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- Album This song officially appears on the Abbey Road LP.
Other Beatles songs referencing Queen Elizabeth II
Officially appears on Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane
Officially appears on Abbey Road
Related articles
February 19 to March 26, 1968
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“Mean Mr. Mustard” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. Written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it is the third track of the album’s B-side medley. It was recorded with “Sun King” in one continuous piece.
Composition
The song was written during the Beatles’ stay in India; Lennon said that it was inspired by a newspaper story about a miser who concealed his cash wherever he could in order to prevent people from forcing him to spend it. On reflection, Lennon did not think highly of the composition, dismissing it in Anthology as “a bit of crap I wrote in India.”
A demo version of the song was recorded in May 1968 at Kinfauns, George Harrison’s home in Esher. It appears on Anthology 3. In this version, Mustard’s sister is named Shirley. Lennon changed it to Pam when he saw the opportunity to ease the segue into the song “Polythene Pam“, which follows “Mean Mr. Mustard” on the album. According to Lennon, “In ‘Mean Mr. Mustard’, I said ‘his sister Pam’—originally it was ‘his sister Shirley’ in the lyric. I changed it to Pam to make it sound like it had something to do with it.”
As eventually recorded, “Mustard” originally was to end in the chord of D major—this would have led into the next track in the climactic medley, “Her Majesty“. However, since the latter song was moved to the end of the album, “Mustard” instead hard-edits into “Polythene Pam“, and thus the final note of “Mustard” would open “Her Majesty” as a stand-alone track at the album’s conclusion. The complete version of “Mustard” (with its original clean ending) can be heard on The Beatles: Rock Band video game, as well as Abbey Road‘s 2019 Super Deluxe Edition.
Origin
A newspaper article from the 1960s with the headline “Scotsman’s Meanness was Legendary” has been retrieved which features a man called John Mustard, who lived in Enfield, Middlesex. It has been suggested that Lennon based the song on this. […]
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
[a] stereo 14 Aug 1969. crossfaded 14,21 Aug 1969.
UK: Apple PCS 7088 Abbey Road 1969.
US: Apple SO-383 Abbey Road 1969.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46446 2 Abbey Road 1987.[Sun King / Mean Mr. Mustard] were recorded straight through. The first crossfade joined this to the following item, Polythene Pam / She Came in through the Bathroom Window. The second joined that combined tape to You Never Give Me Your Money.
Last updated on May 14, 2021
Lyrics
Mean Mr. Mustard sleeps in the park
Shaves in the dark, trying to save paper
Sleeps in a hole in the road
Saving up to buy some clothes
Keeps a ten-bob note up his nose
Such a mean old man
Such a mean old man
His sister Pam works in a shop
She never stops, she's a go-getter
Takes him out to look at the Queen
Only place that he's ever been
Always shouts out something obscene
Such a dirty old man
Dirty old man
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1969
1:07 • Studio version • A • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Fuzz bass, Harmony vocals, Piano
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Guitar, Maracas, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Phil McDonald :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 25, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 29, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jul 30, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1996
1:58 • Demo • B • Mono • John only.
- Session Recording:
- Late May 1968
- Studio :
- George Harrison's Home, Kinfauns, Esher, Surrey, UK
Abbey Road (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
1:07 • Studio version • A2009 • Stereo • 2009 stereo remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Fuzz bass, Harmony vocals, Piano
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Guitar, Maracas, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Phil McDonald :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 25, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 29, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jul 30, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2016
1:58 • Demo • B2016 • Mono • John only.
- Session Recording:
- Late May 1968
- Studio :
- George Harrison's Home, Kinfauns, Esher, Surrey, UK
The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)
Official album • Released in 2018
2:05 • Demo • D • Esher Demo
- Session Recording:
- Late May 1968
- Studio :
- George Harrison's Home, Kinfauns, Esher, Surrey, UK
Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Official album • Released in 2019
1:07 • Studio version • C • Stereo • 2019 Stereo Mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Fuzz bass, Harmony vocals, Piano
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Guitar, Maracas, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Recording engineer
- Giles Martin :
- Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Recording engineer
- Sam Okell :
- Mix engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 25, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 29, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jul 30, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Official album • Released in 2019
1:34 • Alternate take • Take 20
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Engineer
- Giles Martin :
- Producer
- Phil McDonald :
- Engineer
- Sam Okell :
- Mix engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jul 24, 1969
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Abbey Road (50th anniversary boxset)
Official album • Released in 2019
16:10 • Alternate take • From the original mix of "The Long One"
- Session Mixing:
- Jul 30, 1969
Bootlegs
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 8th, 1969 - 1 & 2
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
4:09 • Rehearsal • Jan.08 - D2-04 - Mean Mister Mustard 8.38
- Session Recording:
- Jan 08, 1969
- Studio :
- Twickenham Film Studios, London, UK
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 14th, 1969 - 1 & 2
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
0:42 • Rehearsal • Jan.14 - D2-07 - Mean Mr. Mustard 14.30
- Session Recording:
- Jan 14, 1969
- Studio :
- Twickenham Film Studios, London, UK
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 14th, 1969 - 3 & 4
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
4:06 • Rehearsal • Medley with "Madman"
- Session Recording:
- Jan 14, 1969
- Studio :
- Twickenham Film Studios, London, UK
A/B Road Complete Get Back Sessions - Jan 23rd, 1969 - 3 & 4
Unofficial album • Released in 2004
0:13 • Rehearsal • Jan.23 - D3-15 - Mean Mr. Mustard 23.47
- Session Recording:
- Jan 23, 1969
- Studio :
- Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
Going further
Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles
Acclaimed Beatles historian Kenneth Womack offers the most definitive account yet of the writing, recording, mixing, and reception of Abbey Road. In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound, and included "Come Together," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun," which all emerged as classics.
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