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8.00am
13 November 2011
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Hi again, it me! 😀
I find that this is, of course, one of John’s many greatest songs. But I didn’t really ever hear the Let It Be version until a few months back. I started it and thought to myself, “Oh! No no no! Wrong key! Blah!”
Why!? Why would they transpose from a beautiful D natural, to a D flat?!?
P.S. Anytime I listen to Across The Universe now, I speed up my record player a little bit. 
The following people thank The Strawberry for this post:
Beatlebug"Time wounds all heels."
-John Lennon
2.03pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline I absolutely no idea why Mr Spector so drastically slowed down ATU, propably to increase the intensity of the song (on the flip side Mr Martin sped it up to another unnatural sounding speed plus it has the horrible fan backing vocals).
Purple Chick speed corrected Mr Sector’s version on Let It Be Delux and it is so much better, it doesnt drag to the point of mind-numbing. The orchestral arrangement now sounds fabulous (there is a violin or viola or some other instrument that can be heard at times and it is so lush).
Sadly the worst mixes of ATU are the most commonly known, played and available ones (LIB & PM). 
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
2.04am
13 November 2011
Offline I wonder what Phil’s reason was. Have you ever noticed that the original key is usually the one people are most familiar with, even if the original release wasn’t in that key? Examples, SFF, ATU, WI64, etc.
"Time wounds all heels."
-John Lennon
3.30am
20 January 2012
Offline The first version of ‘Across The Universe ‘ I heard was on Let It Be …Naked. I LOVE that version! So sad and raw. When I finally heard the Let It Be version I threw up a bit in my mouth (kidding kidding). It’s not very good and I only listen to it if I’m listening to the album or to lazy to change. 6y
Try to realize it's all within yourself, no one else can make you change....
3.45am
19 September 2010
Offline I remember saying this once before without any prior realisation, and I think I gave 1 mod and the 2nd top poster a mini heart attack in saying I didn’t like Across The Universe . Then Zig, the grand man of Maine, reminded me of Anthology 2 ‘s version. At which point – well, the only word is I shut up. Great song -horrible post Jan 1969 production (ie, PM and LIB )
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
5.52am
13 November 2011
Offline BornInThe80s, that’s the same for me. Except, when I listen to that record, I speed it up. I like that version, just not that mix. With the strings and everything it’s amazing, but not in D flat.
"Time wounds all heels."
-John Lennon
6.48pm
12 April 2012
Offline 
Across The Universe is possibly the song officially available in the most different versions. I’d like to know who exactly played on every version. Does McCartney contribute to the let it be and the naked version?
Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby
10.47pm
4 December 2010
Offline To be honest I like all the versions, except the ones with Apple Scruffs . None are perfect but they don’t have to be, because the lyrics are great.
I told her I didn’t
10.53pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline I think Paul plays on the LIB mix of ATU, everything being buried by Spectors orchestration so you cant hear it, but it may have been mixed out before.
As for the Naked mix its John on vocals & acoustic guitar, Ringo on tom toms & George playing tamboura.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.35pm
12 April 2012
Offline I think I hear two guitars on let it be and on naked the second one coming in after the intro. Anyway who plays the intro, john, paul or george? I always thought it was john but on the beatlesbible site of acroos the universe it’s written that John plays acoustic rythm guitar. Paul definitely plays an instrument on the let it be version, you can easily hear his piano line in the outro
Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby
7.47pm
10 August 2011
Offline When you watch the movie, you see Lennon play the intro. (Doesn’t guarantee that he plays it on the recorded version but does strongly suggest…)
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
7.07pm
23 July 2012
Offline John’s best Beatles song, in my opinion. The descriptive and poetic words are so beautiful to listen to, but I think the most beautiful part is the “Nothing’s gonna change my world” refrain. I love this song so much!
PEACE OUT 8)
“I was special. I always have been. Why didn't anyone notice me?"
-John Lennon
7.20pm
16 February 2011
Offline I’m glad that someone agrees with me! Because , really, I like all of the versions… Like I Have said a couple of times already… And lyrics are the main reason for me, too, like you FlyOn (ohh, and welcome, by the way)
The wwf version is pretty silly, with the bird noises and chorus and all, but I like the hippie feeling it gives off; the rawer versions have great guitar sounds but I don’t think John excels in the vocals, Spector version is said to be overproduced and slow, but I don’t mind, at all; it makes the song sound like a space anthem and the chorus is amazing, also, you have more time to focus on the lyrics because of the tempo.
I’m sorry
12.41am
10 August 2011
Offline The best lyrics ever – tied with the last verse of Dylan’s “Mr Tambourine Man”:
“Then take me disappearin’ through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves
The haunted, frightened trees out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand wavin’ free
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.“
The following people thank Into the Sky with Diamonds for this post:
Oudis"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
12.51am
14 February 2012
Offline Finally, someone else who likes the Past Masters version! I agree that it is a teensy bit–no, wait…a lot bit–silly with the bird noises at the beginning, but it is the first version I ever heard of “Across The Universe ” and will, therefore, always hold a special place in my heart. I instantly fell in love with the lyrics and John’s dream-like vocal performance: if ever there was a song that could make me high from listening to it, it would be the Past Masters version of “Across The Universe “.
However, I still find myself showing a preference towards the Let It Be …Naked version of the song. I find I can take the message in the song more seriously without the corny bird noises kicking everything off haha. I also think John’s voice has slightly more depth and emotion than is found in Past Masters .
As for the Let It Be version…? I can sum that one up in one word: BLAH!
Strictly lyrically, one of John’s very best.
The following people thank Dipsy for this post:
Beatlebug"I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know? I'm just one of those people."
5.43pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline The wildlife effects are pretty neat, its more that its been sped up and sounds wrong and those fan backing vocals are horrendous. What the hell was Paul thinking?
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.17am
10 August 2011
Offline The bird sounds Dipsy alludes to were added because the song was first donated to the World Wildlife Fund.
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
11.43pm
1 December 2009
Offline I like the wildlife sounds myself, and actually don’t mind the girls singing that much. It was a unique gesture on Paul’s part, in the what-the-hell spirit of Apple Records. But admittedly it would’ve been a lot MORE generous of Paul if he’d let them sing on one of his own songs rather than John’s. Why didn’t John oppose this anyways? Another example of one of John’s songs being subject to experimentation, just like he later complained about…
The following people thank vonbontee for this post:
OudisGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
12.20pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline And for some reason they didnt use one of the Get Back recordings?
And why wasnt part of this on LIBN’s FOTW bonus disc?
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
12.44pm
12 April 2012
Offline He first isn’t a good recording but I agree, if they had recorded it probably in the apple studios it would have been a nice song, that was a good arrangement (the 2-part harmony). Of the second at least the first part wold have been perfectfor fly on the wall
Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby
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