The Beatles‘ iconic song “Let It Be” is often praised as one of their greatest hits. However, many believe it’s too similar to one of their earlier tracks. While both songs are deeply emotional and have become classics, there are clear reasons why “Let It Be” is ultimately a gospel-tinged version of another hit song.

The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ had a familiar structure

“Let It Be” and “Hey Jude” share striking similarities in their musical structure. Both songs start with calm, piano-driven intros that build into powerful, sing-along choruses. The repetition of key phrases in the chorus, like “Let it be” and “Hey Jude,” creates a similar feel. This formula worked for “Hey Jude,” so The Beatles likely tried to recreate that magic with “Let It Be.”

Both songs convey deep emotional messages. “Hey Jude” is a comforting anthem, encouraging someone to take a sad situation and turn it around. Similarly, “Let It Be” offers hope and reassurance, urging listeners to accept things as they are. The themes of comfort and encouragement are nearly identical in both tracks. “Let It Be” and “Hey Jude” work so well because they rely on the buttery voice of Paul McCartney to empower the audience. Nobody can sing a self-empowerment anthem like the cute Beatle.

The Beatles could be repetitive in multiple ways

The repetition in both songs is another key similarity. In “Hey Jude,” the extended outro where Paul repeats “na-na-na” serves as an invitation for listeners to join in. “Let It Be” also builds to a repeated phrase, urging people to “let it be.” This technique adds emotional weight but it is not groundbreaking, as The Beatles already did it in “Hey Jude.”

While “Let It Be” is undeniably a beautiful song, its structure and emotional appeal closely mirror “Hey Jude.” The similarities suggest that The Beatles essentially replicated their earlier success. That’s not a bad thing, as the world could use more songs of “Hey Jude”‘s caliber.

What John Lennon thought of ‘Let It Be’

In the 1980 book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John Lennon discussed “Let It Be.” “Nothing to do with The Beatles,” he said. “It could’ve been Wings. I don’t know what [Paul was] thinking when he writes ‘Let It Be.’ I think it was inspired by ‘Bridge over Troubled Water.’ That’s my feeling, although I have nothing to go on. I know that he wanted to write a ‘Bridge over Troubled Water.’”

John explained “Let It Be”‘s place in Paul’s discography. “He had a little spurt just before we split,” he said. “I think the shock of Yoko and what was happening gave him a creative spurt, including ‘Let It Be’ and ‘Long and Winding Road,’ ‘cause that was the last gasp from him.”

He felt both “Let It Be” and “Hey Jude” received too much attention. “When a radio station has a Beatles weekend, they usually play the same 10 songs — ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ ‘Help!’ ‘Yesterday,’ ‘Something,’ ‘Let It Be’ — you know, there’s all that wealth of material, but we hear only 10 songs.” He was onto something!

“Let It Be” was a regurgitation — but it’s still enjoyable because it’s a regurgitation of such a good ballad.