‘Let It Be’: Aretha Franklin’s best cover of The Beatles
‘Genius’ is a word that gets banded about far too readily these days, but it only seems fitting when discussing the life and times of Aretha Franklin. As an otherworldly performer, songwriter, and vocalist, nobody came close to replicating the distinctive tones of the ‘Queen of Soul’ back in the 1960s, and nobody has done so since. Her singing is instantly identifiable, and she lent those unparalleled vocals to a vast range of iconic anthems throughout her career. On more than one occasion, though, she used her voice to pay tribute to other musical geniuses, namely The Beatles.
The Beatles transcended borders, becoming a global phenomenon within an impressively short span of time. Early singles like ‘Love Me Do’, ‘She Loves You’, and ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ had already made the Liverpudlian group a household name across the UK, but their consistent knack for writing pop songs with a universal appeal eventually took the Fab Four around the world. In particular, the group found an unparalleled level of success in 1964 when they touched down on US soil for the very first time.
Ushering in the age of the British Invasion, The Beatles found a colossal audience in the States. This success should probably come as no surprise, given that the band had always been heavily and openly influenced by Black American music. From their early covers of rock and roll stars like Little Richard to the Motown-heavy sounds of With The Beatles, Lennon and McCartney were always keen to pay homage to their musical heroes. What’s more, the songwriters were outspoken about their love of these original artists, something of a rarity in those days.
In addition to earning the respect of artists like Smokey Robinson, this outspoken respect for Black American artists also introduced The Beatles to a wealth of other artistic inspiration. When The Beatles first came to America, Aretha Franklin was a mostly unknown gospel singer recording for Columbia Records, but after she signed for Atlantic Records in 1966, she quickly became one of the most recognisable figures in American music.
Inevitably, The Beatles quickly became fans of Franklin, whose awe-inspiring vocals made tracks like ‘Respect’, ‘Think’, and ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ firmly established her in the music mainstream. Seemingly, that adoration was mutual between Franklin and the Fab Four. In fact, the soul singer recorded multiple cover versions of Beatles songs over the years. Notable examples include versions of ‘Eleanor Rigby’, ‘Lady Madonna’, ‘The Long and Winding Road’, ‘The Fool On The Hill’, and live performances of ‘Yesterday’.
Franklin was not the only artist to record their own version of The Beatles’ hits during the band’s heyday, but the lush soul-infused sounds of Aretha Franklin’s take on the Mop Tops were always particularly captivating. Her version of ‘Let It Be’ is a particular highlight, with her voice naturally suited to the style and composition of the Paul McCartney-penned classic. In fact, McCartney sent a demo version of the song to Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records, who quickly set about recording a version with Franklin.
Her version of ‘Let It Be’ arguably eclipses The Beatles’ original; certainly, her vocal performance triumphs over McCartney’s effort. Interestingly, though, Franklin’s version of the song came before the original. Atlantic released ‘Let It Be’ in January 1970, months before The Beatles’ version of their own song hit the airwaves. Seemingly, this was all done by design, with McCartney recognising the innate power at the heart of Franklin’s performance and tailoring ‘Let It Be’ to suit her style. The resulting track is perhaps one of the greatest cover songs ever put on record.
McCartney remained a life-long fan of the ‘Queen of Soul’ and, after her tragic passing in 2018, he paid fateful tribute to “the Queen of our souls, who inspired us all for many, many years.” The former Beatle added, “She will be missed, but the memory of her greatness as a musician and a fine human being will live with us forever.”
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