWR live despite disliking the addition of the orchestra in the recording. The spectulation is that he does that because that is how the official version of the song is and it is how most know the song.
It seems to me that major differences are that the Spector version has a choir of 14 female voices and harp notes at the end. Appropriate orchestration is fine, but the inclusion of a female choir and harp ending spoil the song for me. I enjoy this version by Paul.
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8.36am
14 June 2016
Offline I respect what Paul says about the original intent of the song. But I still enjoy the LIB version.
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6.45pm
14 June 2016
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I actually really like this song There are 4 “finalized” versions that I know of, meaning not live or outtake versions.
There is, of course, the OG version produced by Phil Spector on the Let It Be album. I think it satisfies my ears because it’s familiar. I’ve listened to this version of the song for most of my life. It holds a special place in my memories and reminds me of my introduction to the Beatles.
To contrast, there is the naked version on Let It Be … Naked. It sounds like the OG version stripped down, which I suppose was the point. The solo is the most noticeable difference, and I kinda like little simple keyboard solo. It adds to this version’s calmness. It is a very calming listen and is one of the tracks LIB …N actually got right.
Then there is the version form 1989 that appeared on the Flowers In The Dirt Japanese Tour Edition. It sounds like a halfway between the Spector version and the Naked version(which hadn’t come out yet but there were still stripped versions in existence as that was the base of the Spector version). It is a nice listen but after a few times through it kinda strikes me as the most boring of all 4 versions.
Then of course there is the infamous Give My Regards To Broad Street Version. I actually really enjoy this version. I actually go with George Harrison when it comes to GMRTBS. The movie sucks, but the album is pretty good. I love the saxophones and the mystic 80’s feel it gives off. It’s a neat different take on the song, and I don’t think it’s given enough attention. It also is the only version to have an intro before the singing setting a sort of jazzy mood before the vocals come in. The only criticism I have for this one is that the verses are switched around. It’s a minor nitpick, but I think it was an unnecessary change. Although I do kind of enjoy being greeted with “The wild and windy night” after the solo.
Anyway I have just been on a kick with this song and its different versions, and I thought I would post about it.
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11.29pm
11 June 2015
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Nice post @William Shears Campbell, I forgot about versions 3 & 4. At the time I really appreciated that song and then lost it for about 40 years. Now the last few seconds (yeah yeah yeah yeah) sound like the true Beatles goodbye.
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12.13am
14 June 2016
Offline Timothy said
I respect what Paul says about the original intent of the song. But I still enjoy the LIB version.
Still feel the same way. I like what Phil did with the official version.
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12.41am
25 February 2020
Offline Timothy said
Timothy said
I respect what Paul says about the original intent of the song. But I still enjoy the LIB version.
Still feel the same way. I like what Phil did with the official version.
same, that’s the version I prefer tbh
12.35pm
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1 May 2011
Offline @William Shears Campbell,
For the officially released naked version of the original version you should seek out ‘Anthology 3 ‘ and not ‘Naked’ as it’s not naked on ‘Naked’. The ‘Naked’ album contains the film version hence the different solo.
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3.46pm
11 June 2015
Offline Wow, cool and thanks mmm. This has officially become the song of the weekend. 
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8.14pm
6 May 2018
Offline meanmistermustard said
@William Shears Campbell,For the officially released naked version of the original version you should seek out ‘Anthology 3 ‘ and not ‘Naked’ as it’s not naked on ‘Naked’. The ‘Naked’ album contains the film version hence the different solo.
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The ‘Anthology 3 ‘ version is is my preferred version too (rather than the ‘LIB ‘ or ‘Naked’ versions). 
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kelicopterAnd in the end
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5.40pm
7 November 2010
Offline The OG Phil Spector version of this song is one of my least favourite Beatles songs ever. The Anthology 3 version is a definite improvement but even then, it just doesn’t do anything for me. 
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4.01pm
2 May 2013
Offline The sentiment of the song I love, but Spector really lays the production on with a trowel and then adds a heavy dose of cloying syrup. I can see why Paul complained. The orchestral arrangement is clunky, the female backing singers tending towards muzak. I like the simple Paul at the piano version in the film which is the most honest and beautiful and meets the ‘back to basics’ ethos perfectly, although either of the versions stripped of Spector’s meddling on Anthology 3 or …Naked I’ll happily take over the ‘official’ one. It’s why I struggle with All Things Must Pass – pretty much all great songs but sound like recorded in an echo chamber to their detriment. Early Takes Vol.1 is a breath of fresh air in comparison and shows the beauty of the songs. Spector was right for the early to mid 60’s but should have rested on his laurels long before he got chance to become involved with The Beatles IMO. George Martin was right – they should have put “Produced by George Martin, overproduced by Phil Spector” on the Let It Be cover.
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4 February 2021
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Love this song. Love the Spector treatment. Listening to the Naked version is like listening to a demo by comparison. Can’t see why people all of a sudden didn’t/don’t like strings on a Beatles track. Think they mean the choir. For me it’s epic. Huge fan of it.
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4.11am
2 May 2013
Offline I’m wondering whether there is a cultural effect with The Long And Winding Road . I was strongly reminded that despite our many similarities there appears to be a difference in perception between (say) and American and British perspective after viewing the opening of last night’s Superbowl. Whilst this is clearly a stereotype, American’s seem much more inclined to take sentimentality at absolute face value, with uttermost sincerity whereas British seem to view it through largely jaundiced eyes. Is this at play in this song given the US producer? Not saying either perspective is right or wrong, simply that it might be a cultural thing.
11.05pm
14 June 2016
Offline Paul Prole said
Love this song. Love the Spector treatment. Listening to the Naked version is like listening to a demo by comparison. Can’t see why people all of a sudden didn’t/don’t like strings on a Beatles track. Think they mean the choir. For me it’s epic. Huge fan of it.
My standout moment of Spector’s treatment is “the wild and windy night, that the rain washed away has left a pool of tears”. Goosebumps.
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2.35am
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1 May 2011
Offline How Paul sings “You left me waiting here, a long long time ago” after the instrumental section is gorgeous. You can here the emotion.
I still prefer the bareness of the bare performance but there is something about Spector’s arrangement that is growing on me – maybe if he had reigned it in just a little bit. It works later on in the song.
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10.20am
17 June 2021
Offline It’s a brilliant song. I love all versions of it, including the Phil Spector one. The strings and the choir on that version is beautiful.
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5.10pm
30 August 2021
Offline Paul Prole said
Love this song. Love the Spector treatment. Listening to the Naked version is like listening to a demo by comparison. Can’t see why people all of a sudden didn’t/don’t like strings on a Beatles track. Think they mean the choir. For me it’s epic. Huge fan of it.
If it had been released that way to begin with, I’d probably also dislike the additions but in the context of what we have the whole Naked album sounds sterile by comparison.
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8.11pm
7 November 2022
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12.59pm
17 June 2021
Offline Sea Belt said
Paul said he originally wrote this for Tom Jones. I would have liked to hear/see that, however it’s not a song Tom could swivel his hips to, so that’s a big drawback.
I didn’t know he initially wrote it for him. It may not be a song Tom could move to, but I could see him do a cover of it nowadays. Tom’s voice still sounds fantastic at 82.
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