The Last Lennon-McCartney Song John and Paul really enjoyed the recording together



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When you read the stories of the late Beatles, you hear a war story after another. If John Lennon did not leave the studio for any reason, he will exchange punches with George Harrison. And it was not just guitarists.

In the summer of 1968, the other three Beatles saw Ringo fly to Italy after Paul McCartney entrusted him with the role of drums for "Back in the USSR". When George has organized his own walkout at the beginning of the next year, do not help to think that the end is near.

To Geoff Emerick, the legendary engineer behind Sgt. peppers and Revolver, the happiest he remembered John and Paul towards the end was the beginning of the year 68, when they recorded "Hey Bulldog". White album sessions, former partner composers / friends still had their moments.

Much has changed with the arrival of Yoko in the studio and the real collaborations between Lennon and McCartney are becoming more and more rare. However, at the beginning of Abbey Road sessions, John and Paul found this old spark. It happened when they picked up an old crazy song two years earlier.

John and Paul had fun recording the crazy "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)"

The Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney at London Airport after a trip to America to promote their new company Apple Corps on May 16, 1968. | Stroud / Express / Getty Images

There may not be a more crazy piece of The Beatles than "You Know My Name," which became the B-side of the single "Let It Be" in 1970. It begins with a funky opening with piano and drums before sliding into total madness with sound effects, various characters and other twists.

A little later, John introduces Paul as a lounge singer with a Latin flutter in the background and both go out of business. The only thing that remains the same is the title of the song, which is repeated a hundred times. Looking back, Paul described how they had fun recording it.

"We started and we have just done 20 minutes and it did not work. Then we tried again and we had these fun, endless and crazy sessions, "said Paul in 1988." I can always see Evil [Evans] dig the gravel [for a sound effect]. And it was so hilarious to mount this record.

Whether it's the fact that the song is actually a beautiful day (ie 1967) or that it is a song they co-wrote, John's return of good mood and Paul was obvious. In Mark Lewisohn The complete recording sessions of the Beatles, the engineer Nick Web painted the painting.

"John and Paul did not always have that understood, but for that song, they went to the studio and sang together around a microphone," Webb said. As for songs that deserve the Lennon-McCartney label, this is probably the last one they liked to play together.

These good vibrations did not last during the last sessions of Abbey Road.

The Beatles sing with Bill Davis on Old Compton Street, Soho, 1968. | Mirrorpix via Getty Images

While the Beatles were trying to be on their best behavior for the Abbey Road sessions, they could not completely shake the storm clouds that hovered over the group since the middle of the 68. It could be seen when recording 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer', a piece on which John did not want any go.

After several days of "Maxwell", George and Ringo began to hate the song with passion. Meanwhile, as George's musical writing powers approached their heyday, the Beatles lead guitarist had no problem handing him over to Paul when he tried a bass line for "Something".

It seemed that John also had a lot of beef with Paul later in the Abbey Road sessions. In Geoff Emerick's memories, John actually took over the piano role that Paul had created for "Come Together." (John would not sing in harmony with Paul in the studio either.)

Indeed, as many have written, the Beatles had their problems – one could expect them after a decade together. But during the last breathtaking session of "You Know My Name" in 1969, John and Paul forgot everything and became two old friends working together on a song.

Look also: The Beatles record John Lennon called his favorite with the Fab Four

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