Recording, mixing and editing "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" and "What's The New Mary Jane"

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John Lennon booked this session to prepare the next single of his band, The Plastic Ono Band. He intended to work on two songs of his own, recorded with The Beatles but never released. “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” was to be the A-side and “What’s The New Mary Jane” the B-side.

During this 7 pm to 3 am session, “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” was edited from 6’08” to 4’19”. Overdubs were then added onto “What’s The New Mary Jane” and new mixes were created.

The original recording of “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” was long and rambling – way too lengthy to fit on a single – so we spent a lot of time editing it down. Despite the presence of two EMI assistance engineers, I did the actual cutting myself; I was always pretty good at editing and rarely had my assistants cut the tape.

Geoff Emerick – From “Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles“, 2006

The single was ultimately cancelled. The mix of “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” done on this day would be released as the B-side of “Let It Be” in March 1970. “What’s The New Mary Jane” would be released on “Anthology 3” in 1996.

Yet another Plastic Ono Band single is scheduled for release – title “You Know My Name”, it is rush-released by Apple next Friday (5). It was actually recorded two years ago, and has a mystery line-up which is thought to include all or most of the Beatles. Apple’s only comment is that “it features some of the biggest names in show business.”

From New Musical Express – November 29, 1969

Plans to issue an old Beatle tape as the next Plastic Ono Band single were shelved this week.

The single, “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” backed with “What’s The New Mary Jane” was recorded at about the same time as the “Sgt. Pepper” LP in 1967, and featured two or more of the Beatles, their friend Mal Evans and a Palais-style sax solo by the late Brian Jones on the A-side.

John Lennon told the MM last week that he wanted to issue it in time for Christmas and news of the single was sent out by Dick James’ publishing company. The record was even allocated a number – Apple 1002.

But a Beatles spokesman said on Monday: “The record has definitely been cancelled by a Beatle decision this morning”.

From Melody Maker – November 29, 1969

Last updated on December 5, 2021

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