Don’t Let Me Down

I have a soft spot for some of these “new” songs recorded during the LET IT BE sessions. After watching GET BACK three times (!) — this one makes me giddy out of the gate, because Billy Preston gets a writing credit. I’m guessing Phil Spector was instructed to leave it off the original album because it complicated the royalty situation. I don’t know for sure, but it’s too good of a song to omit and was later added back.

For me, this is one of Lennon’s finest moments with the Beatles — even though the lyrics are as on-the-nose as it gets. But that’s exactly why I love it — it’s honest. So many of the great Lennon songs are surreal and emotionally distant. With this one, he was emotional and direct about the kind of commitment he wanted with Yoko. Normally the band leaned on Paul for this kind of vulnerability.

John continued this two years later as a solo artist and wrote more direct songs like this. Imagine, Oh Yoko!, Gimme Some Truth.

DON’T LET ME DOWN was written for Yoko during these months in ‘68 when their love affair was new and peaking. No wonder he wanted to leave the Beatles. He wanted to be with her all the time and start their new chapter. Same with George — he was done. (He didn’t know it yet, but George had a triple album brewing inside him to record).

And John was full of hope and had a new relationship that he hoped would last forever. And so he wrote about it.

I went with the rooftop version because it’s so raw and pure. Performed shortly after it was written. A rare kind of love song. And I really love seeing that one cameraman on his back, finding the right angle on the boys. 😊