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Read the original blog post4.54pm
31 March 2008
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‘Miss O’Dell’ was the b-side of George Harrison’s 1973 single ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)’.
It was written for Chris O’Dell, who had worked for The Beatles at Apple Corps in London and was a friend of George and Pattie Harrison. George composed the song in April 1971 in Los Angeles while waiting for O’Dell to visit his rented home in Malibu. See more…
As George sang I tried to cling to every word, hoping to remember them. He sang about the rice that never made it to Bombay, the smog polluting the shores, and how he couldn’t care less about the broken record player on the floor.
I was dumbstruck. I didn’t knew what to say. I felt – awkward. That was the word. Totally awkward. I had no idea how to react.
He played the last chord, hands still on the guitar, and laughed. He knew full well what it meant to have a Beatle write a song about you, and he was getting a big kick out of my stupefied reaction… I couldn’t believe George had written a song for me, and he’d even used my name as the title of the song! I was embarrassed and I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to say or how to act. The song was a gift and it was too big, too much.
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10.36am
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15 February 2015
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Listened to this song for the first time in a while and I was instantly transported back to this past summer, when I first heard it, and was listening to it a lot. I could feel the humid summer air pressing down on me and smell the summer grass (or maybe I just teleported to Australia???) So weird when that happens 
Great little tune this is, I like the cowbell, and can anybody keep a smile off their face when hearing those giggles? Even if you’ve been informed of it beforehand, as I was, it’s still so unexpected and hilarious– and of course the fact that he sounds kinda drunk through the whole thing helps. 
The non-giggles version just ain’t as much fun. Trust George to release the version that most would shelf… 
It’s a bit daft to play it without singing it, though; you’ve just got this everlasting G chord that goes on and on and on until finally you get to the D (under the word ‘Bombay’ in the first verse). If you don’t sing anything it just sounds like you’re noodling a random chord. 
([{BRACKETS!}])
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10.46am
Members
18 March 2013
Offline Silly Girl said
*snipadeeday*
It’s a bit daft to play it without singing it, though; you’ve just got this everlasting G chord that goes on and on and on until finally you get to the D
Story of my life…
Ahem.
I love this song, it is a really great little ditty. Everything about it is great- George needed more harmonica based songs and I love the giggles as well.
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INTROVERTS UNITE! Separately....in your own homes!
***
Make Love, Not Wardrobes!
***
"Stop throwing jelly beans at me"- George Harrison
1.05pm
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1 May 2011
Offline It is a fantastic track, i prefer it to the a-side. The single was the first George 45″ i ever owned and i played ‘Miss O’Dell’ endlessly, the laughter being a huge attraction to a growing young boy.
The alternate version suffers drastically due to no laughing George.
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Beatlebug, sir walter raleigh"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
1.56pm
15 November 2018
Offline I love this song dearly, but I’m fortunate enough that I don’t think I’ve heard the non-giggle version? The laughter is the best part.
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2.08pm
Moderators
15 February 2015
Offline I’d find it for you but you’re not missing anything. 
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3.26am
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1 May 2011
Offline The alternate version with no laughter.
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10.59am
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15 February 2015
Offline meanmistermustard said
The alternate version with no laughter.
What a horrifying vision of the world.
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5.01pm
31 March 2008
Offline Here’s something. This song ends with Harrison saying: “call me, 6922”. That was the telephone number for the McCartney family home at 20 Forthlin Road, Liverpool, in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
I visited my uncle last week in Somerset, and he showed me a 1959 Liverpool telephone directory he had. We looked up and found a few Beatle people – NEMS, the Jacaranda, Ray McFall and Alan Sytner from the Cavern Club, and McCartney J of 20 Forthlin Road. Jim seemed to be the only Beatle parent in 1959 to have paid for a phone line and/or a listing in the directory.
Here’s a pic of the page:
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4.17am
Moderators
15 February 2015
Offline I thought he was saying “Garston, 6922”? Which is as it appears in the phonebook.
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9.28am
31 March 2008
Offline I think you’re right! Good spot.
Edit: I found a quote from Many Years From Now which seems pertinent:
I remember the great excitement at 20 Forthlin Road when we had the phone put in. I still remember the phone number: Garston 6922. George still remembers it. It’s ingrained.
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