- Authorship: Lennon-McCartney
- Recording Dates: January 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 1969
- Engineer: Glyn Johns
Release Dates: April 11, 1969 (UK), May 5, 1969 (US)
Available on: Past Masters Let It Be… Naked
Personnel
- John Lennon: Lead vocals, Rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney: Harmony vocals, Bass
- George Harrison: Harmony vocals, Lead guitar
- Ringo Starr: Drums
- Billy Preston: Electric piano
About the Song
Even though only one new composition, ‘Dig A Pony’ by John Lennon, made it onto the Let It Be album, he also penned ‘Don’t Let Me Down,’ a love song dedicated to Yoko Ono, during the same recording sessions. This song was released as the B-side of the ‘Get Back’ single.
Similar to ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ from Abbey Road, ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ was a straightforward and emotionally charged song, reflecting his infatuation with Ono.
In times of crisis, people don’t politely ask for help, they cry out for it. As John Lennon put it, “When it gets down to it, when you’re drowning, you don’t say, ‘I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,’ you just scream.” John Lennon Rolling Stone, 1970
Although Lennon had been expressing his emotions and fears through songs since as early as 1964 with ‘If I Fell’ and ‘I’m A Loser,’ ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ was one of the initial instances of his unfiltered emotional expression, which would later reach its peak with ‘Cold Turkey’ and the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album.
This was a highly tense period: John was with Yoko, facing issues related to heroin use and the associated anxieties, and he was taking emotional risks. It both excited and frightened him, particularly because it exposed his vulnerability. ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ was, in essence, a genuine plea, a way of saying to Yoko, ‘I’m going out on a limb here. I’m revealing my vulnerability, so you mustn’t let me down.’ I believe it was a sincere cry for help. It was a great song. Paul McCartney Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
‘Don’t Let Me Down’ was released as the flip-side of ‘Get Back’ in the UK in April 1969 and in the US in May. Both songs were credited to The Beatles with Billy Preston.
Interestingly, Rod Stewart’s 1976 song ‘The Killing Of Georgie’ concludes with a melody identical to ‘Don’t Let Me Down,’ even though Lennon later mistakenly thought it was part of Stewart’s ‘Maggie May.’
In John Lennon’s words, “By the way, Rod Stewart turned ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ into [sings] ‘Maggie don’t go-o-o’ [sic]. That’s one that the publishers never noticed. Why didn’t he just sing ‘Don’t Let Me Down’? The same reason I don’t sing other people’s stuff, either: because you don’t get paid.”