Charles L. Byrd (September 16, 1925 - November 30, 1999), better known as C… Read Full Bio ↴Charles L. Byrd (September 16, 1925 - November 30, 1999), better known as Charlie Byrd, was a famous jazz guitarist, born in Suffolk, Virginia. He was the only jazz guitarist of that era whose primary instrument was the classical guitar which gave him his uniquely identifiable sound.

Byrd primarily looked up to Django Reinhardt. He moved to Washington, D.C., to study classical guitar with the renowned Sophocles Papas. He later moved to Italy where he studied with Andrés Segovia. In the early 1960's he was on a State Department tour in South America where he was introduced to a new music, the bossa nova, which was the musical passion of Brazil beginning in the late 50's. Jazz saxophonist Stan Getz had been in Brazil about six months earlier than Byrd, also on a State Department tour, where he, too, was exposed to the bossa nova. A short time later Getz called Byrd in D.C. and suggested the idea that they collaborate on a bossa nova album. That album was the introduction of bossa nova to North America.

He is perhaps most well known as a collaborator with Stan Getz on the Jazz Samba album, which featured many themes of bossa nova, and of course, samba.

Let It Be
Charlie Byrd Lyrics

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When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Charlie Byrd's "Let It Be" speak of finding comfort in the midst of hardship through the guidance of Mother Mary. The first stanza speaks of Mary's presence during difficult times, offering words of wisdom and comfort to ease troubled minds. This can be interpreted in various ways, as Mother Mary is a symbol of hope and guidance across many cultures and religions, but the message of letting go and accepting things as they are, is prominent in the lyrics as well. The repetition of "let it be" serves as a reminder to surrender to the unpredictability of life.

Moving on, the second stanza talks about how a shared pain brings people together, and through that unity, there is hope for resolution. Even if people are separated, there is still a chance for them to find answers as long as they are open and receptive. The beauty of the phrase "let it be" is that it acknowledges that life can be unpredictable, messy, and full of pain but at the same time, there is a glimmer of hope and a chance for resolution if we let go of trying too hard to control it. The last stanza alludes to this idea of hope during dark times. When night falls and everything seems bleak, there is still a light that shines on us, perhaps signifying the potential for growth and better days ahead.

Line by Line Meaning

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
When I am faced with difficulties, I turn to Mother Mary for guidance and she advises me to accept things the way they are.

And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
When I am feeling lost and hopeless, Mother Mary appears to offer me advice to have faith and move forward.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
I should accept the circumstances that cannot be changed and gain wisdom from them.

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree There will be an answer, let it be
When people come together despite their differences in a difficult situation, a solution will be found.

For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see There will be an answer, let it be
Even when people are separated, there is still hope that they will find a solution to their problems.

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me Shine until tomorrow, let it be
Even during tough times when everything seems dark, there is still hope and I should keep moving forward.

I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Music is a source of comfort and inspiration for me, and Mother Mary continues to offer me wise advice.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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