Paul McCartney's favorite Beatles song is a little-known B-side - and it's 'insane'
The Beatles are well-known for
their iconic hits including Eleanor Rigby
and Hey Jude.
However, they also had moments in which they broke away from pop music conventions. Paul McCartney
pointed to one obscure B-side
, You Know My Name (Look Up The Number), as a prime example of this unconventional approach.
Created over numerous sessions from 1967 to 1969, You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) marked a departure from
the band's typical output
. Dubbed "insane" by Paul, the song is recognized for its surrealistic humor. You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) was first worked on in May 1967, but
was set aside for close to two years
.
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When The Beatles resumed work on the song in 1969, they opted for radical change. Turning their backs on their signature style, the musicians created a mix of musical interludes and spoken word sections.
The Beatles were experimenting with You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
(Image: Michael Ochs Archives)
Even by the unusual standards of the late Beatles, the song broke away from conventional structures. It takes listeners on a ride through genres like lounge jazz, ska, cabaret and even includes comedic voice-overs from Paul and John Lennon.
Reflecting on the song years later, Paul remarked, "People are only just discovering the B-sides of Beatles singles. They're only just discovering things like You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)."
He said the song was "probably my favourite Beatles track," but admitted it was "so insane." Explaining what it's like to listen to the track, the Wings frontman said it brings back "all the memories."
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The song's unusual history is further enriched by Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones playing saxophone on the track, instead of his usual guitar. McCartney has shared anecdotes about how surprising Jones' involvement was.
"He arrived at Abbey Road in his big Afghan coat," McCartney reminisced. "He was always nervous, a little insecure, and he was really nervous that night because he's walking in on a Beatles session."
Paul continued, "He was nervous to the point of shaking, lighting ciggy after ciggy. I used to like Brian a lot."
McCartney had expected Jones to join them with his guitar, "I naturally thought he'd bring a guitar along to a Beatles session and maybe chug along and do some nice rhythm guitar or a little bit of electric twelve-string or something, but to our surprise, he brought his saxophone. He opened up his sax case and started putting a reed in and warming up, playing a little bit. He was a really ropey sax player, so I thought, Ah-hah. We've got just the tune."
Jones's unrefined saxophone lines added an additional unpredictable element to the track. You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) eventually became the B-side to Let It Be in 1970.
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