Album This song officially appears on the Let It Be... Naked Official album.
Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1958, when Paul McCartney was 16 years old)
From earlybeatlessongs:
This song was composed by Lennon and McCartney together in the latter half of 1958. It seems to have been conceived as a comedic song, possibly as part of a musical play the two were musing. (There is evidence that they did some early sketching of a number of plays at the time, none of which came to anything.)
The song was actually captured on tape at the end of 1958, in a recording made by the group’s friend and would-be manager, Derek Hodkin, although that tape is long gone. Nonetheless, it seems they didn’t rate it much, as it was never performed on stage.
However another precious recording was made on January 24, 1969, during the Get Back sessions. Here, Paul and John jam the song in thick scouse accents in a rough but enjoyable rendition. It seems probable that (like, say, “Polythene Pam”) it was always intended to be sung that way, adding to the comedy dimension.
This is all that remains of the number. Due to its presence on the Get Back tapes, the track has been heavily bootlegged. It initially went by the presumed name “I Fancy Me Chances”, but when it was officially issued as part of the bonus disc for Let It Be… Naked in 2003, it was given the above, now definitive, title.
Let It Be (50th anniversary boxset)
Official album • Released in 2021
0:38 • Studio version • Medley with "Maggie Mae". “Fancy Me Chances” is complete on any of the official releases. The unedited medley is available thanks to the NAGRA Roll 443. Between the first takes of “Two Of Us” of this day three improvisations of “Maggie Mae” were attempted; the album ‘Let it Be’ as well as ‘Get Back’ by Glyn Johns use the last one that was recorded immediately after Take 4 of “Two Of Us”.
Session Recording: Jan 24, 1969 • Studio Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London
Let It Be (50th anniversary boxset - SHM - Japanese edition)
Official album • Released in 2021
0:38 • Studio version • Medley with "Maggie Mae". “Fancy Me Chances” is complete on any of the official releases. The unedited medley is available thanks to the NAGRA Roll 443. Between the first takes of “Two Of Us” of this day three improvisations of “Maggie Mae” were attempted; the album ‘Let it Be’ as well as ‘Get Back’ by Glyn Johns use the last one that was recorded immediately after Take 4 of “Two Of Us”.
Session Recording: Jan 24, 1969 • Studio Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
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