Recording You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) – 17 May 1967

Q: What inspired You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)?

John Lennon saw the slogan 'You know the name, look up the number' on the 1967 London telephone directory at Paul McCartney's home and built the song around it.

Q: How many parts does You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) have?

Five discrete sections, recorded across multiple sessions between May 1967 and November 1969.

May 16, 2026

Recording You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) – 17 May 1967

Wednesday 17 May 1967 | Studio
Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Engineer: Geoff Emerick

On 17 May 1967, The Beatles began recording one of their most unusual songs: 'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)'. The session took place at Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, without producer George Martin — in his place, balance engineer Geoff Emerick supervised the recording. The Beatles arrived with no songs prepared, and left with 14 takes of a rhythm track that would eventually become part one of a five-part recording. The song would not be released until March 1970.

The Origin of the Song

The song had its origins in a chance encounter with a London telephone directory. John Lennon, waiting for Paul McCartney at his Cavendish Avenue home, noticed the 1967 London phone book on the piano. On its cover was the slogan: "You know the name, look up the number." Lennon changed it slightly and built a song around it.

Lennon later described the concept in an interview with David Sheff, published in All We Are Saying:

"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 '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."

— John Lennon, All We Are Saying, David Sheff

Paul McCartney recalled the song's origins in Barry Miles' Many Years From Now:

"John had arrived one night with this song which was basically a mantra: 'You know my name, look up the number.' And I never knew who he was aiming that at, it might have been an early signal to Yoko. It was John's original idea and that was the complete lyric. He brought it in originally as a 15-minute chant when he was in space-cadet mode and we said, 'Well, what are we going to do with this then?' and he said, 'It's just like a mantra.' So we said, 'Okay, let's just do it'."

— Paul McCartney, Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

The 17 May 1967 Session

The Beatles arrived at Studio Two without songs prepared and without George Martin, who was absent from the session. Geoff Emerick — who had been appointed chief balance engineer for The Beatles' sessions from Revolver onwards — supervised in his place.

14 takes of the rhythm track were recorded, featuring guitars, bass, and drums. Take 10 was marked as the best. The session established part one of what would eventually become a five-part composite recording. The song was then set aside and not returned to until 7 June 1967, when overdubs were added to take nine.

A Five-Part Recording

The final released version of 'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)' was assembled from five discrete sections recorded across multiple sessions between 17 May 1967 and November 1969 — a span of over two years. The sessions included contributions from Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, who played alto saxophone on the track — one of the most notable guest appearances on any Beatles recording.

The song's comedy cabaret style — with McCartney adopting a lounge singer persona, Lennon doing comic voices, and the whole thing veering between genres — was a deliberate departure from anything The Beatles had released. It was mixed and edited over several sessions before being shelved.

Release: March 1970

'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)' was eventually released in March 1970 as the B-side of 'Let It Be' — The Beatles' final UK single. It had been recorded across the Sgt Pepper era, the White Album era, and the Abbey Road era, and was released as the group was dissolving. John Lennon later called it one of his favourite Beatles recordings.

Key Facts: 17 May 1967

Session: First recording of 'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)'
Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin (absent — session supervised by Geoff Emerick)
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Takes recorded: 14 (rhythm track: guitars, bass, drums)
Best take: Take 10
Song inspired by: 1967 London telephone directory slogan, seen by Lennon at McCartney's home
Originally conceived as: 15-minute mantra
Final recording: Five discrete parts, recorded May 1967 – November 1969
Brian Jones: Alto saxophone
Released: March 1970 (B-side of 'Let It Be')
Next session: 7 June 1967 (overdubs added to take nine)

Frequently Asked Questions

What inspired You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)?

John Lennon saw the slogan "You know the name, look up the number" on the cover of the 1967 London telephone directory while waiting at Paul McCartney's home. He changed it slightly and built the song around it, originally conceiving it as a 15-minute mantra.

Who produced the 17 May 1967 session?

George Martin was absent. Balance engineer Geoff Emerick supervised the session in his place — one of the few Beatles sessions of the era not directly overseen by Martin.

Who played saxophone on You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)?

Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones played alto saxophone on the track — one of the most notable guest appearances on any Beatles recording.

When was You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) released?

March 1970, as the B-side of 'Let It Be' — The Beatles' final UK single. It had been recorded across sessions spanning May 1967 to November 1969.

How many parts does You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) have?

The final recording is made up of five discrete sections, recorded across multiple sessions between May 1967 and November 1969 and assembled into the released version.