Few songs resonate through the decades quite like The Beatles’ Let It Be. Written by Paul McCartney, the song’s gentle message of hope and acceptance has made it a timeless classic. So, when McCartney finally earned his solo induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, it felt only fitting that he would perform this iconic track. What made the moment even more special was the star-studded lineup that joined him on stage—Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Eric Clapton, Robbie Robertson, The Staple Singers, and more, all lending their voices to a song that had transcended generations.
While the event was filled with the typical fanfare that comes with Hall of Fame inductions, Let It Be managed to rise above the spectacle. It wasn’t just a performance; it was a spiritual moment, a reminder of the song’s deeper message. Born out of personal grief and societal chaos, Let It Be offered a beacon of calm during turbulent times.
In the late 1960s, the world was on edge. Protests against the Vietnam War raged on, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy left the world in mourning. Music often mirrored this unrest, with artists pouring raw emotion into their work. Yet, amidst this turmoil, McCartney delivered a simple, soothing anthem.
The song’s origins are as touching as the lyrics themselves. As McCartney once revealed during Carpool Karaoke, the idea for Let It Be came from a dream. In the midst of internal band struggles and personal anxiety, he dreamed of his late mother, Mary McCartney, who had passed away when he was just 14. In the dream, she comforted him, saying, “It’s going to be okay. Just let it be.” That reassurance sparked the creation of one of The Beatles’ most beloved tracks. “She gave me positive words,” McCartney said. “So I wrote the song out of positivity.”
However, like many Beatles stories, Let It Be has its share of alternative narratives. Mal Evans, the band’s longtime road manager and confidant, once offered a different origin tale. In a 1975 interview with David Frost, Evans claimed that he appeared to McCartney in a vision during a meditation session, repeating the phrase “let it be.” According to Evans, the song was initially going to reference “Brother Malcolm” but was altered to avoid confusion.
Regardless of which story holds more truth, the song’s impact remains undeniable. The 1999 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performance was more than just a celebration of McCartney’s achievements; it was a tribute to the enduring power of music. Seeing legends from across genres unite on stage to perform Let It Be reminded everyone of the song’s universal message—sometimes, the best thing to do is to simply let things be.
Even if the ‘90s-era suits were questionable, the performance itself remains one of the Hall of Fame’s most iconic moments—a fitting tribute to a song that continues to inspire peace and acceptance decades later.
