Mean Mr. Mustard

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as we spin "Mean Mr. Mustard" from The Beatles' iconic Abbey Road album! This quirky track, penned by John Lennon, has a wild backstory. Inspired by a June 7, 1967, Daily Mirror article about a miser named John Alexander Mustard, Lennon crafted a tale of a frugal man who shaved in the dark to save money and hid cash in bizarre places. Lennon himself wasn’t a fan, calling it “a bit of crap I wrote in India” in the Anthology, but its eccentric charm makes it a standout in the Abbey Road medley. The song was born during The Beatles’ 1968 stay in India, where they studied transcendental meditation, and it nearly made the cut for the White Album before landing on Abbey Road.

Here’s a juicy tidbit: the song’s original demo, recorded at George Harrison’s Kinfauns home in May 1968, featured Mustard’s sister as Shirley, but Lennon switched it to Pam to smoothly transition into “Polythene Pam” in the medley. You can hear this early version on Anthology 3. Another cool fact? “Mean Mr. Mustard” was recorded back-to-back with “Sun King” in one continuous take on July 24, 1969, at EMI Studios. Oh, and that abrupt ending? It was meant to flow into “Her Majesty,” but when Paul McCartney nixed that sequence, a crashing chord was left in, giving “Her Majesty” a dramatic kickoff. Fans on Reddit give it a solid 7.57/10, loving its catchy opening and overdriven bass tone.

Now, let’s rewind to how The Beatles became the legends they are. Formed in Liverpool in 1960, the band—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr—started as a scrappy group rooted in skiffle, beat, and 1950s rock and roll. They honed their craft in Hamburg’s sweaty clubs and Liverpool’s Cavern Club, building a fanbase with their raw energy and tight harmonies. By 1962, with manager Brian Epstein and producer George Martin in their corner, they scored their first hit, “Love Me Do.” Beatlemania exploded in 1963 with “Please Please Me,” and their innovative sound, blending pop, classical, and later psychedelia and Indian music, redefined what music could be. They became the most influential band ever, shaping the 1960s counterculture and beyond.

Connect with The Beatles on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans, or should we say Zoo Freaks, can dive deeper at sites like The Beatles Bible, BeatlesFacts.org, or join discussions in The Beatles Fans Facebook group. For more trivia, check out About The Beatles. Keep it groovy, Zoo Crew listeners!