What's The New Mary Jane

Album: Anthology 3 (1996)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was recorded for The White Album sessions, and was originally placed between "Glass Onion" and "Happiness Is A Warm Gun," but was omitted because the album was getting too long.
  • This is a somewhat experimental song much like "Revolution 9." John Lennon said of the song, "That was me Yoko and George sitting on the floor foolin' around, pretty good, huh?" >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bianca Sanchez - Alburquerque, NM

Comments: 16

  • Robert from Calamba, Laguna, PhThis song really sounds like a Syd Barrett song to me.
  • Breanna from Henderson, NvAlways reminds me of the kid I sat next to in 8th grade Orchestra class, said his best friend was Mary Jane, and yes he was a pot head.
  • Morgan from Drammen, NorwayJust a note, Mary Jane is actually a nickname for marijuana.
  • Jude from Denver, CoJust how does this song suck? It's no Across the Universe, but cmon guys, seriously?
  • Bill from Rensselaer, NyCan't help but wonder if this song wasn't a subtle dig at Jane Asher, who was by this time Paul's ex.
  • Chloe from St. Louis, Mosorry john, but....this sucks. well, i guess with all the awesome experiments he's come up with just messing around, there had to be at least ONE screw up, right?
  • Ethan from Helsinki, -Dirk, you took the words right out of my mouth.
  • Clubber Lange from Ocean Gate, NjI will vouch for Jim...
  • Jim from Rosamond, CaI'm sorry. I was refering to the bootleg version that was recorded with his acoustic guitar. If anyone else has heard it please vouch for me on this, I would appreciate it. Thnx :)
  • Peter Griffin from Quahog, Ri??? No Jim. It's "That's it! Heheh...before we get taken awa-" and then it cuts off. And some of those weird noises in that "avant-garde" part sound like they are actually trying to speak.
  • Jim from Rosamond, CaThis song was originally titled What's the news Mary Jane. In fact you can here john at the end of the song asking what's the news. Somewhere along the line the s was dropped from the word news.
  • Dave from Lacrosse, WiI just recently heard this song for the first time. It just convinces me even more that Lennon was a mad genius! I like the song, even though I interpret it to have sort of a creepy overtone. It reminds me of a bad (LSD) trip.
  • Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmWHAT!? I thought i subbmitted it. 0.o
  • Peter Griffin from Quahog, RiI submitted this song, and wow. What a f'd up song. Although this has more than enough to make it a song. Some of those odd noises actually SOUND like voices. But you got to love the "That's it! Hehheh...before we get taken awa-" at the very end.
  • Dirk from Nashville, TnI heard about this rare and mysterious song for years. It was supposedly available on bootleg recordings, but not on any bootlegs I ever heard. In books and magazine articles, Mary Jane was always referred to in reverence, like it was a lost masterpiece. I could only imagine how cool the song must have been. Then, after 30 years, when it finally came out on the Anthology CD a few years ago, I listened. I thought... "You've got to be kidding. This is a piece of stoned crap. This is three drunks and a tape recorder." It was the musical equivalent of someone scribbling on the back of a napkin. And seriously, how screwed up could John Lennon's judgement have become by 1968 to imagine for a second that the Beatles would agree to put this tune-less, noisy, badly recorded crud out as a record? "Pretty good"...??? Uhh... no, Johnny. It's not pretty good at all.
  • Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmHAH! IM ON THE TOP PART! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Good song. CRAP! im the only comment!!!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Thomas Dolby

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Andrew Farriss of INXS

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.