The Beatles - Let It Be - Lyrics Meaning

Though John Lennon once explained that he thought Paul McCartney's "Let It Be" was inspired by the Simon and Garfunkel hit "Bridge Over Troubled Water," the idea actually came to McCartney after a dream about his mother. In March of 1970, The Beatles released the song as a single from their album of the same name (a year before "Bridge Over Troubled Water was released"). "Let It Be" topped the charts in several countries, including the United States, Australia, and Switzerland, and was ranked number 20 on the list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published by Rolling Stone. Because it was the last single released by The Beatles as a group and because Let It Be was their final album, the song's message about releasing oneself from problems and sorrow is particularly apt. In his dream, McCartney encountered his mother, Mary, who died of cancer when he was fourteen-years-old. McCartney has said of the song that he knew most listeners would assume that "Mother Mary" was a religious reference, a fact that annoyed John Lennon. In his dream, McCartney's mother told him not to worry, that everything would be all right. It was from this message that McCartney drew the subject of the song.