Recording "You Know My Name (Look Up That Number)"

On May 17, 1967, The Beatles began recording “You Know My Name (Look Up That Number)“. The recording process took place over several sessions between that day and November 1969. The track was finally released in March 1970, almost three years after the initial session.

On this day, June 7, The Beatles continued recording “You Know My Name (Look Up That Number)” from 7 pm to 2 am. John Lennon overdubbed a piano part onto Take 9 before they recorded additional takes. These new recordings were labelled Takes 20 to 24 and included flute, electric guitar, organ, drums, and tambourine. However, the results of these sessions strayed so far from the original melody that the tape box was labelled “Instrumental – Unidentified”.

Work continued on “You Know My Name (Look Up That Number)“ the following day.

In his memoir, engineer Geoff Emerick remembered the following anecdote regarding the “You Know My Name” sessions:

[…] With that, the issue was forgotten… until, some weeks later, during one of the “You Know My Name” sessions, Paul happened to ask John casually, “How are you getting on with that song for the television broadcast? Isn’t it coming up fairly soon?”

John looked questioningly at Neil, who was the keeper of the band’s diary.

“Couple of weeks’ time, looks like,” Neil responded after consulting his tattered book.

“Oh God, is it that close? Well, then, I suppose I’d better write something.”

The “something” that John Lennon came up with—written to order, literally in a matter of days—was the song “All You Need Is Love,” which not only shot straight to the top of the charts but served as the anthem for a generation, the perfect encapsulation of the naive, wide-eyed era known as the Summer of Love.

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

If Geoff Emerick is right, we can determine that “All You Need Is Love” was likely written between June 7 and June 14, 1967, when the recording of the song began.

Wednesday, June 7, 1967 – Paula came here around 11:00, and we listened to the LP, then we went to Cavendish. Paul was in. Neil arrived and left shortly afterwards with John and Mal in his car. They came back in about 15 minutes. John was smiling and playing the guitar, gorgeous! I took some pictures. They all left again.  This time Paul was in the back seat with Jane in his lap (his fans didn’t like seeing that too much…). We rushed to EMI. Mal and George Martin arrived first, then at around 7:30pm, was in Ringo arrived in a new black car. He was in a great mood, signed for a few people, and pretended to scare a girl who was trying to take his picture!  Neil, John, Paul, and the others arrived next. John signed a few autographs and said, “I’ve got no time, luv.” Paul just rushed in. A long time after that, Pattie, Cyn, Carl Wilson, and Mick Jagger arrived. Cyn had a blue dress on.  She looked at me a lot – I wonder if she realizes that I am the one that asked her to send that letter back.  

Ringo was the first one to come out. He was in a great mood, signed my “Sgt. Pepper” album, and asked me quite seriously why wasn’t I wearing the moustache (from inside the cover), for which I greatly apologized! Paul was second out at 2:40a.m. Paula stopped him by the door, politely asking him to sign for her (she was rather shaky at this moment), to which he replied, “Sure, got a pen?”  She handed him the pen, and he signed. One of the girls took a photo of him and her at that moment.  She thanked him and, he said, “Alright luv, good night” and went down the stairs, with his hands in his pockets. He met Carl Wilson, who asked him, “Can I go with you?” getting, “No, Jane’s home” as a reply. (he was walking backwards while saying this!) He said, “See ya” and walked home. Mick and Marianne left next, full of bell sounds (from necklace). George came out, signed my album, and said, “Hello.” John left around 3:00. Paula accidentally bumped into him. I said, “Can you sign, John?” and he said “Yes, I can!” and “Yes, you may” to Paula (I can’t remember what she asked him). I took some photos and gave Cyn some roses I had picked up at a garden for her. I told her they looked nicer when I’d just picked them.  She was genuinely pleased, but I think at first she thought I was going to hit her (some of the girls would call her names and be really rude). She was surprised when I handed her the roses. She said, “Oh, thank you, great!”  and smiled, and I asked her if Julian was alright, to which she replied, “Yes, fine, great, thank you” I asked her to give him my love and said, “Yes, great, thank you.” She was very, very sweet and kind and has a very sweet voice too. (Mad me feel REAL guilty for wanting her husband so much, still I can’t help it – how can I possibly resist the handsomest, sexiest human being on earth?). My album slipped out of its cover right on the ground, and John bent down and picked it up for me, for which I thanked him. I gave him the little lucky charm from Brazil that my mum had sent for him, and he said, “Thanks mum!” Cynthia sat on his lap in the car but thank goodness I didn’t see that – the girls told me. I would have died of jealousy and pure envy. This girl must be the luckiest person on earth. I walked back home and went to sleep.

Lizzie Bravo – Beatles fan – From Meet the Beatles for Real: Sleepless Nights by Lizzie Bravo (final installment), from “With a Little Help From My Friends”, January 1985

Session activities

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

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • SI onto take 9

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

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 20

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

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 21

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

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 22

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

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 23

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

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 24

Staff

Musicians on "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)"

Production staff

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