Mean Mr. Mustard

Mean Mr. Mustard is a John Lennon composition, performed by the Beatles for their album, Abbey Road. It follows Sun King in the same track, that is, the songs were performed together in one, unbroken recording. It was written in 1968 and considered for The White Album, but deferred until Abbey Road. It was not recorded until July 24, 1969 (in 35 takes of the rhythm track!). Overdubs followed the next day and on July 29.

Written while John was in India, Mean Mr. Mustard was inspired by a newspaper account of a skinflint who hid five pound notes in his anus so that others would not try to make him spend it. In hindsight, Lennon did not look favorably on the song, describing this and another effort as "bits of crap that I wrote in India." John's four-minute demo of the song, recorded at Harrison's home studio with an acoustic guitar, is reproduced on the Anthology 3 collection. Mr. Mustard's sister is "Shirley" in this demo. Later, she became "Pam" in order to set up a sequence from Mean Mr. Mustard to Polythene Pam on Abbey Road.

The film version of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band contains a rendition of Mean Mr. Mustard, (played by Frankie Howard). Malicious robotic figures called "the Computerettes" sing Mean Mr. Mustard and She's Leaving Home. Their voices are actually those of the Bee Gees.