Recording "I Me Mine"

The last time the four Beatles were together in a recording studio was on August 20, 1969. A month later, on September 20, John Lennon informed the others that he was leaving the band.

In November 1969, it was agreed that a film would be released based on the January 1969 “Get Back” sessions, under the new title “Let It Be.” A soundtrack album would accompany the film. Although Glyn Johns — who had engineered and produced multiple versions of a potential album throughout the year — had been closely involved with the project, the Beatles’ new manager, Allen Klein, suggested bringing in Phil Spector to oversee the final production.

In late December 1969, Paul McCartney began work on his first solo album.

Yet on this day — and the following one — Paul, George Harrison and Ringo Starr returned to Abbey Road Studios to resume work on this soundtrack album and to record George’s song, “I Me Mine.” John was absent, vacationing in Denmark with Yoko Ono.

On January 8, 1969, during the “Get Back” sessions at Twickenham Film Studios, George was filmed playing “I Me Mine” on acoustic guitar for Ringo. The song was not revisited during the later sessions at Apple Studios. However, when director Michael Lindsay-Hogg decided to include the footage of George performing “I Me Mine” in the upcoming documentary, it was agreed that the song should be featured on the accompanying album — and therefore needed to be properly recorded.

During this session, which lasted from 2:30 pm to 12:15 am, George, Paul and Ringo Starr recorded sixteen takes of the basic track of “I Me Mine.” George played acoustic guitar (track 4) and sang a guide vocal (track 7), Paul was on bass (track 3), and Ringo handled drums (tracks 1 and 2).

Between takes 6 and 7, the three Beatles relaxed with an instrumental jam. Before take 11, they briefly covered The Everly Brothers’ “Wake Up Little Susie“ — this rendition, along with take 11 of “I Me Mine,” was released on the “Let It Be” 50th anniversary boxset in 2021. Prior to take 12, George led Paul and Ringo through a short version of Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue Got Married“.

Before take 15, George improvised a mock press statement in reference of John’s absence from the session. This spoof referenced the English beat group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich and the recent announcement, made in September 1969, that Dave Dee had left the band.

George: You all will have read that Dave Dee is no longer with us. But Mickey and Tich and I would just like to carry on the good work that’s always gone down in number two.

Paul: What Dozy says goes for me and Tich!

Take 16 was considered the best and chosen as the master take. It was later released on “Anthology 3” in 1996, including George’s humorous press statement:

Pre-take 15 and take 16. A quick run-through of George Harrison’s I Me Mine (shot in early January 1969 during the Twickenham rehearsal period of the Get Back project) was set for inclusion in the Let It Be film, indicating that it also should feature on the accompanying album. But as the song had never been committed to tape with any serious endeavour the Beatles convened again in number two studio at EMI – some five months after completing final album Abbey Road – and recorded their last new piece together. (The word “new” is an important qualifier, for work polishing up previously recorded material for Let It Be continued through to April.) But not all of the Beatles participated: John Lennon was on holiday, his absence prompting a telling remark – like a mock press statement – from George during the session, which precedes this Anthology recording.

From the liner notes of “Anthology 3“

Overdubs onto take 16 followed. George added an electric guitar part (track 2), and Paul contributed Hammond organ (track 6). Ringo’s two drum tracks were bounced down to a single track to free up space. George then recorded his lead vocals, joined by Paul on backing vocals — both placed on track 1. The backing vocals were double-tracked on track 5, and all vocals were subsequently combined onto track 7.

Next, Paul recorded an electric piano part on track 1, and George double-tracked his lead vocal on track 2. The final overdubs included George adding more electric guitar and Paul contributing acoustic guitar, both on track 5.

Proper mixing of “I Me Mine” was handled by Glyn Johns on January 5. At this stage, the track ran 1:34. It would later be extended by 51 seconds when remixed by Phil Spector for its release on the “Let It Be” album.

I asked George and Ringo if they thought we might get back together again and they said we might, but we’d have to give John a bit more time. The time kept passing and I decided I wasn’t going to sit around and do nothing.

Paul McCartney – Interview with The Boston Globe, July 1980

Session activities

1. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 1

2. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 2

3. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 3

4. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 4

5. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 5

6. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 6

7. Instrumental jam

   Recording

8. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 7

9. I Me Mine

   Written by George Harrison

   Recording • Take 8

10. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 9

11. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 10

12. Wake Up Little Susie

    Written by Felice Bryant, Diadorius Boudleaux Bryant

    Recording

    AlbumOfficially released on Let It Be (50th anniversary boxset)

13. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 11

    AlbumOfficially released on Let It Be (50th anniversary boxset)

14. Peggy Sue Got Married

    Written by Buddy Holly

    Recording

15. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 12

16. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 13

17. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 14

18. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 15

19. I Me Mine

    Written by George Harrison

    Recording • Take 16

    AlbumOfficially released on Anthology 3

Staff

Musicians on "I Me Mine"

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!

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Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.

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Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium

Eight Arms To Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium is the ultimate look at the careers of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr beyond the Beatles. Every aspect of their professional careers as solo artists is explored, from recording sessions, record releases and tours, to television, film and music videos, including everything in between. From their early film soundtrack work to the officially released retrospectives, all solo efforts by the four men are exhaustively examined.

As the paperback version is out of print, you can buy a PDF version on the authors' website

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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".

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