’Let it Be’ by The Beatles, and is now considered a pop classic. It was recorded around the time the group was about to implode. The song had it beginnings in the Get Back/ Let it be sessions. The inspiration for the song; came at a time when Paul McCartney was terribly depressed. He had a dream about his mother, who died when was very young—this was one of the reasons for McCartney and Lennon bonding in the beginning; both had known the pain of losing their mothers at a young age.

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

There was some controversy about the lyrics of the song between Paul and John. John, who was an anti-Christian, had a hard time dealing with “Mother Mary,” lyric of the song. But Paul McCartney’s mother was name was Mary. And the Inspiration came from a dream he had about his mother—which I think are some Paul’s most poetic and brilliant lyrics. The is song very well composed; with Paul singing his saccharine yet heart—felt lyrics, while playing the piano, Lennon playing the bass, Billy Preston playing organ, George Harrison delivering a tasteful, and well—done guitar solo and Ringo on drums. George Martin produced the single for the song and Phil Spector produced the album version.

McCartney was often seen as the Optimist in the group, while Lennon was seen as the intellectual/pessimist of the group, but they played off of each other very well. ‘Let it Be’ possesses a power that few pop songs are able to conjure up. It’s a shining ball of hope hitting a hard wall of darkness. It’s a song that can make one feel sad, yet. Joyful at the same time, which is very rare indeed. It’s the sun coming through, after a myriad of overcast days. It was the song that was played Linda McCartney’s funeral, and many have been played at many other funerals.

Numerous people such as: Joan Baez, Slash, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles have covered it.

It has the power to reverberate in my mind when I am sad, and often when I am very happy.

A great song.

There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be.

Damion Hamilton lives in St. Louis Missouri. He works in a warehouse you know, so that he can pay for stuff. He had few friends in high school; so he would spend his lunch hour in the school library reading Edgar Allen Poe and encyclopaedias. He didn't really become serious about writing poetry until he was twenty. That's when he read Arthur Rimbaud's, ‘A Season In Hell’ and he's been writing poetry ever since. He walks the streets, or drives around the streets of this city at night: seeing, hearing, feeling and thinking about things. Sometimes he's fortunate enough, to get these things down in a notebook or on a typewriter. To read a selection of Damion’s writing on the showcase section of this site, click here.

© 2007 Laura Hird All rights reserved.