Recording and Release
The Let It Be film features a segment in which Harrison plays the song for Ringo Starr, describing it as "a heavy waltz"; the band is then seen performing the tune while John Lennon dances with Yoko Ono.
The song was released on the Let It Be album; however, the Beatles had not done a proper studio recording of the song during the January 1969 sessions. When director Michael Lindsay-Hogg chose to include the "I Me Mine" segment in the Let It Be film, the Beatles decided to record the song for inclusion on the accompanying album. Paul McCartney, Harrison and Starr met in the studio on 3 January 1970, to record the group version of the song. John Lennon was not available; he was on holiday in Denmark. Lennon had privately quit the group in September 1969 so it is not known if he would have attended anyway.
The group recorded 16 takes of the song, the last of which was chosen for the album. Before take 15, Harrison delivered a mock press statement in a joking reference to Lennon's absence and the British pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich: "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 ." The statement followed by take 16 was included on Anthology 3. Although final rendition only lasted 1:34, Phil Spector extended the length by copying and repeating a section. Spector also overdubbed a string and brass accompaniment. The final version, as "re-produced" by Spector, was featured on the re-titled Get Back album, Let It Be. A similar edit, without Spector's overdubs but retaining the repeated section, is available on Let It Be... Naked.
Although the sessions for "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "The End" in August 1969 were the last where all four Beatles were present in the recording studio, "I Me Mine" was the last new song recorded by the Beatles, albeit without Lennon, until the "Free as a Bird"/"Real Love" reunion sessions in 1994. However, it was not their last recording session. The three returned the next day, 4 January 1970, to record overdubs on "Let It Be", Harrison returned on 8 January to record vocal overdubs on "For You Blue" and Starr returned on 1 April 1970, to record overdubs for "Across the Universe", "The Long and Winding Road" and an additional drum track for "I Me Mine".
The song is playable in the video game The Beatles: Rock Band. Spector's work was removed for the game's version.
Read more about this topic: I Me Mine
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