I Me Mine: Introduction
“I Me Mine” is a George Harrison composition on The Beatles’ album, “Let It Be” from 1970. However, it also appears on a few more Beatles’ albums too.
In Detail
- Publisher: Harrisongs
- Release Date: May 8, 1970
- Recorded: January 3 and April 1, 1970
- Studio: Abbey Road, London
- Genre: Rock
- Track Duration: 2:25
- Record Label: Apple
- Songwriter: George Harrison
- Producer: Phil Spector
Performers And Instruments
- George Harrison: lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitars, lead guitars
- Paul McCartney: harmony vocal, bass guitar, Hammond organ, electric piano
- Ringo Starr: drums
Other Performers
- Uncredited: 18 violins, four violas, four cellos, harp, three trumpets, and three trombones
- Richard Hewson: brass and string arrangements
Where To Find “I Me Mine”
You can still buy this track on the following albums:
**If you are on a limited budget and only want the original version of this song, avoid Anthology 3. However, if you are an enthusiastic record collector, why not grab them all?
I Me Mine: Background
Written and sung by George Harrison, “I Me Mine” became the last new recording by The Beatles before they broke up in April 1970. Indeed, the lyrics alert us to the stresses within the band around that time.
Musically, the song switches from a three-beat bar waltz to a rousing hard rock chorus. This was also reflecting the ego problems affecting the individual band members, too.
“Suddenly I looked around and everything I could see was relative to my ego, like ‘that’s my piece of paper’ and ‘that’s my flannel’ or ‘give it to me’ or ‘I am’. It drove me crackers. I hated everything about my ego; it was a flash of everything false and impermanent, which I disliked. But later, I learned from it to realise that there is somebody else in here apart from old blabbermouth.
Who am ‘I’ became the order of the day. Anyway, that’s what came out of it: I Me Mine. The truth within us has to be realised. When you realise that everything else that you see and do and touch and smell isn’t real, then you may know what reality is and can answer the question, ‘Who am I?'”
George Harrison
I Me Mine (autobiography)
Obviously, we would like to see The Beatles disband on a high. However, the fact is, they didn’t. So, maybe it’s fitting that this George Harrison song was their last one.
Recording Studio
Filming began for the documentary film “Let It be” in January 1969, and this includes the band singing “I Me Mine.” Since the song was featured in the film, The Beatles decided to record it properly in the studio for the soundtrack album of the same name.
The Beatles began recording the song on January 3, 1970, in Studio Two of the Abbey Road Studios, London, during the 2.30 p.m.–12.15 a.m. session. However, John Lennon took no part in this recording, where they recorded 16 takes. In essence, by this time, Lennon had left the group, and he was on holiday in Denmark.
Sad though it may seem, George Harrison makes the following statement on take 15 in reference to the departure of Lennon:
“You all will have read that Dave Dee is no longer with us. But Mickey and Tich, and I would just like to carry on the good work that’s always gone down in number two [studio].”
The Beatles’ 1996 album, “Anthology 3,” has this announcement preceding take 16. But it doesn’t have the orchestration by Phil Spector.
**There was a band by the name of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich (still is), but why was George not more direct?
Meanwhile, on the 2003 album “Let It Be… Naked,” there is a slightly different recreation of Spector’s edit. That is because Paul McCartney and George Martin did not like Spector’s “assassination” of the album’s edit!
Take A Listen
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