I think this song is fascinating, it makes me laugh. But what's the story behind this song? Anybody knows something about this song?

These are some facts about the song:

The Beatles started recording the song in 1967, then messed around with it again in 1968, giving it a more comical tone at a session where Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones contributed sax. Finally, it was released as the B-side of the "Let It Be" single in 1970

John Lennon got the idea for this when he saw a phone book on Paul McCartney's piano.

McCartney: "My favorite Beatles track... because it's so insane."

This is one of 3 Beatles songs never released in stereo. The other two are "Love Me Do" and "She Loves You."

All that looks familiar is that off past master 2 sleeve notes?

Quoted from Bruno, posted May 2, 2004, 4:24am at here

This is one of 3 Beatles songs never released in stereo. The other two are "Love Me Do" and "She Loves You."

There is one other track never released in "true" stereo: PS I Love You

I prefer the version on Anthology 2.

how funny u posted this, i was just trying to do research the other day. i love it...especially the 1st part. great melody!

I read that John got the idea for the song when he saw at the post office a London telephone directory which said on its front "You know their name, look up their number" It's the "B" side to the Let It Be single! The name Denis O'Bell is repetaed in the song and he got numerous phone calls at his house and people arriving on his doorstep! The Beatles had used the name of the associate producer on A Hard Day's Night film and not told him about it!

From the book A HARD DAY"S WRITE:

It had been recorded shortly after the completion of Sgt Pepper after John arrived at Abbey Road wanting to record a song called 'You Know My Name, Look up the Number.'  When Paul asked to see the lyric, John told him that WAS the lyric.  He wanted it repeated in the style of the Four Tops' "Reach Out, I'll Be There" until it sounded like a mantra.  The line was a variation on a slogan John had noticed on the front cover of the Post Office's London telephone directory which read:  'You have their NAME?  Look up their NUMBER!'

For three days in May and June 1967, the Beatles worked on the song but then abandoned it until April 1969 when the track was taken out for reworking.  Although John's orignial idea of repeating the title phrase was adhered to, the song was transformed from a mantra into what sounded like a karaoke night in Hell, organined by the Goons or the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.


The only departure from the scripted words  came when John twice asked for a big hand for 'Denis O'Dell, a reference to the Irish born film producer who had been Associate Producer on A Hard Day's Night and who had become director of Apple Films and Apple Publicity.

None of the Beatles told O'Dell that they had referred to him in the song and so it came as a shock to him when he started receiving anonymous telephone calls at his home in St George's Square, Pimlico.

  "There were so many of them my wife started going out of her mind" says O'Dell.  "Neither of us knew why this was suddenly happening.  Then I happened to be in one Sunday and picked up the phone myself.  It was someone on LSD calling from a candle making factory in Philadelphia and they  just kept saying 'We know your name and now we've got your number.'

"It was only through talking to the person that I established what it was all about.  Then Ringo who I'd worked with on the film The Magic Christian played me the track and I realized why I'd been getting all these mysterious phone calls.  It was because of this experience that I first went ex-directory.  We were starting to get people turn up on the dorrstep.  Once there were 10 or 12 of these people who tracked me down and they arrived thinking they could all come and live with us!

"I still don't really know why they put my name in the song.  I wasn't in the stuido wtih them at the time as far as I can remember.  They've never mentioned it since!"

----------------------------

In the Playboy interviews John says:

That was a piece of unfinished music that I turned into a comedy record with Paul.  I was waiting  for him in his house, and I saw the phone book was on the piano with the words, "You know the name, look up the number."  That was like a logo, and I just changed it.  It was going to be a Four Tops kind of song - the chord changes are like that- but it never developed and we made a joke of it.  Brian Jones is playing saxophone on it.
 

ya htis song is awesome quite a catchy tune!

Quoted from Revolution_9

I prefer the version on Anthology 2.

So do I

I like it, it's a good song to smile to.

Terrible song, really not even a song.

The Beatles started recording the song in 1967, adding all the instrumentation and a saxophone part played by Brian Jones from The Rolling Stones. Lennon and McCartney added all of the crazy vocals in April, 1969. Finally, it was released as the B-side of the "Let It Be" single in 1970.

John Lennon got the idea for this when he saw a phone book on Paul McCartney's piano.

McCartney: "My favorite Beatles track... because it's so insane."

This is one of 3 Beatles songs never released in stereo. The other two are "Love Me Do" and "She Loves You."  

Quoted from ma_tt2

The Beatles started recording the song in 1967, adding all the instrumentation and a saxophone part played by Brian Jones from The Rolling Stones. Lennon and McCartney added all of the crazy vocals in April, 1969. Finally, it was released as the B-side of the "Let It Be" single in 1970.

John Lennon got the idea for this when he saw a phone book on Paul McCartney's piano.

McCartney: "My favorite Beatles track... because it's so insane."

This is one of 3 Beatles songs never released in stereo. The other two are "Love Me Do" and "She Loves You."  

Thanks for the information, but Bruno already told us this a few posts ago.  

Quoted from Bobber

Thanks for the information, but Bruno already told us this a few posts ago.  

How did I miss that