The Beatles Lyrics, album "Rarities"

Across the Universe
(John Lennon)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1972: 'One of my best songs.
Not one of the best recordings, but I like the lyrics.'

JOHN 1980: 'I was a bit more artsy-fartsy there.
I was lying next to my first wife in bed, (song originally written in 1967) you know, and I was irritated.
She must have been going on and on about something and she'd gone to sleep – and I kept hearing these words over and over, flowing like an endless stream.
I went downstairs and it turned into a sort of cosmic song rather than an irritated song – rather than 'Why are you always mouthing off at me?' or whatever, right? …and I've sat down and looked at it and said, 'Can I write another one with this meter?' It's so interesting.
'Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup/ They slither while the pass, they slip away across the universe.' Such an extraordinary meter and I can never repeat it! It's not a matter of craftsmanship – it wrote itself.
It drove me out of bed.
I didn't want to write it… and I couldn't get to sleep until I put it on paper… It's like being possessed – like a psychic or a medium.
The thing has to go down.
It won't let you sleep, so you have to get up, make it into something, and then you're allowed to sleep.
That's always in the middle of the night when you're half-awake or tired and your critical facilities are switched off.'

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass, they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe

Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter, shades of life are ringing through my open ears
Inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva

Yes It Is
(John Lennon)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1980: 'That's me trying a rewrite of 'This Boy,' but it didn't quite work.'

PAUL circa-1994: 'I was there writing it with John, but it was his inspiration that I helped him finish off.
'Yes It Is' is a very fine song of John's.'

If you wear red tonight
Remember what I said tonight
For red is the color that my baby wore
And what's more it's true
Yes, it is

Scarlet were the clothes she wore
Everybody knows I'm sure
I would remember all the things we planned
Understand, it's true
Yes, it is, it's true
Yes, it is

I could be happy with you by my side
If I could forget her, but it's my pride
Yes, it is, yes, it is
Oh, yes it is, yeah

Please don't wear red tonight
This is what I said tonight
For red is the color that will make me blue
In spite of you, it's true
Yes, it is, it's true
Yes, it is

I could be happy with you by my side
If I could forget her, but it's my pride
Yes, it is, yes, it is
Oh, yes, it is, yeah

Please don't wear red tonight
This is what I said tonight
For red is the color that will make me blue
In spite of you, it's true
Yes, it is, it's true
Yes, it is, it's true

This Boy
(John Lennon)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1980: 'Just my attempt at writing one of those three-part harmony Smokey Robinson songs.
Nothing in the lyrics… just a sound and a harmony.
There was a period when I thought I didn't write melodies… that Paul wrote those and I just wrote straight, shouting rock 'n roll.
But of course, when I think of some of my own songs – 'In My Life,' or some of the early stuff – 'This Boy,' I was writing melody with the best of them.'

PAUL 1988: 'Fabulous. And we just loved singing that three-part too.
We'd learned that from: (sings) 'To know know know her is to love love love her…' We learned that in my dad's house in Liverpool.'

That boy took my love away
Though he'll regret it someday
But this boy wants you back again

That boy isn't good for you
Though he may want you too
This boy wants you back again

Oh, and this boy would be happy
Just to love you, but oh my
That boy won't be happy
Till he's seen you cry

This boy wouldn't mind the pain
Would always feel the same
If this boy gets you back again

This boy
This boy
This boy [fade out]

The Inner Light
(George Harrison)

PAUL 1968: 'Forget the Indian music and listen to the melody.
Don't you think it's a beautiful melody? It's really lovely.'

Without going out of my door
I can know all things on Earth
Without looking out of my window
I could know the ways of Heaven

The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows

Without going out of your door
You can know all things on Earth
Without looking out of your window
You could know the ways of Heaven

The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows

Arrive without travelling
See all without looking
Do all without doing

I'll Get You
(John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1963: 'The B-side of 'She Loves You' was meant to be the A-side.'

PAUL 1963: 'If we write one song, then we can get going after that and get more ideas.
We wrote 'I'll Get You,' which is the B-side, first.
And then 'She Loves You' came after that.
You know – We got ideas from that.
Then we recorded it.'

JOHN 1980: 'That was Paul and me trying to write a song… and it didn't work out.'

PAUL circa-1994: 'It's got an interesting chord in it – 'It's not easy/ To pre-TEND…' That was nicked from a song called 'All My Trials' which is on an album I had by Joan Baez.'

Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah

Imagine I'm in love with you
It's easy cos I know
I've imagined I'm in love with you
Many, many, many times before

It's not like me to pretend
But I'll get you, I'll get you in the end
Yes I will, I'll get you in the end
Oh yeah, oh yeah

I think about you night and day
I need you and it's true
When I think about you, I can say
I'm never, never, never, never blue

So I'm telling you, my friend
That I'll get you, I'll get you in the end
Yes I will, I'll get you in the end
Oh yeah, oh yeah

Well, there's gonna be a time
When I'm gonna change/make your mind
So you might as well resign yourself to me
Oh yeah

Imagine I'm in love with you
It's easy cos I know
I've imagined I'm in love with you
Many, many, many times before

It's not like me to pretend
But I'll get you, I'll get you in the end
Yes I will, I'll get you in the end
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Whoa yeah

Thank You Girl
(John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1980: ''Thank You Girl' was one of our efforts at writing a single that didn't work.
So it became a B-side or an album track.'

PAUL 1988: 'We knew that if we wrote a song called, 'Thank You Girl' that alot of the girls who wrote us fan letters would take it as a genuine thank you.
So alot of our songs were directly addressed to the fans.'

Oh, oh, you've been good to me
You made me glad
When I was blue
And eternally I'll always be
In love with you
And all I gotta do
Is thank you girl, thank you girl

I could tell the world
A thing or two about our love
I know little girl
Only a fool would doubt our love
And all I gotta do
Is thank you girl, thank you girl

Thank you girl for loving me
The way that you do (Way that you do)
That's the kind of love
That is too good to be true
And all I gotta do
Is thank you girl, thank you girl

Oh, oh, you've been good to me
You made me glad
When I was blue
And eternally I'll always be
In love with you
And all I gotta do
Is thank you girl, thank you girl

Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh

Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand
(John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

Oh, komm doch, komm zu mir
Du nimmst mir den Verstand
Oh, komm doch, komm zu mir
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand

Oh, du bist so schön
Schön wie ein Diamant
Ich will mit dir gehen
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand

In deinen armen bin ich glücklich und froh
Das war noch nie bei einer Anderen
Einmal so
Einmal so
Einmal so

Oh, komm doch, komm zu mir
Du nimmst mir den Verstand
Oh, komm doch, komm zu mir
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand

In deinen Armen bin ich glücklich und froh
Das war noch nie bei einer Anderen
Einmal so
Einmal so
Einmal so

Oh, du bist so schön
Schön wie ein Diamant
Ich will mit dir gehen
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand
Komm, gib mir deine Hand

You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)
(John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1980: 'That was a piece of unfinished music that I turned into a comedy record with Paul.
I was waiting for him in his house, and I saw the phone book was on the piano with the words, 'You know the name, look up the number.' It was like a logo, and I just changed it.
It was going to be a four tops kind of song – the chord changes are like that – but it never developed and we made a joke out of it.'

PAUL 1988: 'People are only just discovering the B-sides of Beatles singles.
They're only just discovering things like 'You Know My Name' – probably my favorite Beatles track! Just because it's so insane.
All the memories – I mean, what would you do if a guy like John Lennon turned up at the studio and said, 'I've got a new song.' I said, 'What's the words?' and he replied, 'You know my name look up the number.' I asked, 'What's the rest of it?' '…No.
No other words, those are the words.
And I wanna do it like a mantra!' We did it over a period of maybe two or three years.
We started off and we just did 20 minutes, and we tried it again and it didn't work.
We tried it again, and we had these endless, crazy fun sessions.
Eventually we pulled it all together and I sang, (sings in jazzy voice) 'You know my name…' and we just did a skit.
Mal (Evans) and his gravel.
I can still see Mal digging the gravel.
And it was just so hilarious to put that record together.
It's not a great melody or anything, it's just unique.
Some people haven't discovered that song yet.'

PAUL circa-1994: 'I remember at one point we asked Mal (Evans) to shovel a bucket of gravel as a rhythmic device.
We had a bit of a giggle doing those kind of tracks… Brian Jones (Rolling Stones) plays a funny sax solo.
It's not amazingly well played but it happened to be exactly what we wanted.
Brian was very good like that.'

You know my name
Look up the number
You know my name
Look up the number
You you know you know my name
You you know you know my name

Good evening and welcome to Slaggers
Featuring Denis O'Bell
Come on Ringo, let's hear it for Denis

Good evening
You know my name
Look look look up the number
You know my name
That's right, look up the number
You you know you know my name
You you know you know my name
You know my name
Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
Look up the number
You know my name
That's right, look up the number
Oh you know you know you know my name
You know you know you know my name
Huh huh huh huh
You know my name
Ba ba ba pum
Look up the number.
You know my name
Look up the number
You-a you know you know my name
Baby you-a you know you know my name
You know you know my name
You know you know my name

Go on Denis, let's hear it for Denis O'Bell

You know my name
You know you know my name
You know you know my name
Prrr you know my name and the number
You know my name and the number you know you know my name
Look up me number
You know my number three you know my number two
you know my number three you know my number four
Oh you know my name you know number too
You know my name you know my number
What's up with you?
You know my name
That's right?
Yeah

Sie Liebt Dich
(John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeah

Du glaubst sie liebt nur mich
Gestern had ich sie gesehen
Sie denkt ja nur an dich
Und du solltest zu ihr gehen
Oh, ja sie liebt dich
Schoner kann es garnicht sein
Ja, sie liebt dich
Und da solltest du dich freuen

Du hast ihr weh getan
Sie wusste nicht warum
Du warst nicht schuld daran
Und drehtest dich nicht um
Oh, ja sie liebt dich
Schoner kann es garnicht sein
Ja, sie liebt dich
Und da solltest du dich freuen, ooo

Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Denn mit dir allein
Kann sie nur glucklich sein

Du musst jetzt zu ihr gehen
Entschuldige dich bei ihr
Ja das wird sie verstehen
Und dann verzeit sie dir
Oh, ja sie liebt dich
Schoner kann es garnicht sein
Ja, sie liebt dich
Und da solltest du dich freuen, ooo

Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh
Denn mit dir allein
Kann sie nur glucklich sein

Denn mit dir allein
Kann sie nur glucklich sein

Denn mit dir allein
Kann sie nur glucklich sein
Sein

Yeh, yeh, yeh
Yeh, yeh, yeh, yeah

Rain
(John Lennon)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1966: 'After we'd done the session on that particular song – it ended at about four or five in the morning – I went home with a tape to see what else you could do with it.
And I was sort of very tired, you know, not knowing what I was doing, and I just happened to put it on my own tape recorder and it came out backwards.
And I liked it better.
So that's how it happened.'

JOHN 1980: 'That's me again – with the first backwards tape on record anywhere… I got home from the studio and I was stoned out of my mind on marijuana… and, as I usually do, I listened to what I'd recorded that day.
Somehow it got on backwards and I sat there, transfixed, with the earphones on, with a big hash joint.
I ran in the next day and said, 'I know what to do with it, I know… listen to this!' So I made them all play it backwards.
The fade is me actually singing backwards with the guitars going backwards.
(sings) 'Sharethsmnowthsmeanss!' That one was the gift of God… of Ja actually – the god of marijuana, right? So Ja gave me that one.'

RINGO 1984: 'My favorite piece of me is what I did on 'Rain.' I think I just played amazing.
I was into the snare and hi-hat.
I think it was the first time I used the trick of starting a break by hitting the hi-hat first instead of going directly to a drum off the hi-hat.
I think it's the best out of all the records I've ever made.
'Rain' blows me away.
It's out in left field.
I know me and I know my playing… and then there's 'Rain.''

PAUL circa-1994: 'It was nice.
I really enjoyed that one.'

If the rain comes they run and hide their heads
They might as well be dead
If the rain comes, if the rain comes

When the sun shines they slip into the shade
(when the sun shines down)
And sip their lemonade
(when the sun shines down)
When the sun shines, when the sun shines

Rain, I don't mind
Shine, the weather's fine

I can show you that when it starts to rain
(when the rain comes down)
Everything's the same
(when the rain comes down)
I can show you, I can show you

Rain, I don't mind
Shine, the weather's fine

Can you hear me, that when it rains and shines
(when it rains and shines)
It's just a state of mind?
(when it rains and shines)
Can you hear me, can you hear me?

Sdaeh rieht edih dna nur yeht semoc niar eht fI
(rain)
(rain)

She's a Woman
(Paul McCartney)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1980: 'That's Paul with some contribution from me on lines, probably.
We put in the words 'turns me on.'
We were so excited to say 'turn me on' – you know, about marijuana and all that… using it as an expression.'

PAUL circa-1994: 'This was my attempt at a bluesy thing… instead of doing a Little Richard song, whom I admire greatly, I would use the (vocal) style I would have used for that but put it in one of my own songs.'

My love don't give me presents
I know that she's no peasant
Only ever has to give me
Love forever and forever
My love don't give me presents
Turn me on when I get lonely
People tell me that she's only
Fooling, I know she isn't

She don't give the boys the eye
She hates to see me cry
She is happy just to hear me say
That I will never leave her
She don't give the boys the eye
She will never make me jealous
Gives me all her time as well as
Loving, don't ask me why

She's a woman who understands
She's a woman who loves her man

My love don't give me presents
I know that she's no peasant
Only ever has to give me love
Forever and forever
My love don't give me presents
Turn me on when I get lonely
People tell me that she's only
Fooling, I know she isn't

She's a woman who understands
She's a woman who loves her man

She's a woman, she's a woman
She's a woman, she's a woman

Matchbox
(Carl Perkins)

RINGO 1964: 'I'm featured on it.
Actually it was written by Carl Perkins about six years ago.
Carl came to the session.
I felt very embarrassed.
I did it just two days before I went in the hospital (with tonsilitis) so please forgive my throat.'

Well, I'm sitting here wondering
Will a matchbox hold my clothes
Yeah, I'm sitting here wondering
Will a matchbox hold my clothes
I ain't got no matches
But I got a long way to go

I'm an ol' poor boy and a long way from home
I'm an ol' poor boy and a long way from home
Guess I'll never be happy
Everything I do is wrong, yeah

Well, let me be your little dog
Till your big dog comes
Let me be your little dog
Till your big dog come
When the big dog gets here
Show him what this little puppy done

Yeah, I'm sitting here wondering
Will a matchbox hold my clothes
Yeah, I'm sitting here wondering
Will a matchbox hold my clothes
I got no matches
Got a long way to go

Let 'er go boy, go, go

Well, I'm sitting here wondering
Will a matchbox hold my clothes
Baby, I'm sitting here wondering
Will a matchbox hold my clothes
I ain't got no matches
Got a long way to go

I Call Your Name
(John Lennon)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1980: 'That was my song.
When there was no Beatles and no group, I just had it around.
It was my effort as a kind of blues originally, and then I wrote the middle-eight just to stick it in the album when it came out years later.
The first part had been written before Hamburg even.
It was one of my 'first' attempts at a song.'

PAUL circa-1994: 'We worked on it together, but it was John's idea.
When I look back at some of these lyrics, I think, 'Wait a minute.
What did he mean? 'I call your name but you're not there.' Is it his mother? His father? I must admit I didn't really see that as we wrote it because we were just a couple of young guys writing.
You didn't look behind it at the time, it was only later you started analyzing things.'

I call your name but you're not there
Was I to blame for being unfair
Oh I can't sleep at night
Since you've been gone
I never weep at night
I can't go on

Don't you know I can't take it
I don't know who can
I'm not goin' to mayayake it
I'm not that kind of man

Oh I can't sleep at night
But just the same
I never weep at night
I call your name
Aww

Don't you know I can't take it
I don't know who can
I'm not goin' to mayayake it
I'm not that kind of man

Oh I can't sleep at night
But just the same
I never weep at night
I call your name
I call your name
I call your name
I call your name

Bad Boy
(Larry Williams)

A bad little kid moved into my neighborhood
He won't do nothing right just sitting down and looks so good
He don't want to go to school and learn to read and write
Just sits around the house and plays the rock and roll music all night
Well, he put some tacks on teachers chair
Puts chewing gum in little girl's hair
Hey, junior, behave yourself

Buys every rock and roll book on the magazine stand
Every dime that he get is lost to the jukebox man
Well he worries his teacher till at night she's ready to poop
From rocking and a-rolling spinning in a hula hoop
Well this rock and roll has got to stop
Junior's head is hard as rock
Now, junior, behave yourself

Going tell your mama you better do what she said
Get to the barber shop and get that hair cut off your head
Threw the canary and you fed it to the neighbors cat
You gave the cocker spaniel a bath in mother's laundramat
Well, mama's head has got to stop
Junior's head is hard as rock
Now, junior, behave yourself

Slow Down
(Larry Williams)

Well, come on pretty baby, won't you walk with me?
Come on, pretty baby, won't you talk with me?
Come on pretty baby, give me one more chance
Try to save our romance!

Slow down, baby, now you're movin' way too fast
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
Ow! If you want our love to last

Well, I used to walk you home, baby, after school
Carry your books home, too
But now you got a boyfriend down the street
Baby what you're tryin' to do?

You better slow down!
Baby, now you're movin' way too fast
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
Bbbbb! If you want our love to last

Well you know that I love you, tell the world I do
Come on, pretty baby, why can't you be true?
I need your lovin' baby, oh so bad
The best little woman I ever had

Slow down, baby, now you're movin' way too fast
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
Ow! If you want our love to last

I'm Down
(Paul McCartney)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)

JOHN 1980: 'That's Paul… with a little help from me, I think.'

PAUL circa-1994: 'I could do Little Richard's voice which is a wild, hoarse, screaming thing – It's like an out-of-body experience.
You have to leave your current sensibilities and go about a foot above your head to sing it.
Alot of people were fans of Little Richard so I used to sing his stuff, but there came a point when I wanted to do one of my own, so I wrote 'I'm Down.''

You telling lies thinking I can't see
You don't cry cos you're laughing at me
I'm down (I'm really down)
I'm down (Down on the ground)
I'm down (I'm really down)
How can you laugh when you know I'm down
(How can you laugh) When you know I'm down

Man buys ring woman throws it away
Same old thing happens everyday
I'm down (I'm really down)
I'm down (Down on the ground)
I'm down (I'm really down)
How can you laugh when you know I'm down
(How can you laugh) When you know I'm down

We're all alone and there's nobody else
You still moan, "Keep your hands to yourself!"
I'm down (I'm really down)
Oh baby I'm down (Down on the ground)
I'm down (I'm really down)
How can you laugh when you know I'm down
(How can you laugh) When you know I'm down.
Waaaao! Baby I'm down

Oh baby you know I'm down (I'm really down)
Oh yes I'm down (I'm really down)
I'm down on the ground (I'm really down)
Ahhhh! Down (I'm really down)
Oh baby I'm upside down, a yea yea yea yea yea
I'm down (I'm really down)
Oh baby I'm down (I'm really down)
I'm feeling upside down (I'm really down)
Ooo! I'm down (I'm really down)
Baby I'm down yea
Oh baby I'm down yea
Baby I'm down (I'm really down)
Well baby I'm down (I'm really down)
Well baby baby baby (I'm really down)
Oh baby I'm down
I'm down, down, down

Long Tall Sally
(Richard Penniman, Enotris Johnson and Robert Blackwell)

I'm gonna tell Aunt Mary 'bout Uncle John
He said he had the misery but he got a lot of fun
Baby, yeah now baby
Woo baby, some fun tonight

I saw Uncle John with Long Tall Sally
He saw Aunt Mary coming and he ducked back in the alley
Oh, baby, yeah now baby
Woo baby, some fun tonight

Well Long Tall Sally's built pretty sweet
She got everything that Uncle John need
Baby, yeah now baby
Woo baby, some fun tonight

Well, we're gonna have some fun tonight
Have some fun tonight
Everything's all right
Have some fun tonight
Have some fun
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
We're gonna have some fun tonight
Have some fun tonight
Everything's all right
Have some fun tonight
Yeah, we'll have some fun
Some fun tonight