"Let 'Em In" is a song by Wings from their 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and reached the top 3 in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. It was a No. 2 hit in the UK; in the U.S. it was a No. 3 pop hit and No. 1 easy listening hit. In Canada, the song was No. 3 for three weeks on the pop chart and No. 1 for three weeks on the MOR chart of RPM magazine. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies. It can also be found on McCartney's 1987 compilation album, All the Best! A demo of the song, featuring Denny Laine on lead vocal, was included as a bonus track on the Archive Collection reissue of Wings at the Speed of Sound.
Content
The song starts with the sound of a vibraphone, chiming the first eight notes from the Westminster Quarters, before the rhythm begins. The lyric namechecks several famous people, between friends and relatives of McCartney who, without a justified reason, knock on the door or ring the bell of his house and he exclaims "Let 'Em In". Famous people as well as McCartney's paternal aunt Gin and his brother Michael, and Linda McCartney's brother John. Phil and Don Everly are named, along with Martin Luther. An uncle Ernie is also named; this being the character Ringo Starr sang in the London Symphony Orchestra's recording of the Who's rock opera, Tommy. "Let 'Em In" is also notable for the false fade out, which, however, becomes loud for the last two notes of the song. The song makes use of the piano, drums, brass, including a trombone solo, and wind instruments, featuring flutes, plus backup vocals from Linda and other members of Wings.
All personnel according to The Paul McCartney Project, a website consisting of songs with involvement by Paul.
Release
The song was released worldwide as a 7" single, except in France where it was released as 12" single with both sides labelled "Special Disco Mix". It was included on the compilation album Wings Greatest, as well as the Paul McCartney compilation albumsAll the Best!, and Pure McCartney.
The song was covered in 1977 by Billy Paul, substituting a list of notable African-American figures such as Malcolm X and Louis Armstrongin lieu of the people named in the original. This version reached No. 91 on the US, Billboard Soul chart, and No. 26 on the UK charts.
"Guess Who's Knockin'", a song written by Prince and released by The New Power Generation on initial pressings of the Goldnigga album, references "Let 'Em In" without credit. Probably to avoid any legal difficulties the song was removed from subsequent pressings.
