I Me Mine

Album: Let It Be (1970)
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Songfacts®:

  • George Harrison wrote this song and sang lead. He said it is "About the ego, the eternal problem."
  • This uses a 3/4 time signature like a waltz, rather than the standard 4/4. With a rather mournful sound, Harrison called it a "heavy waltz."
  • This song owes its release to the Beatles movie Let It Be. Filmed in 1969 and originally called "Get Back," the plan was to get footage of the group recording the album and use it as a TV special or movie. During sessions at Twickenham Studios in London, Harrison, McCartney and Starr played an early version of this song as John Lennon and his future wife Yoko Ono waltzed to it. The movie was shelved, and Let It Be moved forward as an album, but without "I Me Mine."

    Later in 1969, The Beatles manager, Allen Klein, made a deal with United Artists to release the film. With the project revived, a new version of "I Me Mine" was needed for the film and the soundtrack - the footage of John and Yoko dancing together was deemed crucial to the film. On January 3, 1970, the Beatles - minus Lennon - assembled at Abbey Road studios and recorded a polished version of the song with George Martin producing. After further delays, The Beatles broke up and Phil Spector was brought in to produce the album from the tapes.
  • The Beatles recorded this without John Lennon. The session took place just four days after the band learned that Let It Be was picked up as a movie and this song was needed for the soundtrack. By this time, the group had the #1 album in America with Abbey Road, but were fractured and moving on to solo projects - they wanted to get their remaining obligations settled quickly. With Lennon unavailable, George Harrison played acoustic guitar, Ringo Starr handled drums and Paul McCartney played electric bass and overdubbed organ and electric piano. Harrison also played the electric guitar lead which he overdubbed. What was so unusual about this session was the efficiency. In their later years, The Beatles spent a lot of time working up songs in the studio, but this one was completed in just one day.
  • The first version The Beatles recorded ran just 1:34, and had only one chorus. The album's producer, Phil Specter, copied and pasted parts of that recording to make the song 2:25.
  • When the album was re-released in 2003 as Let It Be... Naked, the songs were remixed to eliminate most of Phil Spector's lush production. His edit to make this longer was one of the few things he did that was left alone.
  • Harrison's 1980 autobiography is titled "I Me Mine." The book was reissued in 2002.

Comments: 45

  • Rick Margin from Brick,njIt is the last original song they recorded. However, if you move forward to the 90's, the Anthology release included 2 original songs ("Free As A Bird" , "Real Love"). Again coincidentally, John was there only in spirit.
  • Johan from Stockholm, SwedenHey George in Belleville! You wrote very good about "I Me Mine": "...the combination of waltz and rocksong...".
    According to my point of view, this song, and "Across the universe", are the best songs in the album "Let it be". It is wunderful when the melody in "I Me Mine" sometimes goes on the same notes, and only the chords are changing. The atmosphere then gets
    suggestive.
    Johan Cavalli Stockholm
  • Anthony from Westchester, NyI read that Paul actually wrote the"I Me Me Mine" chorus.
  • Deethewriter from Saint Petersburg, Russia Federation"I Me Mine" was the final Harrison song to ever appear on a new Beatles album. The original undubbed short version can be found on the Beatles' Anthology 3 album. The January 3rd session lasted from 2:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. the following morning. Sixteen takes were laid down of "I Me Mine," featuring Harrison on acoustic and lead vocal, McCartney on bass, and Starr on drums. Backing vocals, Hammond Organ and electric piano from McCartney and a lead guitar by Harrison were added toward the end of the session. After the 12th take, Harrison led the group through an impromptu run-through of Buddy Holly's 1959 hit "Peggy Sue Got Married," which has yet to be released. While it wasn't publicly known, John Lennon had quit the group the previous September. Although aware of the session, Lennon was vacationing with wife Yoko Ono in Denmark and declined to take part. "I Me Mine" was never officially recorded during the Let It Be or the Abbey Road sessions from later that year, so when the decision was made that the song was to be included in the Let It Be film, the band re-grouped to record the track.January 3rd, 1970) that the Beatles recorded their final song together.
  • George from Belleville, NjI like this song.This is an interesting piece of music.It's a combination waltz and rock song.It's cool the way the song switches tempo.George could sure write some cool ones.
  • K from Nowhere, OnMy English teacher always says not to use "I, me, my, mine" when she talks about our assignments. I actually listen to it a lot when I write.
  • Bob from Schenectady, NyWhen George auditioned the song for the rest of the band, John, who was out of his mind high on heroin at the time, said something like "Get out of here with your waltzes. Haven't you heard? We're a rock group!"

    John proceded to waltz around the studio with Yoko. This pissed off George so much he left for about a week.
  • Perry from Portsmouth, NhKen from Louisville is correct in the fact that this was the last song recorded by the Beatles on Jan 3, 1970. John had already given his notice. Listen to the Anthology III version of this song and George gives reference to this at beginning of song. Paul, George, and Ringo also were in the studio together the next day (Jan 4) to put overdubs onto "Let it Be" including what I feel is one of George's best solos ever
  • Ari from Philadelphia, PaIn the 2009 remaster (and perhaps in the earlier versions) the bass waves through the stereo, creating an awesome grooving sensation in the brain.
  • Chloe from St. Louis, Moi love george's vocals in this. some people think its too high for him- i think the strain in his voice adds a lot to it.
  • Phillip from Indianapolis, InI love the waltz tune to this song!
  • Peter Griffin from Quahog, RiI definitely noticed that part of this song is repeated twice.
  • Max from Brooklyn, Ny"I Me Mine" is a line from the Bhagavad Gita, a religious text of Hinduism that George was no doubt familiar with. The line is used by Krishna, who compels Arjuna to break free from the cage of selfishness he calls "thinking of 'I, me, and mine'"
  • Colten from Longview, WaYeah, I'm going to say 6/8 for the "chorus" and 2/4 for the refrain.

    Anyway, at the beginning of the song, he says "Yall will have read that Dave D.'s no longer with us." and something else that slips my mind. What's that about?
  • Bianca from Albuquerque, Nm I Love this song it's so good! i could listen to it all day!!
  • Cannie from San Antonio, TxI like this song, but I wonder why George wrote it in a key that seems too high for his voice. It sounds like he's really straining. But in a way, it fits with the song, almost like he's mocking the I-ME-MINE attitude with the whining words.

    I sure have grown to appreciate George's music over the years.
  • Robert from Turku, FinlandThis is my favorite song on the Let It Be album and one of my favorite Beatles songs.
  • Jill from Dumfries, VaThis song makes as much sence now as it did back then.
    george is talking about everyone being so self centered, and just caring about number one.
    what happened to all the love in the world?
    Love you George! <3
  • Rebekah :) from Knoxville, Tn3/4 time signature is not uncommon. that is a lame fact. who cares?
    this song is awesome.
    GEORGE is awesome.
  • Tiffany from San Diego, CaOne of the most amazing things about this song is how Ringo complements George on this song with his drum beat. That's what I call "synergy". Clever.
    George wrote some very great songs while with the Beatles, but Something will always be my favorite.
  • Steve from Fenton, MoThis was recorded after the Abbey Rd songs. Paul, George, and Ringo recorded the song in early January 1970. John was off in Denmark on vacation. The recording on the Abbey Rd. songs were complete in late summer 1969.
  • Sal from Bardonia , NyThe song is a hard rock waltz with a very distorted guitar played through a wah wah pedal.
    Sal, Bardonia, NY
  • Edward from Portland, MeI beleive "The End" from Abbey Road was the last song recorded by the Beatles.
  • Griffin from New York, NyI love this song to death. But I hate the Let it Be...Naked version. I think that the strings and choirs really add to this song. Actually I hate all of Let it Be...Naked.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScChris. Thanks. I didn'nt think about that with the time signature. I have heard of 12/8, not 12/16.
  • Rob from Leland, MsI think i , me, mine, and long , long, long, are def. overlooked Beatles songs. its a shame so many people seem to miss out on them. Yes, George is my fav., Beatle, but he wrote some of the greatest, and most beautiful songs. To me, it is obvious that, i, me, mine, is about the egotistical selfishness of Paul and John. the funniest and most clever part of it, is how George got Paul (and Ringo) to sing the "i, me, mine" part. John was too smart be made a subtle fool out of by coming in and singing that part. Paul was too blind to catch it. Some of the Genius of George...

    Rob T., Leland, MS.
  • Mike from Newark, NdGeorge has such a "lonesome" quality to his voice in this song. I love any and all Harrison compositions and this is one my favorites.
  • Chris from Ithaca, NyWhat matters in the time signature is how notes are grouped and where the beat falls... according to the score, the verses are in 6/8 and the chorus is in 12/16 with 3 16th notes per beat (listen to the snare drum).
  • Dirk from Nashville, TnOur host failed to mention the most significant fact of all about I Me Mine. It was the last Beatles recording session. (Not counting P,G & Ringo returning to work on Free as a Bird and Real Love in the 1990s.) I Me Mine was the last time the Beatles--as "The Beatles"--sat down to record a Beatles song.
  • Luna from London, EnglandI read that Ringo and George were the only Beatles on this song.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI shouldn't have posted that they are kind of the ssame. In fact, 3/4 and 6/8 are very different from each other.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI realize that 3/4 and 6/8 are kind of the same, but they definitely sound different, and you can tell when it changes.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI want to try to clear the time signatre stuff up. The verses if I remember correctly are in 3/4, while the cchoruses are in 6/8.
  • Nathan from Defiance, OhFirst his work is edited out, then he goes on trial for kiling his wife, this is not Spector's decade.
  • Arman from San Diego, Cathis is my second favorite george harrison song behind "here comes the sun".
  • Laura from Lakeville, MnI love his song, and am not reaally sure why. It's one of my five favorite beatles songs, and one of two favorite George songs. George is my favorite
  • Kevin from San Antonio, TxBen I see all your comments are how you dont like Beatles music.
    If you dont like them why are you so obsessed with commenting on them?
  • Adam from Rochester, Nyjust the opening sounds of this songs brought me to love it, harrsions guitar work is just great. another one of my favorties.
  • Ken from Louisville, KyThis was the last song the Beatles recorded together until "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love". Phil Spector wasn't happy with the versions on the "Get Back/Let It Be" tapes he was given to re-mix, so he asked the band to come in to the studio to re-record it in January 1970. George, Paul and Ringo did, but John wasn't available.
  • Spencer from Fixing A HoleI'd never thought of this before, and it may not be right, but George could have written this song about the attitudes of John and Paul at the time. Looking at the White Album, with songs like "Wild Honey Pie," and "Revolution 9" (if you consider it a song), you can see that it was "I Me Mine" for the most part.
  • Dino from Athens, GreeceYou strange people wake up!!! This song is brilliant!! Harrison wrote a few songs, but those few songs are the best beatles ever recorded!! long long long is also great and so underrated... Something and while my guitar gently weeps are awesome too, but they are very known in public... in the other hand, longx3 and I me mine are not well known...
  • Sarah from Santa Rosa, CaAwesome song...it defiently portrays the average, self-centered person. George definetly got a good, clear message through. :)
  • Rick De Hartog from Springfield, United Statesyea, it is in 6/8. you can tell by listening to it, but it also says so in the "complete scores". i think it confuses people, because 6/8 can be felt as a duple meter or triple meter.
  • Rudi from Melbourne, AustraliaACTUALLY, it's in 6/8 time.
  • Marvin from East Brady, PaActually, it uses 3/4 time for the verses then for the bluesy "I I Me Me Mine" refrain it switches to 4/4.
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