"You Know You Know My Name"

In the spring of 1967, John Lennon visited Paul McCartney at his home on Cavendish Ave in London and spotted the London telephone book with the slogan "You know their name? Look up their number". This mantra would be repeated over and over in John's mind and he set music to it.
On a May 17th 1967 recording session, a rhythm track was recorded with acoustic guitars, bass and drums. After 14 attempts the ninth take was chosen and the session came to a close. Fast forward to another session on June 07 with overdubbed piano. The next day (June 08 1967) Brian Jones of the Stones appeared at EMI Studios after Paul had asked him to contribute to the track. Brian brought along an alto sax and many versions of the mantra were recorded which would be edited together to complete the track.
Along with take 09 of the first part recorded back in May, four other parts would be recorded on June 08 as well with Paul on piano, Brian Jones on sax (on the "ska" section and the "Jazz club" section as well). There was also a "nightclub" section with some latin type percussion and the final "Part 5" section featuring noisemakers. All of the five parts were edited together and called take 30. These parts were then transferred to one track of a four track tape and basically left there for the time being.
In the spring of 1969, on April 30 in EMI Studio 3, John and Paul added their silly voices to the backing tracks of the various parts of "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" along with some background bits such as shouting, applause, etc. Three mono mixes of the song were also completed on this date.
Fast forward to November 26 1969 and the original intent was to release the tune along with "What's The New Mary Jane" as a single and credit the songs to the Plastic Ono Band.
The mixed used was the third mono attempt with two minutes and seventeen seconds edited out. The song was eventually released commercially as the B-side to the Beatles' Apple Single "Let It be" in 1970.
The song remained in mono until the Anthology project when it was released commercially in stereo for the first time. Unfortunately, this edit removed 27 seconds including parts of the commercial release as well as fading out a few seconds before the ending. This stereo, edited version can be heard commercially on the Apple 3LP/2CD "Anthology 2". The entire unedited song can be heard on bootleg (lasting over six minutes) on the title "Upgraded Collection-Highlights" in mono/stereo.

Another "Octopus's Garden" session.

On April 29 1969, work continued on Ringo's composition "Octopus's Garden". This time Ringo was a the microphone in order to overdub not one but two lead vocals over the backing track. Also added around this time was the piano bit in the bridges although it's not been confirmed who's played the instrument; maybe Paul or as John C. Winn has suggested; maybe Chris Thomas who also produced this particular session from Studio 3. The tune was still incomplete as sessions would continue in July for this song.
In any case, this is an early mono
version from this evening that can be heard on bootlegs such as "No. 3 Abbey Road N.W.8" as well as on the bootleg CD "Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 05".

"John ! Yoko !"

In the afternoon of April 22 1969 John Winston Lennon changed his to John Ono Lennon legally on the roof of the Apple building at 3 Savile Row in London. Once the ceremony was photographed and completed, the couple went along to a recording session at EMI Studio 3 in order to record for their third joint album which would eventually be released commercially as the Apple LP box set "Wedding Album".
The first side of the LP consists of a sensitive microphone picking up the heartbeats of both John and Yoko who were both lying on the studio floor which was recorded for about 20 and a bit minutes. Overdubbed on top of the heartbeats were John saying "Yoko!" and Yoko saying "John !" for 20 and bit minutes. This vocal was pronounced in various emotive tones such as teasing, pleading, inquisitive, yelling, etc.
A first attempt at a stereo mix (with the two voices in the left and right speakers accordingly) and the heartbeats centered. This mix was not used and a second mix on the 26th of that month had a second attempt at a stereo mix.
Finally on April 27 1969 (five days later), the heartbeats had to be re-recorded and it was mixed the same day and released on the commercial Apple LP "Wedding Album" as side one. Pictured above is the Japanese label re-issue on Odeon.

The Start of the Abbey Road Sessions: "Oh! Darling"/"Octopus's Garden"

There is a bit of blur between the end of the "Get Back/Let It Be" sessions and "Abbey Road" in the sense that the month of February 1969 contained some undocumented sessions at Apple Studios with the Beatles completing overdubs of the former and beginning a song for the latter. The song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" was recorded; or at least the basic backing track was recorded during a session in February for example and worked on in April at well.
The April 20th session which took place in Studio 2 of EMI in London saw work on a song that was started for the "Get Back/Let It Be" project with Paul as main composer. The song "Oh! Darling" had John playing piano, Paul on bass and guide vocal, George on electric guitar and Ringo on drums. There were 26 takes with a hammond organ overdub. This was left alone until six days later (April 26) when Paul added some vocals and overdubbed his own backing vocals as well. This early version as it stand can be heard on CD bootlegs such as "Unsurpassed Masters, Vol. 5" and "No.3 Abbey Road N.W." as well as the vinyl bootleg of the same name.
Also recorded on April 26 was Ringo's composition "Octopus's Garden". The instrument line up was basically the same as the early Beatles' records with John/George on guitar, Paul on bass and Ringo on drums and guide vocal. In all, the basic track reveals that 32 takes were required, but take 2 has appeared commercially and can be found on the Apple 3-LP/2-CD "Anthology 3" project. Interestingly, Ringo's comment at the end of the song comes from a different take edited in.

"Old Brown Shoe/Something" Sessions

On April 16 1969, The Beatles entered Studio 3 at EMI in London in order to record some George Harrison compositions. After listening to a recorded demo of "Old Brown Shoe", four takes of the song with Ringo on Drums, Paul on piano, George on guitar and vocals and John on guitar were completed. Overdubs included John and Paul on backing vocals, Paul adding his bass with George doubling some of the lines with Paul on his guitar. Lastly, George re-did his lead vocals.
The next attempt was laying a basic track for "Something" with George on guitar, George Martin on piano, Paul on bass and Ringo on drums. It took 13 takes - but the song would be returned to in May of that year. At the end of the session, there was an attempt to mix "Old Brown Shoe" for stereo.
Two days later on April 18 1969, George Harrison with Chris Thomas as producer returned to Studio 3 at EMI in order to add the guitar solo in the middle of the song played by George as well as having George add an organ to the song, effectively erasing John's earlier guitar track. The song would be mixed into stereo after 19 attempts and would be originally released as the B-side to the commercial Apple single "The Ballad Of John and Yoko".
"Old Brown Shoe" would later be available on various Apple/EMI compilation LPs including "The Beatles Again", "The Beatles 1967-1970", "Past Masters Vol. 1 and 2", etc. The song remains available in stereo only and was never mixed in mono. Any claimed mono mixes are simply a stereo "fold down".

"The Ballad of John and Yoko" recording session.

Recorded in one day on April 14 1969 at EMI Studios (number 3). The session was originally a mixing session but both John and Paul attended the session and decided to record a new song by John describing his latest antics with Yoko.
George Martin produced and Geoff Emerick engineered (Mr. Emerick had not engineering a Beatles recording since July 1968 during the "White Album" sessions). It was said that George Harrison was busy shopping for a new home - moving out of Kinfauns in Esher; he would eventually move to Friar Park. Ringo was busy acting in the movie "The Magic Christian".
The original title for the song was "The Ballad Of John and Yoko (They're Gonna Crucify Me)" but the second half of the title was dropped for obvious reasons.
John played acoustic guitar and sang vocals/ Paul played drums. They played the song through eleven times and take ten was chosen for the commercial release.
Overdubs include Paul on bass, John on electric guitar twice. Once this was completed, Paul moved on to add some piano and then backing vocals. For percussion, John hit the back of his guitar and Paul shook some maracas. An eight hour session, all completed on eight tracks !! Only two Beatles and the beginning of an era: The song was mixed in stereo only; there are no true mono mixes, most so-called "mono" mixes are simply the stereo mix folded to one channnel.

Another Apple Session

On March 11 1969 (which was the day before Paul married Linda Eastman), two songs were worked on in order to present Apple artist Jackie Lomax with a second 45 single on the Apple label (the first one being "Sour Milk Sea" written by George Harrison and featuring the Beatles (minus John), Eric Clapton and Nicky Hopkin).
The two new songs consisted of a cover of the Coasters "Thumbin' A Ride" with the B side an original composition (by Jackie) entitled "Going Back to Liverpool".
On "Thumbin' A Ride", Paul plays drums and the song was produced at the Apple Studios on Savile Row. George was also present and contributed some guitar. The second side, "Going Back to Liverpool" also features Paul on bass and George on backing vocals and probably guitar as well. Both of these songs had been worked on this evening as well as probably other sessions around the same time frame.
Also, the single was not to be....it was eventually decided to release "Thumbin' A Ride" as a B side to the "New Day" Apple 45 single (in North America) and to the B side of "How The Web Was Woven" (in the UK).
"Going Back to Liverpool" was consigned to the vaults for the longest of time until finally released as bonus material for the re-issue of the "Is This What You Want" LP and CD re-issue by Apple circa 1991.