Don't Let Me Wait Too Long - Composition and Recording

Composition and Recording

"Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" was written during a period of particularly fervent devotion to Hindu spirituality on Harrison's part. Unlike almost all of the songs on Living in the Material World, however, and in the absence of any discussion of the track in his 1980 autobiography, a number of commentators have interpreted it as a love song directed to a woman rather than a deity. Two of these, Jeff Walker and Elliot J. Huntley, speculate that the change in subject matter was the result of Harrison's marital difficulties at the time with Pattie Boyd, although that's not a view shared by biographer Geoffrey Giuliano, for one, who sees the song as a further reflection of the singer's spiritual concerns. The lyrics include the line "Now only you know how to lay it there like it came from above", a point that has been taken to illustrate that even Harrison's more lustful urges couldn't sway him from his spirituality during this period.

The song's theme of "waiting" was also central to a track Harrison had written while in The Beatles, 1967's "Blue Jay Way", and a similar sentiment was evident in his solo hit "My Sweet Lord" ("I really want to see you, Lord, but it takes so long"). Viewed more generally, "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" incorporates some obvious pop-music conventions, such as a repetitive melody and the theme of unrequited love. Structurally, it makes full use of melodic tension, particularly between the choruses and the verses, where Harrison modulates from the key of F major to the key of D-flat major. The tension is further developed by his ascending slide guitar fills prior to the release that is offered by the refrain.

Besides Harrison's musical contributions, "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" is notable for its twin drum parts, played by Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner, and layered keyboards courtesy of Nicky Hopkins and Gary Wright. Although not specifically credited, the harpsichord was most likely overdubbed by Hopkins, who had often starred on the instrument during the mid 1960s, particularly on sessions for The Kinks. The basic track was recorded in late 1972, in between Starr's acting duties on That'll Be the Day, either at The Beatles' Apple Studio in London or at Harrison's new home studio, FPSHOT.

Harrison produced "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" alone, but unsurprisingly, given their many joint projects during 1970−71, the song's production incorporates several Phil Spector trademarks, in its use of reverberation and multiple drummers. At least one music writer has remarked on the influence of 1960s girl groups such as The Ronettes in Harrison's treatment. The heavy reverb, big drum sound and wall of shimmering acoustic guitars were elements of a production style that Harrison had already used to great effect (on Badfinger's "Day After Day" and Lon & Derrek Van Eaton's "Sweet Music") and would do so again shortly for Ravi Shankar's "I Am Missing You" and in his arrangement for Starr's "Photograph". A recent reviewer, Music Box's John Metzge, has written of the track's "brightly colored radiance" being a "prime example" of its parent album's successful mix of Spector and George Martin's individual production styles.