UK Release date : Friday, March 6, 1970
Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
By The Beatles • 7" Single • Part of the collection “The Beatles • Singles”
Last updated on March 6, 2025
UK Release date : Friday, March 6, 1970
By The Beatles • 7" Single • Part of the collection “The Beatles • Singles”
Last updated on March 6, 2025
Previous single Feb 06, 1970 • "How The Web Was Woven / Thumbin' A Ride" by Jackie Lomax released in the UK
Session Circa 1970 • Home recordings
Article Mar 05, 1970 • "Let It Be" video clip shown on Top Of The Pops
Single Mar 06, 1970 • "Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" by The Beatles released in the UK
Single Mar 11, 1970 • "Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" by The Beatles released in the US
This album was recorded during the following studio sessions:
3:52 • Studio version • A • Stereo
Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass guitar, Maracas, Piano, Vocals Linda Eastman / McCartney : Backing vocals Ringo Starr : Drums George Harrison : Backing vocals, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Phil McDonald : Recording engineer Jeff Jarratt : Recording engineer Glyn Johns : Recording engineer Billy Preston : Electric piano, Organ Unknown musician(s) : Cellos, One baritone saxophone, Trombone, Two tenor saxophones, Two trumpets
Session Recording: Jan 31, 1969 • Studio Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London
Session Overdubs: Apr 30, 1969 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: Jan 04, 1970 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
4:19 • Studio version • A
Paul McCartney : Bass, Handclaps, Piano, Vocals Ringo Starr : Bongos, Drums, Handclaps, Vocals John Lennon : Guitar, Handclaps, Harmonica, Maracas, Vocals George Harrison : Backing vocals, Guitar, Handclaps, Vibes George Martin : Producer Geoff Emerick : Recording engineer Mal Evans : Spade in gravel Brian Jones : Alto saxophone
Session Recording: May 17, 1967 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Session Recording: June 7-8, 1967 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Session Recording: April 30, 1969 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Session Mixing: November 26, 1969 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
From Wikipedia:
The single used the same cover photographs as the Let It Be album, and was originally released on 6 March 1970, backed by “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)“, with a production credit for George Martin. This version includes orchestration and backing vocals overdubbed on 4 January 1970, under the supervision of Martin and McCartney, with backing vocals that included the only known contribution by Linda McCartney to a Beatles song. It was during this same session that Harrison recorded the second overdubbed guitar solo. The intention at one point was to have the two overdub solos playing together. This idea was dropped for the final mix of the single, and only the 30 April solo was used, although the 4 January overdub can be heard faintly during the final verse. Martin mixed the orchestration very low in this version.
The single mix made its album debut on the Beatles’ 1967–1970 compilation album. Original pressings erroneously show the running time of 4:01 (from the Let It Be album), and not the single version’s running time of 3:52. This version was also included on 20 Greatest Hits, Past Masters Volume 2 and 1.
BEATLES’ FOLLOW-UP Mary’s disc set at last
THE next Beatles’ single will be a semi-religious ballad written and sung by Paul McCartney, “Let It Be” — a track taken from the shortly-to-be-released “Get Back” album by the group, which was previewed in an NME News Pages Exclusive on November 1. ‘B’ side of the single is Lennon-McCartney’s “You Know My Name.” Likely release date on Apple is February 20, with the LP following immediately. January 30 is scheduled for Mary Hopkin’s follow-up to “Goodbye,” produced by Mickie Most. Title is tentatively set as “Temma Harbour,” although other numbers are also being considered. George Harrison has part-written the debut single on Apple of Doris Troy.
Almost all of January and February will be marked by a blitz of Apple singles and albums, beginning next Friday (9) with the issue of the first LP from Badfinger, “Magic Christian Music.”
A Billy Preston single will be issued by the label on January 23 and it may be Billy’s composition “Right Now,” although this is not definite. Jackie Lomax releases the Clive Westlake-Dave Most song “How The Web Was Woven” on February 6, and Doris Troy follows (13) with the song she part wrote with George Harrison, “Ain’t That Cute.”
An Apple spokesman said this week that John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “War Is Over If You Want It” poster was now on display in major cities around the world — but that only in Britain had copies of it been torn down or defaced.
From Melody Maker – January 3, 1970
Beatles: single, LP, film due
THE NEW BEATLES single, ‘Let It Be’ c/w ‘You Know My Name’ is provisionally scheduled for release on February 20. Both Lennon-McCartney songs from the ‘Get Back’ film ‘Let It Be’ has Paul as lead singer while ‘You Know My Name’ is a novelty song. The Beatles are expected in the studios very soon for fresh work on their Get Back’ album which should be released to tie in with the film.
The film is expected to be premiered in both London and New York either late February or early March.
Ringo Starr predicts the 1970s will produce a big new pop star — either a solo artist or a group who will achieve overnight success because communications throughout the world are so quick.
George Harrison’s new year resolutions are: not to travel too far east; not to play in any supergroup; not to give any interviews!
Other releases from Apple are: January 9 — ‘Magic Christian Music’ by Badfinger, album by Badfinger which has three songs from the film; January 23 — single from Billy Preston, as yet untitled; January 30 — Mary Hopkin’ third single titled ‘Temma Harbour’; February 6 — a Jackie Lomax single ‘How The Web Was Woven’; February 13 — single from Doris Troy titled ‘Ain’t It Cute’ which she co-wrote with George Harrison.
From Record Mirror – January 3, 1970
THE BIG BEATLES QUERY: WHY IS PAUL THE HERMIT OF ST. JOHN’S WOOD?
James Paul McCartney is home and baby and Linda and ballads and rock’n’roll ravers, and Fair Isle sweaters and dad and brother and the Friday train to Lime Street. John Lennon is Yoko and Peace and Plastic fantastic; X and Sex; and bang the gong for right and wrong.
The new Beatles single, ‘Let It Be’, is released within the next fortnight and, in the light of these differences, it would have been a personal pleasure to report an imminent ‘Come Together’ between the worlds of old Fair Isle McCartney and Plastic Lennon fantastic!
Sadly – no such luck. The void between them seems as wide as ever. And a close look at the label credit for John’s own new single ‘Instant Karma’, seems to be evidence that even the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership credit may now about to be dropped. The publishing line plays it straight: ‘Composed: Lennon.’ […]
There were problems and arguments as a result of the Northern Songs’ take-over bid; further disagreements about other business affairs; and a general air of sourness over there at Apple’s Savile Row HQ.
Having turned off the charm, however, I now suspect that Paul would find it something of a personal discomfort to begin interviews again, even if he wanted to. It’s a bit tricky when you’ve kicked the habit.
Until such time as he chooses to jump into the limelight again, though, Paul’s firm-minded wife, Linda, seems to have taken over as a kind of barrier between him and the rest of the world. Callers to their St John’s Wood house either meet Linda or a member of the staff, and Paul is “not available” or “out” or “busy”.
Students of astrology may well recognise a typical Gemini reaction in this ‘McCartney mystique’ … outward and sociable at one minute; a hermit the next; good friendly guy one minute; distant guy the next.
As Ringo puts it, “Paul’s fine. Maureen and I went over to dinner with him last week and we had a good time. He’s writing songs and he’s doing things. He’s happy. He’s just fed up doing interviews, that’s all. I don’t think he’d care if he never did another interview in all his life.”
From New Musical Express – February 21, 1970
Beatles’ disc delay
THE Beatles’ new single — Paul McCartney’s semi-religious ballad “Let It Be” — will not now be released next Friday, February 27. An Apple spokesman explained that, because of promotion difficulties, the record is being held back for a further week until March 6.
As previously exclusively reported in NME, “Let It Be” Is a McCartney solo and contains references to “Mother Mary” which could be regarded either in a religious context, or as a tribute to Paul’s late mother — whose name was also Mary. The record features piano and organ.
“Let It Be” is featured in the Beatles’ full-length film documentary, completed last year, and which is still only tentatively scheduled for release this spring. It is understood that negotiations for one major company to distribute the movie have fallen through. New negotiations are taking place elsewhere.
An Apple spokesman added that the soundtrack film album would be released at the same time as the movie’s release, but should not be regarded as the official Beatles’ follow-up LP to “Abbey Road.” Some of the tracks were recorded In 1968.
Title of the film is still uncertain between “Get Back” or “Let It Be.”
From New Musical Express – February 21, 1970
BEATLES: Let It Be (Apple)
AN inspirational ballad with a profoundly philosophic lyric, emotionally and expressively delivered by Paul McCartney. Opens with clanking piano, and maintains a steady beat behind the vocal.
Then, in the reprise section, there’s an instrumental passage with the accent on swinging organ (guess who!), in which the beat noticeably intensifies. Finally, Paul returns for the impassioned climax.
The vocal is supported throughout by heavenly choir, which emphasises the pseudo-religious nature of the lyric and its references to “Mother Mary.”
As ever with the Beatles, this is a record to stop you dead in your tracks and compel you to listen attentively. Melodically, I don’t regard it as quite as catchy as some of their discs — “Hey Jude,” for instance — but it’s still unmistakably stamped with the hallmark of quality.
From New Musical Express – February 28, 1970
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