Letting Go
Encyclopedia
"Letting Go" is a song credited to Paul
and Linda McCartney
and originally released by Wings
on the 1975 album Venus and Mars
. The song was released as a single on 4 October 1975 in the United States, and on 18 October 1975 in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 41 in the UK, and a slightly better number 39 in the US. The song was recorded late in 1974 at Abbey Road Studios
, before the band went to New Orleans to record the bulk of Venus and Mars
. It was one of only three songs recorded with short-term Wings' drummer Geoff Britton
before Britton quit the band (the others being "Love in Song" and "Medicine Jar").
Like many of Paul McCartney's songs of this period, the subject of "Letting Go" is his wife Linda. The singer describes himself in a relationship with a beautiful woman but he remains concerned about the relationship. McCartney biographer Peter Ames Carlin claims that the song "traced the thin line between love and obsession", with "passion in all its unhinged, dangerous glory." The song reflects McCartney's recognition that he needed to give his wife more space to pursue her own interests, after Linda had given up her career as a photographer to join his band. The content of the lyrics varies between the verses and refrain
, with the verses describing the subject and the refrain acknowledging the idea of "letting go." The key
is A minor
at the start of the song, but the song ends in C minor
.
The contrast in the lyrics is also reflected in the music, with the refrain using a descending note melody and having a darker sound than the verses, which have a melody that wavers up and down. The song uses a medium tempo
, and the instruments include a guitar part described by Allmusic critic Donald Guarisco as "bluesy
" and keyboards, plus a horn parts in an interlude as well as in the outro. "Letting Go" has more of a soul music
feel than most of the songs on Venus and Mars, which are more pop music
oriented. The single version is remixed and is approximately a minute shorter than the album track. The single also incorporates elements that were not included on the album track, such as an organ glissando
at the beginning.
Authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter called "Letting Go" "one of the best songs on the LP
." Robert Rodriguez called it "a strong track topped with a full slab of brass
" and noted that it was "one of the Wings' onstage highlights." Authors Roy Carr and Tony Tyler described the song as one of the few "genuinely potent" tracks on Venus and Mars but with respect to the single declare that McCartney "should have taken his advice and let go. This seeks to be composedly heavy but merely succeeds in attaining a considerable degree of ponderosity." In the book The Rough Guide to the Beatles, Chris Ingham considered "Letting Go" to be "an inert sludge rocker," calling it "a disastrous choice for a single."
The song was performed during the Wings over America
tour in 1976, and was included on the live album Wings over America
and on the concert film, Rockshow
. Larry Rohter
of The Washington Post
described the performance on Wings Over America as "rollicking" and "exciting." Ben Fong-Torres described McCartney's live performance of the song as "reaching back for some of that Little Richard
inspiration." McCartney played it again during his 2010 Up and Coming Tour
.
"Letting Go" has been covered by Ian Mitchell on the album Garage Band Tribute To the Beatles.
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and Linda McCartney
Linda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
and originally released by Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
on the 1975 album Venus and Mars
Venus and Mars
Venus and Mars is the fourth album by Wings. Released as the follow-up to the enormously successful Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings' string of success and would prove a springboard for a year-long worldwide tour...
. The song was released as a single on 4 October 1975 in the United States, and on 18 October 1975 in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 41 in the UK, and a slightly better number 39 in the US. The song was recorded late in 1974 at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
, before the band went to New Orleans to record the bulk of Venus and Mars
Venus and Mars
Venus and Mars is the fourth album by Wings. Released as the follow-up to the enormously successful Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings' string of success and would prove a springboard for a year-long worldwide tour...
. It was one of only three songs recorded with short-term Wings' drummer Geoff Britton
Geoff Britton
Geoff Britton is a rock drummer known for his work with Paul McCartney's Wings from 1974 to 1975, where he was featured on the Venus and Mars album,...
before Britton quit the band (the others being "Love in Song" and "Medicine Jar").
Like many of Paul McCartney's songs of this period, the subject of "Letting Go" is his wife Linda. The singer describes himself in a relationship with a beautiful woman but he remains concerned about the relationship. McCartney biographer Peter Ames Carlin claims that the song "traced the thin line between love and obsession", with "passion in all its unhinged, dangerous glory." The song reflects McCartney's recognition that he needed to give his wife more space to pursue her own interests, after Linda had given up her career as a photographer to join his band. The content of the lyrics varies between the verses and refrain
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
, with the verses describing the subject and the refrain acknowledging the idea of "letting go." The key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
is A minor
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
at the start of the song, but the song ends in C minor
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
.
The contrast in the lyrics is also reflected in the music, with the refrain using a descending note melody and having a darker sound than the verses, which have a melody that wavers up and down. The song uses a medium tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
, and the instruments include a guitar part described by Allmusic critic Donald Guarisco as "bluesy
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
" and keyboards, plus a horn parts in an interlude as well as in the outro. "Letting Go" has more of a soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
feel than most of the songs on Venus and Mars, which are more pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
oriented. The single version is remixed and is approximately a minute shorter than the album track. The single also incorporates elements that were not included on the album track, such as an organ glissando
Glissando
In music, a glissando is a glide from one pitch to another. It is an Italianized musical term derived from the French glisser, to glide. In some contexts it is distinguished from the continuous portamento...
at the beginning.
Authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter called "Letting Go" "one of the best songs on the LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
." Robert Rodriguez called it "a strong track topped with a full slab of brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
" and noted that it was "one of the Wings' onstage highlights." Authors Roy Carr and Tony Tyler described the song as one of the few "genuinely potent" tracks on Venus and Mars but with respect to the single declare that McCartney "should have taken his advice and let go. This seeks to be composedly heavy but merely succeeds in attaining a considerable degree of ponderosity." In the book The Rough Guide to the Beatles, Chris Ingham considered "Letting Go" to be "an inert sludge rocker," calling it "a disastrous choice for a single."
The song was performed during the Wings over America
Wings over America
Wings over America is the sixth album by Wings and their only live album. In its initial release, it was a triple album and included a poster of the band.-Recording history:...
tour in 1976, and was included on the live album Wings over America
Wings over America
Wings over America is the sixth album by Wings and their only live album. In its initial release, it was a triple album and included a poster of the band.-Recording history:...
and on the concert film, Rockshow
Rockshow
Rockshow is a 1980 concert film by Wings, filmed during their 1976 North American tour. It features 30 songs from four concerts of the tour: New York, May 25 ; Seattle, Washington, June 10 ; Los Angeles, California, June 22 ; and Los Angeles, California, June 23 , although both the cover of the...
. Larry Rohter
Larry Rohter
William Lawrence Rohter, Jr. — known as Larry Rohter — is an American journalist who was a South American bureau chief for The New York Times from 1999 to 2007...
of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
described the performance on Wings Over America as "rollicking" and "exciting." Ben Fong-Torres described McCartney's live performance of the song as "reaching back for some of that Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
inspiration." McCartney played it again during his 2010 Up and Coming Tour
Up and Coming Tour
The Up and Coming Tour is a concert tour by Paul McCartney. The tour began on March 28, 2010, at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona , included two concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, following with concerts in Miami and San Juan, the latter marking McCartney's first...
.
"Letting Go" has been covered by Ian Mitchell on the album Garage Band Tribute To the Beatles.