The Beatles vs. Bill Withers | Face Off

In the third edition of Face Off (2026), The Beatles and Bill Withers face off for the best rendition of “Let It Be.”

AAh, let the Face Off begin! The sun has set on Head 2 Head (2021 – 2025), but the musical competition has “only just begun”, Karen Carpenter! In Face Off, musicians compete to determine who delivered the best version of a song. In most cases, the musicians are performing the same song or a remix, rearrangement, or variation of the song.  Each performance will be evaluated for vocal or instrumental performance, production, and so on and so forth. After blurbing about each performance, I will briefly deliberate and deliver a verdict about who wins the Face Off.  Draws and ties are acceptable, but in most cases, one band, group, or musician will get the edge. In the third edition of Face Off (2026), The Beatles and Bill Withers face off for the best rendition of “Let It Be”. May the best musician win!

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Table of Contents
1. The Beatles, “Let It Be”	2. Bill Withers, “Let It Be”
Deliberation	Verdict

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1. The Beatles, “Let It Be”

Let It Be » Apple Corps Ltd » 1970

Those are some of the most iconic lyrics to ever be written or sung. “Let It Be” is the crème de la crème of The Beatles’ catalog. Notably, John Lennon (1940 – 1980) wasn’t a fan of the sixth track from Let It Be (1970). He also didn’t like the album and was skeptical of this Paul McCartney (b. 1942) led personal song. Credited to both McCartney and Lennon, McCartney is the sole songwriter. Extraordinary but controversial music producer Phil Spector (1939 – 2021) produced it. Fun fact: Let It Be, recorded before Abbey Road, was the final album released by The Beatles, who were in the process of disbanding. 

John Lennon may have had a bone to pick with “Let It Be,” but this uplifting song is a surefire classic.  The first time you hear “Let It Be,” it feels meaningful and special. It is an encouraging song, but it is NOT a Christian/gospel song despite radiating peace. Yes, Mother Mary is an important part of Catholicism, but McCartney is referencing his deceased mother, Mary, not Mother Mary. McCartney was inspired to write this song after having a dream about her.  The inspirational sentiment was intentional, something that irked Lennon. “And when the broken-hearted people / Living in the world agree,” McCartney sings in the third verse, continuing, “There will be an answer / Let it be.”  The takeaway: it will be okay.  Is there a timeline to ‘letting it be’? No.  Is there a timeline for things that we can’t control in life? No. The chorus is simple, yet reflective and thoughtful: “Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be / There will be an answer / Let it be.”  Ultimately, “Let It Be” is epic to the nth degree.  McCartney sounds fantastic, the background vocals are marvelous, the musical accompaniment is stellar, and the songwriting is pitch perfect. Beginning as a piano ballad, it becomes grander, with the addition of the full rhythm section, including ‘the fifth Beatle,’ Billy Preston (1946 – 2006), on the organ and a sweet guitar solo by George Harrison (1943 – 2001). This double-platinum, number-one hit is a song that many songwriters wished they could have written.

 

Appears in:

The Beatles, Let It Be: Throwback Vibez No. 75 (2025) 13 Songs That Explore It, Vol. 5 (2025) 15 Beastly Songs Driven by the Power of BE (2026)

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2. Bill Withers, “Let It Be”

Just as I Am » Sony Music Entertainment » 1971

Mother Mattie? Yes, that is what Grammy-winning, soul singer-songwriter extraordinaire Bill Withers sings on “Let It Be”.  In the original song by The Beatles, performed and written by Paul McCartney (b. 1942), McCartney sings “Mother Mary” instead.  That is just one of many ways that Withers makes a big-time number-one hit his own. “Let It Be” is the eighth track on Withers’ 1971, critically acclaimed debut album, Just as I Am.  Yes, “Ain’t No Sunshine” is the Grammy-winning crown jewel from Just As I Am, but his masterful cover of “Let It Be” deserves recognition as well.  Notably, Booker T. Jones (b. 1944) produced it.

Covering a juggernaut like “Let It Be” is an arduous task, but Bill Withers ate and left no crumbs.  His rendition begins with a unique, hyper rhythmic percussive groove (led by the tambourine). The organ outlines the familiar tune as Withers hums along.  Withers distinguishes “Let It Be” from the original early on. He delivers incredibly expressive and soulful vocals over an equally soulful, bluesy, and gospel-infused background (organ, tambourine, and rhythmic guitar). During the second verse, claps up the ante, as Bill continues to give his all.  The final chorus, following the second verse, digs in even more, thanks to a more boisterous organ, taking us to church!

“Let it be, let it be

Lord, let it be, Lord, let it be, ah-ha

There will be an answer, let it be

Lord, let it be, let it be, ah

Let it be, let it be.”

Concluding this epic cover, Withers hums once more. “Let It Be” by The Beatles is a legendary record, and hard to even come close to touching.  Bill Withers does his big one, making this masterpiece truly his own and special in its own right.

 

Appears in:

Bill Withers, Let It Be: Covers No. 2 (2026)

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Deliberation

Ah, we’ve arrived at the deliberation! To Deliberate is “to think about or discuss issues and decisions carefully.” With that definition courtesy of my go-to, Merriam-Webster, briefly break down these two distinct performances with some notes!

1. The Beatles, “Let It Be”

2. Bill Withers, “Let It Be”

“Let It Be” earned The Beatles a number one hit on the pop charts. Yeah, it was and still is ‘kind of a big deal.’ The iconic single has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.  This is a rare feat for a song that age. John Lennon was skeptical of this beloved classic. Lennon is listed as a co-writer, but Paul McCartey is the sole songwriter and performs it. Although “Mother Mary” is mentioned on “Let It Be,” McCartney is referencing his deceased mother, Mary in this inspirational and uplifting song. It is not a Christian or religious record.

Withers transformed the original into a funkier, more soulful rendition A distinct cover, “Let It Be” is underrated compared to the biggest fish on his debut, Just As I Am, the Grammy-winning “Ain’t No Sunshine”. The key instruments that make “Let It Be” cook are tambourine, organ, and rhythm guitar. Bill Withers references “Mother Mattie” instead of “Mother Mary.” Again, not a religious record.

 

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Verdict

After much deliberation, yo boi, The Musical Hype, has reached a verdict. In the case… I mean, in the Face Off between The Beatles and Bill Withers, The Beatles come out on top! Was there any other option? No, not really – sorry Bill! What was the difference? Basically, it is always tough to beat The Beatles. While Withers’s version is awesome, the original set an impossible standard to exceed.  This song will ALWAYS belong to Paul McCartney! And with that said, stay tuned for the next Face Off!

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The Beatles vs. Bill Withers: Face Off No. 3 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Apple Corps Ltd, Sony Music Entertainment; fotografoedsonj ed, Marlon Schmeiski from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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