Let It Be
Let It Be is pure C major and the four-chord pop backbone — plus one churchy trick at the end of each line. Here's the theory.
The chords & what each one does
Chords labelled with their Roman numeral(the chord's role in the key) and its job. Numbers, not letters — so you can move the whole thing to any key.
Why it works
Let It Be is built on the I–V–vi–IV backbone (C–G–Am–F) — the same four chords behind a huge share of pop.
Listen for the F → C at the end of each line: that's a plagal (“amen”) cadence, the gospel/hymn sound that gives the song its churchy comfort.
Because it's all diatonic and slow, it's a perfect song for hearing chord function in action — home (C), away (F, G), and the emotional vi (Am).
Hear it & see it on the fretboard
Open the interactive tool and its Learn a Song tab to hear these chords, watch them light up on the neck, and play the progression in time. Want to check a key by ear? Try the key finder, and brush up on chord progressions.
More song breakdowns
Educational analysis only. We don't reproduce lyrics, sheet music or recordings — chord progressions, keys and scales are shared facts of music theory. Song and artist names are used for identification and commentary; ThunderFret is not affiliated with or endorsed by any artist.
Reading only gets you so far — open the interactive fretboard and watch these ideas light up on guitar and piano.
Enter the toolFrequently asked
What key is Let It Be in?
C major. Every chord comes from the C major scale and the song resolves to C.
What chords are in Let It Be?
Four: C (I), G (V), Am (vi) and F (IV) — the classic I–V–vi–IV progression.
What is the 'amen' sound at the end of the lines?
It's a plagal cadence — the IV chord (F) moving to the I chord (C), the same 'a-men' motion sung at the end of hymns.