So how on Earth did Aretha Franklin get her hands on one of The Beatles' most iconic songs and record a version two months before it was even released?
Well, Macca had sent a demo of 'Let It Be' to record producer and former journalist Jerry Wexler, who signed Aretha Franklin to Atlantic Records.
He supposedly told Wexler that Aretha had the right to release the song first - though that doesn't confirm if he intentionally wrote it with Aretha in mind, he perhaps thought she could grasp the biblical connotations more meaningfully as a gospel singer.
But why else would Paul McCartney, one of two of the biggest songwriters in the world at the time, offer a song to Aretha Franklin without wanting her take on it?
She did in fact record her rendition for her album
This Girl’s In Love With You, but it sounded nothing like Paul's original and featured a solo by the great American saxophonist King Curtis.
Aretha recorded her version of 'Let It Be' with the Alabama-based Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, with David Hood playing bass.
In an interview discussing the situation, Hood said: "I kick myself for not grabbing that demo. Because I think they probably dropped it in the garbage."
"Our version was different. We changed it a little bit from his demo, where their version is different from that demo and from Aretha's version, as well. Just slightly, but little things."
Aretha refused to release it as a single despite Wexler's protestation, which was rather lucky as Paul handed Wexler legal notice barring him from doing so anyway, as The Beatles' now-classic version came out two months later.
The legal matter didn't disintegrate Aretha's friendship with The Beatles however. She recorded a version of '
Eleanor Rigby' on that very same album, later covering 'The Fool on The Hill' and 'The Long and Winding Road' too.
The respect - no pun intended - between the two remained until Aretha's death in 2018, when Paul paid tribute to her talent saying: "Let’s all take a moment to give thanks for the beautiful life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of our souls, who inspired us all for many many years."