Artifact: Paul McCartney's Letter Complaining About Phil Spector's Production of 'The Long and Winding Road'

 

A copy of a typewritten letter from Paul McCartney to Allen Klein, the controversial manager of The Beatles for a period, concerning the Phil Spector's production of the band's song "The Long and Winding Road" from the album Let It Be (Apple, 1970) without the consent of McCartney, who had written the song, although it's co-credited to McCartney and John Lennon. The letter is dated April 11, 1970 and reads in part: "Dear Sir / In future, no one will be allowed to add to or subtract from a recording of one of my songs without my permission. / I had considered orchestrating ‘The Long And Winding Road’ but I had decided against it. I, therefore, want it altered to these specifications:

1. Strings, horns, voices and all added noises to be reduced in volume.

2. Vocal and Beatles instrumentation to be brought up in volume.

3. Harp to be removed completely at the end of the song and original piano notes to be substituted.

4. Don’t ever do it again.

Signed

Paul McCartney

c.c. Phil Spector

John Eastman"

The letter is accompanied by an article from the New York Post dated May 15, 1970, that Spector had kept, that discusses Spector's production of tracks on Let It Be, on which he added addtional orchestration and female voices.

Via Julien's Auctions.