Recorded because the B-side of “Get Back” on January 28, 1969, “Don’t Let Me Down” was first heard exterior of the recording studio two days later, on January 30, when The Beatles performed it a rooftop live performance at Apple Studio in Savile Row, London. Written by John Lennon as an expression of his love for Yoko Ono, the tune is heartfelt and passionate. As John advised Rolling Stone journal in 1970, “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.”
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Becoming a member of The Beatles at Apple Studios for either side of the only was keyboard participant Billy Preston, who offers the monitor such a good looking, mild really feel, contrasting brilliantly with the depth of John’s lead vocal. Billy was credited on the Apple single and it charted in America, however airplay of “Get Back” predominated and propelled the A-side to No.1 on the charts for 5 weeks. By comparability, “Don’t Let Me Down” received a lot much less publicity. It’s one other of these B-side gems that, with the passing of time, folks have come to understand extra.
Throughout filming of the rooftop live performance, The Beatles performed “Don’t Let Me Down” proper after doing two variations of “Get Back,” and it led straight into “I’ve Got A Feeling.” Michael Lindsay-Hogg directed The Beatles’ shoot, and each he and Paul McCartney met usually on the tail finish of 1968, whereas Hogg was directing The Rolling Stones’ Rock And Roll Circus, to debate the filming of The Beatles’ session in January. By the point that fateful Thursday got here round, the penultimate day of January could be the final time The Beatles ever performed collectively in entrance of any form of viewers.
On this video, it’s not the model of “Don’t Let Me Down” heard on the only however the model from the Let It Be… Bare album – a composite of each variations that had been carried out on probably the most well-known rooftop live performance of all time.
