Mixing: What’s The New Mary Jane

Studio Three (control room), EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: Malcolm Davies
Engineer: Tony Clark

With The Beatles’ final recorded album Abbey Road complete and awaiting release, the group members largely turned to other projects.

‘What’s The New Mary Jane’ had been recorded during the sessions for the White Album, but was left off at the last minute. On this day, however, John Lennon oversaw the creation of new stereo mixes.

Three mixes were made, each of which ended with Lennon’s closing comments: “Let’s hear it, before we get taken away!” The session lasted from 2.30-5.30pm, at the end of which the mixes were copied onto a separate tape reel which were taken back to Apple by Malcolm Davies.

Lennon was considering releasing the song as a Plastic Ono Band single, although the song remained unreleased until 1996’s Anthology 3. This day’s mixes were never used, however, as further overdubs were added on 26 November 1969.