Remember that time Beatles icon Paul McCartney needed a little help from the NYPD to get to his gig with Billy Joel on time? Fresh from across the pond, and with help from a police escort, Paul ran on stage at Shea Stadium in New York without a moment to spare. He then delivered one of the greatest cuts of his iconic Beatles number “Let It Be”. Billy Joel is one of the most accomplished songwriters of all time, but even he had to just sit in awe of Paul during much of this duet.
Billy looked like he was enjoying it as much as any Beatles superfan in the crowd was. It was also super heartwarming seeing the look on Billy’s face when Paul first hit the stage when he realized the Beatle had come through for him. The Piano Man stepped aside from his piano for once in his career to let Paul deliver a masterful piano rendition of “Let It Be”. But The Music Man is glad to report that Billy still chimed in with some gorgeous harmonies that made this such a memorable cut of the Beatles classic.
Viewers loved to see the duet and added comments such as “You know it’s special when Billy Joel does air piano, provides backing vocals, and just watches half the time!” and “New York gave Paul a royal entry from airport to the stage as fast as possible. He got on stage, lifted the place up, tore the roof down, everybody smiling happy as can be, the band members grinning from ear to ear, Billy Joel shining of how proud he was, couldn’t get any better. Only someone of his status can do that. Sir Paul McCartney!!!”
Billy and Paul have shared the stage to perform “Let It Be” on more than one occasion. The pair shared a very memorable performance of the Beatles’ favorite at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, with Billy singing the opening verse. This was truly an all-star performance, with a number of big names joining in, including the likes of Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, The Band’s Robbie Robertson, and Bonnie Raitt.
The Beatles issued “Let It Be” on March 6, 1970, as the second single from their 12th studio album of the same name. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that the song has the distinction of being the final Beatles single to be released prior to the breakup of the group. It was well-received at the time, hitting number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and holding the top spot for two weeks. It has since become a certified Beatles classic and has been covered by many big-name artists such as Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, and Jennifer Hudson.