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

John Lennon booked this session to prepare the next single by his band, The Plastic Ono Band. He planned to revisit two of his own compositions, both 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.

The session, which ran from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., began with editing “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” down from 6:08 to 4:19. Work then continued on “What’s the New Mary Jane,” with new overdubs added and mixes 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 shelved for reasons unknown — though it is likely that the other Beatles objected to its release.

The mix of “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” prepared during this session was eventually released as the B-side to “Let It Be” in March 1970. “What’s The New Mary Jane” would remain unreleased until its inclusion on “Anthology 3” in 1996.

NEXT ONO BAND SINGLE

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

Ono Band shelve plans to issue old Beatles disc

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

Session activities

1. You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Tape copying • Tape copying of remix mono 3, called remix mono 4

2. You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Editing • Editing of remix mono 4

   AlbumOfficially released on Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

3. What's The New Mary Jane

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Stereo mix 4 from take 4

4. What's The New Mary Jane

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Mixing • Stereo mix 5 from take 4 (with simultaneous overdubs)

5. What's The New Mary Jane

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Editing • Editing of stereo mix 5 into stereo mix 6

6. What's The New Mary Jane

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Tape copying • Tape copying of stereo remix 4 into 5 with simultaneous editing

7. What's The New Mary Jane

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Tape copying • Tape copying of stereo remix 4 and 5

Staff

Production staff

Going further

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions • Mark Lewisohn

The definitive guide for every Beatles recording sessions from 1962 to 1970. We owe a lot to Mark Lewisohn for the creation of those session pages, but you really have to buy this book to get all the details - the number of takes for each song, who contributed what, a description of the context and how each session went, various photographies... And an introductory interview with Paul McCartney!

Buy on Amazon

The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)

The fifth and final book of this critically acclaimed series, "The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)" follows The Beatles as they "get back to where they once belonged...". Not once, but twice. With "Let It Be", they attempted to recapture the spontaneity of their early years and recordings, while "Abbey Road" was a different kind of return - to the complexity, finish and polish that they had applied to their work beginning with "Revolver" and through to "The Beatles".

Buy on Amazon