The Beatles Lyrics, album "The Beatles (White Album)"
Very sort of, uhh… you know, you're serving in the army, and when I get back home I'm gonna kiss the ground.
And you know – Can't wait to get back to the States.
And it's a very American sort of thing, I've always thought.
So this one is like about… In my mind it's just about a spy who's been in America a long long time, you know, and he's picked up… And he's very American.
But he gets back to the USSR, you know, and he's sort of saying, 'Leave it till tomorrow, honey, to disconnect the phone,' and all that.
And 'Come here honey,' but with Russian women.
It concerns the attributes of Russian women.'JOHN 1980: 'Paul completely.
I play the six-string bass on that.'PAUL 1984: 'I wrote that as a kind of Beach Boys parody.
And 'Back in the USA' was a Chuck Berry song, so it kinda took off from there.
I just liked the idea of Georgia girls and talking about places like the Ukraine as if they were California, you know? It was also hands across the water, which I'm still conscious of.
'Cuz they like us out there, even though the bosses in the Krelmin may not.
The kids do.'PAUL 1986: 'I'm sure it pissed Ringo off when he couldn't quite get the drums to 'Back In The U.S.S.R.' and I sat in.
It's very weird to know that you can do a thing someone else is having trouble with.
If you go down and do it, just bluff right through it, you think, 'What the hell, at least I'm helping.' Then the paranoia comes in – 'But I'm going to show him up!' I was very sensitive to that.'
Didn't get to bed last night
On the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man I had a dreadful flight
I'm back in the U.S.S.R.
You don't know how lucky you are boy
Back in the U.S.S.R. (Yeah)Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee it's good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone
I'm back in the U.S.S.R.
You don't know how lucky you are boy
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.S.R.Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the West behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
That Georgia's always on my mindAw come on!
Ho yeah!
Ho yeah!
Ho ho yeah!
Yeah yeah!Yeah I'm back in the U.S.S.R.
You don't know how lucky you are boys
Back in the U.S.S.R.Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the West behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
That Georgia's always on my mindOh, show me around your snow-peaked mountains way down south
Take me to your daddy's farm
Let me hear your balalaika's ringing out
Come and keep your comrade warm
I'm back in the U.S.S.R.
Hey you don't know how lucky you are boys
Back in the U.S.S.R.Oh let me tell you, honey
Hey, I'm back!
I'm back in the U.S.S.R.
Yes, I'm free!
Yeah, back in the U.S.S.R.Ha ha
Written in India.
A song about Mia Farrow's sister, who seemed to go slightly balmy, meditating too long, and couldn't come out of the little hut we were livin' in.
They selected me and George to try and bring her out because she would trust us.
If she'd been in the West, they would have put her away… We got her out of the house.
She'd been locked in for three weeks and was trying to reach God quicker than anybody else.
That was the competition in Maharishi's camp – who was going to get cosmic first.
What I didn't know was I was 'already' cosmic.' (laughs)
PAUL circa-1994: 'He (John) wrote 'Dear Prudence, won't you come out and play…' and went in and sang it to her, and I think that actually did help.'
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?Dear Prudence, open up your eyes
Dear Prudence, see the sunny skies
The wind is low, the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Dear Prudence, won't you open up your eyes?Look around round
Look around round round
Look aroundDear Prudence, let me see you smile
Dear Prudence, like a little child
The clouds will be a daisy chain
So let me see you smile again
Dear Prudence, won't you let me see you smile?Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
I threw in the line 'The walrus was Paul' just to confuse everybody a bit more.
It could've been the fox terrier is Paul, you know.
I mean, it's just a bit of poetry.
It was just thrown in like that… The line was put in because I was feeling guilty because I was with Yoko and I was leaving Paul.
I was trying… I don't know.
It's a perverse way of saying to Paul, you know, 'Here, have this crumb, this illusion, this stroke, because I'm leaving.'
You know the place where nothing is real
Well here's another place you can go
Where everything flows
Looking through the bent backed tulips
To see how the other half live
Looking through a glass onionI told you about the walrus and me, man
You know that we're as close as can be, man
Well here's another clue for you all
The walrus was Paul
Standing on the cast iron shore, yeah
Lady Madonna trying to make ends meet, yeah
Looking through a glass onionOh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Looking through a glass onionI told you about the fool on the hill
I tell you man he living there still
Well here's another place you can be
Listen to me
Fixing a hole in the ocean
Trying to make a dove-tail joint, yeah
Looking through a glass onion
I said, 'Come on, Jimmy, it's just an expression.
If you'd written the song, you could have had a cut.' He also used to say, 'Nothin's too much, just outta sight.' He was just one of those guys who had great expressions, you know.'
Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly, "Girl, I like your face"
And Molly says this as she takes him by the handOb-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on
Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes onDesmond takes a trolley to the jeweler's stores
Buys a twenty carat golden ring (Golden ring?)
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing (Sing)Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on
Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on, yeah (No)In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
(Ah ha ha ha ha ha)Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond lets the children lend a hand (Arm! Leg!)
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
And in the evening she still sings it with the bandYes, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on (Ha ha ha)
Hey, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes onIn a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
(Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)Yeah, happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand (Foot!)
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening she's a singer with the bandYeah, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on
Yeah, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes onAnd if you want some fun
Take ob-la-di ob-la-da(Thank you, uh, ha ha ha!)
I just made up this short piece and I multitracked the harmony to that, and a harmony to that, and a harmony to that, and built it up sculpturally with alot of vibrato on the (guitar) strings, really pulling the strings madly – hence 'Wild Honey Pie.''
Honey PieHoney Pie
Honey PieHoney Pie
Honey Pie
Honey Pie
Honey PieI love you, Honey Pie
There used to be a character called Jungle Jim, and I combined him with Buffalo Bill.
It's a sort of teenage social comment song, and a bit of a joke.
Yoko's on that one, I believe.'PAUL circa-1994: 'I remember John singing 'Bungalow Bill' in Rishikesh.
This is another of his great songs and it's one of my favorites to this day because it stands for alot of what I stand for now.
'Did you really have to shoot that tiger' is its message.
'Aren't you a big guy? Aren't you a brave man?' I think John put it very well.'
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?He went out tiger hunting with his elephant and gun
In case of accidents he always took his mom
He's the all American bullet-headed Saxon mother's son
All the children singHey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?Deep in the jungle where the mighty tiger lies
Bill and his elephants were taken by surprise
So Captain Marvel zapped in right between the eyes, zap!
All the children singHey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?The children asked him if to kill was not a sin
"Not when he looked so fierce", his mummy butted in
If looks could kill it would have been us instead of him
All the children singHey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?Oh ho!Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill, Bungalow Bill?[Eh up!]
(George Harrison)
The idea was in my head when I visited my parents' home in the North of England.
I decided to write a song based on the first thing I saw upon opening any book – as it would be relative to that moment, at that time.
I picked up a book at random, opened it – saw 'gently weeps' – than laid the book down again and started the song.
Some of the words to the song were changed before I finally recorded it.'GEORGE 1987: 'I worked on that song with John, Paul, and Ringo one day, and they were not interested in it at all.
And I knew inside of me that it was a nice song.
The next day I was with Eric Clapton, and I was going into the session, and I said, 'We're going to do this song.
Come and play on it.' He said, 'Oh no.
I can't do that.
Nobody ever plays on the Beatles records.' I said, 'Look, it's my song, and I want you to play on it.' So Eric came in, and the other guys were as good as gold – because he was there.
Also, it left me free to just play the rhythm and do the vocal.
So Eric played that, and I thought it was really good.
Then we listened to it back, and he said, 'Ah, there's a problem though; it's not Beatley enough.' So we put it through the ADT (automatic double-track) to wobble it up a bit.'
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weepsI don't know why nobody told you
How to unfold your love
I don't know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold youI look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weepsWell...I don't know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
No one alerted youI look at you all, see the love there that's sleeping
[LOVE version:] I look from the wings at the play you are staging.
While my guitar gently weeps
Look at you all
[LOVE version:] As I'm sitting here doing nothing but aging
Still my guitar gently weepsOh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, ohYeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, ooh
It said, Happiness is a warm gun, and it was 'Get ready for the long hot summer with a rifle,' you know, 'Come and buy them now!' It was an advert in a gun magazine.
And it was so sick, you know, the idea of 'Come and buy your killing weapons,' and 'Come and get it.' But it's just such a great line, 'Happiness Is A Warm Gun' that John sort of took that and used that as a chorus.
And the rest of the words… I think they're great words, you know.
It's a poem.
And he finishes off, 'Happiness Is A Warm Gun, yes it is.' It's just good poetry.'JOHN 1972: 'Thay all said it was about drugs, but it was more about rock 'n roll than drugs.
It's sort of a history of rock 'n roll… I don't know why people said it was about the needle in heroin.
I've only seen somebody do something with a needle once, and I don't like to see it at all.'JOHN 1980: 'A gun magazine was sitting around and the cover was the picture of a smoking gun.
The title of the article, which I never read, was 'Happiness Is a Warm Gun.' I took it right from there.
I took it as the idea of happiness after having shot somebody.
Or some animal.'
Do do do do do do do do, oh yeah
She's well acquainted with the touch of the velvet hand
Like a lizard on a window pane
The man in the crowd with the multicoloured mirrors
On his hobnail boots
Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy
Working overtime
A soap impression of his wife which he ate
And donated to the National TrustDown
I need a fix 'cause I'm going down
Down to the bits that I left uptown
I need a fix 'cause I'm going downMother Superior jump the gun
Mother Superior jump the gun
Mother Superior jump the gun
Mother Superior jump the gun
Mother Superior jump the gun
Mother Superior jump the gunHappiness is a warm gun (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, mama (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
When I hold you in my arms (Oo-oo oh yeah)
And I feel my finger on your trigger (Oo-oo oh yeah)
I know nobody can do me no harm (Oo-oo oh yeah)Because happiness is a warm gun, mama (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, yes it is (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm, yes it is, gun (Happiness bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Well, don't you know that happiness is a warm gun, mama? (Happiness is a warm gun, yeah)
Mainly I'm just doing a tune and then some words come into my head, you know.
And these happened to be 'Martha My Dear, though I spend my days in conversation.' So you can read anything you like into it, but really it's just a song.
It's me singing to my dog.' (laughs)
PAUL circa-1994: 'When I taught myself piano I liked to see how far I could go, and this (song) started off as a piece you'd learn as a piano lesson.
It's quite hard for me to play, It's a two-handed thing, like a little set piece.
Then when I was blocking out words – you just mouth out sounds and some things come – I found the words 'Martha my dear.' So I made up another fantasy song… I mean, I'm not really speaking to Martha, it's a communication of some sort or affection, but in a slightly abstract way – 'You silly girl, look what you've done…' Whereas it would appear to anybody else to be a song to a girl called Martha, it's actually a dog, and our relationship was platonic, believe me.'
Please
Remember me Martha my love
Don't forget me Martha my dearHold your head up you silly girl look what you've done
When you find yourself in the thick of it
Help yourself to a bit of what is all around you
Silly girlTake a good look around you
Take a good look you're bound to see
That you and me were meant to be for each other
Silly girlHold your hand out you silly girl see what you've done
When you find yourself in the thick of it
Help yourself to a bit of what is all around you
Silly girlMartha my dear you have always been my inspiration
Please
Be good to me Martha my love
Don't forget me Martha my dear
I couldn't sleep, I'm meditating all day and couldn't sleep at night.
The story is that.
One of my favorite tracks.
I just like the sound of it, and I sing it well.'PAUL circa-1994: 'It has that very special line, 'And curse Sir Walter Raleigh/ He was such a stupid git.' That's a classic line and it's so John that there's no doubt who wrote it.
I think it's 100 percent John.'
I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink
I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink
No, no, noI'm so tired I don't know what to do
I'm so tired my mind is set on you
I wonder should I call you but I know what you would doYou'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
For a little peace of mindI'm so tired, I'm feeling so upset
Although I'm so tired I'll have another cigarette
And curse Sir Walter Raleigh
He was such a stupid gitYou'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
For a little peace of mind
I'd give you everything I've got
For a little peace of mind
I'd give you everything I've got
For a little peace of mind(Monsieur, Monsieur, Monsieur, how about another one?)
Maybe on 'Pepper' we would have sort of worked on it until we could find some way to put violins or trumpets in there.
But I don't think it needs it, this one.
You know, it's just… There's nothing to the song.
It is just one of those 'pick it and sing it' and that's it.
The only point where we were thinking of putting anything on it is where it comes back in the end… sort of stops and comes back in… but instead of putting any backing on it, we put a blackbird on it.
So there's a blackbird singing at the very end.
And somebody said it was a thrush, but I think it's a blackbird!'JOHN 1980: 'I gave him (Paul) a line on that one.'PAUL circa-1994: 'The original inspiration was from a well-known piece by Bach, which I never know the title of, which George and I had learned to play at an early age – he better than me actually.
Part of its structure is a particular harmonic thing between the melody and the bass line which intrigued me… I developed the melody based on the Bach piece and took it somewhere else, took it to another level, then I just fitted words to it.
I had in my mind a black woman, rather than a bird.
Those were the days of the civil-rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about.
So this was really a song from me to a black woman, experiencing these problems in the states… 'Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith, there is hope.' As is often the case with my things, a veiling took place.
So, rather than say 'Black woman living in Little Rock' and be very specific, she became a bird, became symbolic, so you could apply it to your particular problem.'
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to ariseBlackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be freeBlack bird fly, black bird fly
Into the light of the dark black nightBlack bird fly, black bird fly
Into the light of the dark black nightBlackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
(George Harrison)
I was stuck for one line in the middle until my mother came up with the lyric, 'What they need is a damn good whacking' which is a nice simple way of saying they need a good hiding.
It needed to rhyme with 'backing,' 'lacking,' and had absolutely nothing to do with American policemen or Californian shagnasties!'JOHN 1980: 'I gave George a couple of lines about forks and knives and eating bacon.'
Crawling in the dirt?
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt to play around inHave you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts?
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts to play around inIn their styes with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whackingEverywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon(One more time...)
And we were just sitting around enjoying ourselves, and I started playing the chords of 'Rocky Raccoon,' you know, just messing around.
And, oh, originally it was Rocky Sassoon, and we just started making up the words, you know, the three of us – and started just to write them down.
They came very quickly.
And eventually I changed it from Sassoon to Raccoon, because it sounded more like a cowboy.
So there it is.
These kind of things – you can't really talk about how they come 'cuz they just come into your head, you know.
They really do.
And it's like John writing his books.
There's no… I don't know how he does it, and he doesn't know how he does it, but he just writes.
I think people who actually do create and write… you tend to think, 'Oh, how did he do that,' but it actually does flow… just flows from into their head, into their hand, and they write it down, you know.
And that's what happened with this.
I don't know anything about the Appalachian mountains or cowboys and indians or anything.
But I just made it up, you know.
And the doctor came in stinking of gin and proceeded to lie on the table.
So, there you are.'PAUL circa-1994: 'I like talking-blues so I started off like that, then I did my tongue-in-cheek parody of a western and threw in some amusing lines.
The bit I liked about it was him (Rocky) finding Gideon's Bible and thinking, 'Some guy called Gideon must have left it for the next guy.' I like the idea of Gideon being a character.
You get the meaning, and at the same time get in a poke at it.
All in good fun.'
There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon
And one day his woman ran off with another guy
Hit young Rocky in the eye Rocky didn't like that
He said "I'm gonna get that boy"
So one day he walked into town
Booked himself a room in the local saloonRocky Raccoon checked into his room
Only to find Gideon's Bible
Rocky had come, equipped with a gun
To shoot off the legs of his rivalHis rival, it seems, had broken his dreams
By stealing the girl of his fancy
Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil
But everyone knew her as NancyNow she and her man, who called himself Dan
Were in the next room at the hoedown
Rocky burst in, and grinning a grin
He said, "Danny boy, this is a showdown"But Daniel was hot, he drew first and shot
And Rocky collapsed in the corner, ahD'da d'da d'da da da da
D'da d'da d'da da da da
D'da d'da d'da da d'da d'da d'da d'da
Do do do do do doD'do d'do d'do do do do
D'do d'do d'do do do do
D'do d'do d'do do do d'do d'do d'do d'do
Do do do do do doNow, the doctor came in, stinking of gin
And proceeded to lie on the table
He said, "Rocky, you met your match"
And Rocky said, "Doc, it's only a scratch
And I'll be better, I'll be better, Doc, as soon as I am able"And now Rocky Raccoon, he fell back in his room
Only to find Gideon's Bible
Gideon checked out and he left it no doubt
To help with good Rocky's revival, ah
Oh yeah, yeahD'do d'do d'do do do do
D'do d'do d'do do do do
D'do d'do d'do do do d'do d'do d'do d'do
Do do do do do doD'do d'do d'do do do do, come on, Rocky boy
D'do d'do d'do do do do, come on, Rocky boy
D'do d'do d'do do do d'do d'do d'do d'do
The story of Rocky there
(Richard Starkey)
The second one is Ringo's first song that we're working on this very moment.
He composed it himself in a fit of lithargy.'
Coming up the drive
Listen for your footsteps
But they don't arrive
Waiting for your knock, dear
On my old front door
I don't hear it
Does it mean you don't love me any more?I hear the clock are ticking
On the mantel shelf
See the hands are moving
But I'm by myself
I wonder where you are tonight
And why I'm by myself
I don't see you
Does it mean you don't love me any more?Don't pass me by, don't make me cry, don't make me blue
Cause you know darling I love only you
You'll never know it hurt me so
How I hate to see you go
Don't pass me by, don't make me cryI'm sorry that I doubted you
I was so unfair
You were in a car crash
And you lost your hair
You said that you would be late
About an hour or two
I said that's alright I'm waiting here
Just waiting to hear from youDon't pass me by, don't make me cry, don't make me blue
Cause you know darling I love only you
You'll never know it hurt me so
How I hate to see you go
Don't pass me by, don't make me cry
One of his best.'JOHN 1980: 'That's Paul.
He even recorded it by himself in another room.
That's how it was getting in those days.
We came in, and he'd made the whole record.
Him drumming, him playing the piano, him singing.
But he couldn't… maybe he couldn't make the break from the Beatles.
I don't know what it was, you know.
I enjoyed the track.
Still I can't speak for George, but I was always hurt when Paul would knock something off without involving us.
But that's just the way it was then.'PAUL 1981: 'There's only one incident I can think of, which John has publically mentioned.
It was when I went off with Ringo and did 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road.' It wasn't a deliberate thing, John and George were tied up finishing something, and me and Ringo were free, just hanging around, so I said to Ringo, 'Let's go and do this.' I did hear John some time later singing it.
He liked the song, and I suppose he wanted to do it with me.
It was a very John sort of song anyway.
That's why he liked it, I suppose.
It was very John, the idea of it, not me.
I wrote it as a ricochet off John.'
Why don't we do it in the road? Ah
Why don't we do it in the road? Mm
Why don't we do it in the road? Mm
No one will be watching us
Why don't we do it in the road?Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
No one will be watching us
Why don't we do it in the road?OohWhy don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it, do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
No one will be watching us
Why don't we do it in the road?
We're not just completely one kind of group.
'Cuz like, when we played in Hamburg, we didn't just do rock all evening 'cuz we had to have these sort of fat old businessmen coming in and saying… (jokingly) or THIN old businessmen, as well, were coming in and saying 'Play a mambo.
Can you do a rhumba?' And we couldn't just keep saying no, you know, so we had to get into mambos and rhumbas a bit.
So this kind of thing is like a pretty sort of smootchy ballad – 'I Will.' I don't know if it's getting off the subject, but that's why there's great variety in this LP – 'cuz in everything we do, you know, we just haven't got one bag, you know.
And 'cuz on one hand you'll get something like 'I Will' and then you'll get 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road,' you know.
Just completely different things – completely different feelings… But it's me singing both of them.
It's the same fella.
Uhh, and I've wrote both of them, you know.
So you can't explain it.
I don't know why I do 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road' shouting it like that… and then do this sort of smootchy laughing American 'Girl From Ipenema.''PAUL circa-1994: 'I was doing a song, 'I Will,' that I had as a melody for quite a long time but I didn't have lyrics to it.
I remember sitting around (in India) with Donovan, and maybe a couple of other people.
We were just sitting around one evening after our day of meditation and I played him this one and he liked it, and we were trying to write some words.
We kicked around a few lyrics, something about the moon, but they weren't very satisfactory and I thought the melody was better than the words… it's still one of my favorite melodies that I've written.
You just occasionally get lucky with a melody and it becomes rather complete and I think this is one of them – quite a complete tune.'
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime
If you want me to, I willFor if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the sameLove you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apartAnd when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
Oh, you know I will
I willMm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
Da da da da da da da
Yoko helped me with this one.'JOHN 1980: 'Julia was my mother.
But it was sort of a combination of Yoko and my mother blended into one.
That was written in India… We wrote tons of songs in India.'PAUL circa-1994: 'The interesting thing for me on 'Julia' is the finger-picking (guitar) style.
He learned to fingerpick off Donovan or Gypsy Dave… That was John's song about his mum, folk finger-picking style, and a very good song.'
But I say it just to reach you, JuliaJulia, Julia, oceanchild, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me
So I sing a song of love, JuliaHer hair of floating sky is shimmering, glimmering
In the sunJulia, Julia, morning moon, touch me
So I sing a song of love, JuliaWhen I cannot sing my heart
I can only speak my mind, JuliaJulia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
Hum hum hum hum... calls me
So I sing a song of love for Julia, Julia, Julia
That's an old rock film with Little Richard and Fats Domino and Eddie Cochran and a few others… and we wanted to see it, so we started recording at five o'clock.
And we said, 'We'll do something, We'll make up a backing track.' So we kept it very simple – twelve bar blues kind of thing.
And we stuck in a few bits here and there in it, with no idea what the song was or what was gonna go on top of it.
We just said, 'Okay.
Twelve bars in A, and we'll change to D, and I'm gonna do a few beats in C.' And we really just did it like that… random thing.
And we came back here to my house and watched 'The Girl Can't Help It.' Then we went back to the studio again and made up some words to go with it all.
So this song was just made up in an evening.
Umm, you know.
We hadn't ever thought of it before then.
And it's one of my favorites because of that.
I think it works, you know, 'cuz it's just… It's a good one to dance to.
Like the big long drum break, just 'cuz, normally we might have four bars of drums, but with this we just keep it going, you know.
We all like to hear drums plodding on.'JOHN 1972: 'Both of us (wrote it.)'JOHN 1980: ''Birthday' was written in the studio.
Just made up on the spot.
I think Paul wanted to write a song like 'Happy Birthday Baby,' the old fifties hit.
But it was sort of made up in the studio.
It was a piece of garbage.'PAUL circa-1994: 'We thought, 'Why not make something up?' So we got a riff going and arranged it around this riff.
So that is 50-50 John and me, made up on the spot and recorded all in the same evening.'
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to youAh
Ah
Ah
Come on
Come onYes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party partyI would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Dance yeahOh
Come onI would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Oh dance! DanceThey say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you
Up there, trying to reach God and feeling suicidal.'
Yes I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason whyIn the morning wanna die
In the evening wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason whyMy mother was of the sky
My father was of the earth
But I am of the universe
And you know what it's worth
I'm lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason whyThe eagle picks my eye
The worm he licks my bone
I feel so suicidal
Just like Dylan's Mr. Jones
Lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason whyBlack cloud crossed my mind
Blue mist round my soul
Feel so suicidal
Even hate my rock 'n' roll
Wanna die yeah wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why
That was from a lecture of Maharishi where he was talking about nature, and I had a piece called 'I'm Just A Child Of Nature,' which turned into 'Jealous Guy' years later.
Both inspired from the same lecture of Maharishi.'PAUL circa-1994: 'I seem to remember writing 'Mother Nature's Son' at my dad's house in Liverpool… I've always loved the song called, 'Nature Boy' …'Mother Nature's Son' was inspired by that song.
I'd always loved nature, and when Linda and I got together we discovered we had this deep love of nature in common.
There might have been a little help from John with some of the verses.
All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyoneSit beside a mountain stream, see her waters rise
Listen to the pretty sound of music as she fliesDoo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo dooFind me in my field of grass, Mother Nature's son
Swaying daisies sing a lazy song beneath the sunDoo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo
Yeah yeah yeahMm mm mm mm mm mm mm
Mm mm mm, ooh ooh ooh
Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
Mm mm mm mm, wah wah wahWah, Mother Nature's son
(John Lennon)
(Officially – John Lennon and Paul McCartney)
It was about me and Yoko.
Everybody seemed to be paranoid except for us two, who were in the glow of love.
Everything is clear and open when you're in love.
Everybody was sort of tense around us – you know, 'What is SHE doing here at the session? Why is she with him?' All this sort of madness is going on around us because we just happened to want to be together all the time.'
Come on come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on let's take it easy
Come on let's take it easy
Take it easy take it easy
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey(Ooh) the deeper you go the higher you fly
The higher you fly the deeper you go
So come on (Come on) come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on let's make it easy
Come on let's make it easy (Oh)
Take it easy (Yeh yeh yeh) take it easy (Hoo)
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkeyOh!Your inside is out and your outside is in
Your outside is in and your inside is out
So come on (Ho) come on (Ho)
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on let's make it easy
Come on let's make it easy
Make it easy (Hoo) make it easy (Hoo)
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkeyHey!Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on...Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on...
I wrote it when we had our bags packed and we're leaving.
It was the last piece I wrote before I left India.
I just called him, 'Sexy Sadie,' instead of (sings) 'Maharishi what have you done, you made a fool…' I was just using the situation to write a song, rather calculatingly but also to express what I felt.
I was leaving the Maharishi with a bad taste.
You know, it seems that my partings are always not as nice as I'd like them to be.'
You made a fool of everyone
You made a fool of everyone
Sexy Sadie ooh what have you doneSexy Sadie you broke the rules
You layed it down for all to see
You layed it down for all to see
Sexy Sadie oooh you broke the rulesOne sunny day the world was waiting for a lover
She came along to turn on everyone
Sexy Sadie the greatest of them allSexy Sadie how did you know
The world was waiting just for you
The world was waiting just for you
Sexy Sadie oooh how did you knowSexy Sadie you'll get yours yet
However big you think you are
However big you think you are
Sexy Sadie oooh you'll get yours yetWe gave her everything we owned just to sit at her table
Just a smile would lighten everything
Sexy Sadie she's the latest and the greatest of them allShe made a fool of everyone
Sexy SadieHowever big you think you are
Sexy Sadie
Pity they've done it.
Must be great – really screaming record.' And then I heard their record and it was quite straight, and it was very sort of sophisticated.
It wasn't rough and screaming and tape echo at all.
So I thought, 'Oh well, we'll do one like that, then.' And I had this song called 'Helter Skelter' which is just a ridiculous song.
So we did it like that, 'cuz I like noise.'JOHN 1980: 'That's Paul completely.
All that (Charles) Manson stuff was built 'round George's song about pigs and this one… Paul's song about an English fairground.
It has nothing to do with anything, and least of all to do with me.'PAUL 1985: 'The Who had made some track that was the loudest, the most raucous rock 'n roll, the dirtiest thing they'd ever done.
It made me think, 'Right.
Got to do it.' I like that kind of geeking up.
And we decided to do the loudest, nastiest, sweatiest rock number we could.'
Where I stop and I turn and I go for a ride
Till I get to the bottom and I see you again
Yeah yeah yeah heyDo you, don't you want me to love you
I'm coming down fast but I'm miles above you
Tell me tell me tell me come on tell me the answer
Well you may be a lover but you ain't no dancerNow helter skelter helter skelter
Helter skelter yeah
Ooh!Will you, won't you want me to make you
I'm coming down fast but don't let me break you
Tell me tell me tell me the answer
You may be a lover but you ain't no dancerLook out helter skelter helter skelter
Helter skelter oohLook out, cos here she comesWhen I get to the bottom I go back to the top of the slide
And I stop and I turn and I go for a ride
And I get to the bottom and I see you again
Yeah yeah yeahWell do you, don't you want me to make you
I'm coming down fast but don't let me break you
Tell me tell me tell me the answer
You may be a lover but you ain't no dancerLook out helter skelter helter skelter
Helter skelterLook out helter skelter
She's coming down fast
Yes she is
Yes she is coming down fast(My head is spinning, ooh...Ha ha ha, ha ha ha, alright!I got blisters on my fingers!)
(George Harrison)
I can't recall much about it except the chords, which I think were coming from (Dylan's) 'Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands' – D to E minor, A, and D – those three chords and the way they moved.'
How could I ever have lost you
When I loved youIt took a long long long time
Now I'm so happy I found you
How I love youSo many tears I was searching
So many tears I was wasting, oh ohNow I can see you, be you
How can I ever misplace you
How I want you
Oh I love you
You know that I need you
Ooh I love youOh
It sounds the way I wanted it to sound.'JOHN 1972: 'I should never have put that in about Chairman Mao.
I was just finishing off in the studio when I did that.'JOHN 1980: 'The statement in 'Revolution' was mine.
The lyrics stand today.
It's still my feeling about politics.
I want to see the plan.
That is what I used to say to Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin.
Count me out if it is for violence.
Don't expect me to be on the barricades unless it is with flowers.
For years, on the Beatles' tours, Brian Epstein had stopped us from saying anything about Vietnam or the war.
And he wouldn't allow questions about it.
But on one of the last tours, I said, 'I'm going to answer about the war.
We can't ignore it.' I absolutely wanted the Beatles to say something about the war.'
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the worldBut when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me outDon't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alrightYou say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're all doing what we canBut if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to waitDon't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alright, al...You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You'd better free your mind insteadBut if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhowDon't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alrightAlright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
And I liked 'em.
I like the melody of old songs, and the lyrics actually as well.
There's some old lyrics, like, you know – the woman singing about the man, and she's saying something about 'I wanna have his initial on my monogram.' You know what I mean? There's good lyrics and just good thoughts that you don't sort of hear so much these days, you know.
And so, I would quite like to have been a 1920's writer, 'cuz I like that thing, you know.
Umm, you know, up in top hat and tails and sort of coming-on to 'em.
So this kind of number, I like that thing.
But, uhh… So this is just me doing it, pretending I'm living in 1925.'GEORGE 1987: 'John played a brilliant solo on 'Honey Pie' – sounded like Django Reinhardt or something.
It was one of them where you just close your eyes and happen to hit all the right notes… sounded like a little jazz solo.'PAUL circa-1994: 'I very much liked that old crooner style – the strange fruity voice that they used, so 'Honey Pie' was me writing one of them to an imaginary woman, across the ocean, on the silver screen, who was called Honey Pie.
It's another of my fantasy songs.
We put a sound on my voice to make it sound like a scratchy old record.
So it's not a parody, it's a nod to the vaudville tradition that I was raised on.'
North of England way
Now she's hit the big time
In the USA
And if she could only hear me
This is what I'd sayHoney pie you are making me crazy
I'm in love but I'm lazy
So won't you please come homeOh honey pie my position is tragic
Come and show me the magic
Of your Hollywood songYou became a legend of the silver screen
And now the thought of meeting you
Makes me weak in the kneeOh honey pie you are driving me frantic
Sail across the Atlantic
To be where you belongHoney pie come back to me, ohYeah
I like it like that, oh ah
I like this kind of hot kind of music
Hot kind of music
Play it to me, play it to me, honey, the bluesWill the wind that blew her boat
Across the sea
Kindly send her sailing back to meHoney pie you are making me crazy
I'm in love but I'm lazy
So won't you please come home
Come, come back to me, honey pieOooooooooooh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Honey pie, honey pie
(George Harrison)
He's got this real sweet tooth and he'd just had his mouth worked on.
His dentist said he was through with candy.
So as a tribute I wrote, 'You'll have to have them all pulled out after the Savoy Truffle.' The truffle was some kind of sweet, just like all the rest – cream tangerine, ginger sling – just candy, to tease Eric.'GEORGE 1980: ''Savoy Truffle' is a funny one written whist hanging out with Eric Clapton in the '60s.
At that time he had alot of cavities in his teeth and needed dental work.
He always had a toothache but he ate alot of chocolates – he couldn't resist them, and once he saw a box he had to eat them all.
He was over at my house, and I had a box of 'Good News' chocolates on the table and wrote the song from the names inside the lid.
I got stuck with the two bridges for a while and Derek Taylor wrote some of the words in the middle – 'You know that what you eat you are.''
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart
A coffee dessert, yes, you know it's good news
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffleCool cherry cream, nice apple tart
I feel your taste all the time we're apart
Coconut fudge really blows down those blues
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffleYou might not feel it now
But when the pain cuts through
You're going to know and how
The sweat is going to fill your head
When it becomes too much
You'll shout aloud[Instrumental/Solo]But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffleYou know that what you eat you are
But what is sweet now turns so sour
We all know obla-dibla-da
But can you show me where you are?Creme tangerine and montelimar
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart
A coffee dessert, yes, you know it's good news
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffleYes you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle
'Cry baby cry, make your mother BUY.' I've been playing it over and over on the piano.
I've let it go now, but it will come back if I really want it.
Sometimes I get up from the piano as if I've been in a trance, and I know I have let a few things slip away which I could have caught had I wanted something.'JOHN 1980: 'A piece of rubbish.'
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know betterThe king of Marigold was in the kitchen
Cooking breakfast for the queen
The queen was in the parlour
Playing piano for the children of the kingCry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cryThe king was in the garden
Picking flowers for a friend who came to play
The queen was in the playroom
Painting pictures for the childrens holidayCry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cryThe duchess of Kircaldy always smiling
And arriving late for tea
The duke was having problems
With a message at the local bird and beeCry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cryAt twelve o'clock a meeting round the table
For a seance in the dark
With voices out of nowhere
Put on specially by the children for a larkCry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry cry cry cry baby
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
Cry baby cryCry cry cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry
I find it heavy to listen to myself – in fact, I don't, really.'JOHN 1971: 'I thought I was painting in sound a picture of revolution, but I made a mistake, you know.
The mistake was that it was antirevolution.'JOHN 1980: 'The slow version of 'Revolution' on the album went on and on and on and I took the fade-out part, which is what they sometimes do with disco records now, and just layered all this stuff over it.
It was the basic rhythm of the original 'Revolution' going on with some twenty (tape) loops we put on, things from the archives of EMI.
We were cutting up classical music and making different-size loops, and then I got and engineer tape on which some test engineer was saying, 'Number nine.' All those different bits of sound and noise are all compiled.
There were about ten (tape) machines with people holding pencils on the loops – some only inches long and some a yard long.
I fed them all in and mixed them live.
I did a few mixes until I got one I liked.
Yoko was there for the whole thing and she made decisions about which loops to use.
It was somewhat under her influence, I suppose.
Once I heard her stuff – not just the screeching and the howling but her sort of word pieces and talking and breathing and all this strange stuff, I thought, My God, I got intrigued… so I wanted to do one.
I spent more time on 'Revolution 9' than I did on half the songs I ever wrote.
It was a montage.'
Will you forgive me?Yes.)Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, numberThen there's this Welsh Rarebit wearing some brown underpants
About the shortage of grain in Hertfordshire
Everyone of them knew that as time went by
They'd get a little bit older and a litter slower but
It's all the same thing, in this case manufactured by someone who's always
Umpteen your father's giving it diddly-i-dee
District was leaving, intended to pay forNumber 9, number 9Who's to know?
Who was to know?Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9I sustained nothing worse than
Also for example
Whatever you're doing
A business deal falls through
I informed him on the third night
When fortune givesNumber 9, number 9, number 9People ride, people ride
Ride, ride, ride, ride, ride
Ride! Ride!9, number 9, number 9, number 9I've missed all of that
It makes me a few days late
Compared with, like, wow!
And weird stuff like that
Taking our sides sometimes
Floral bark
Rouge doctors have brought this specimenI have nobody's short-cuts, aha 9, number 9With the situationThey are standing stillThe plan, the telegramOoh oohNumber 9, numberOohA man without terrors from beard to false
As the headmaster reported to me
My son he really can try as they do to find function
Tell what he was saying, and his voice was low and his hive high
And his eyes were lowAlright!Number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9So the wife called me and we'd better go to see a surgeon
Or whatever to price it yellow underclothes
So, any road, we went to see the dentist instead
Who gave her a pair of teeth which wasn't any good at all
So I said I'd marry, join the fucking navy and went to seaIn my broken chair, my wings are broken and so is my hair
I'm not in the mood for whirlingUm da
AaahHow?
Dogs for dogging, hands for clapping
Birds for birding and fish for fishing
Them for themming and when for whimmingOnly to find the night-watchman
Unaware of his presence in the buildingOnion soupNumber 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9, number 9Industrial output
Financial imbalanceThrusting it between his shoulder bladesThe Watusi
The twistEldoradoTake this brother, may it serve you wellMaybe it's nothing
Aaah
Maybe it's nothing
What? What? OhMaybe even then
Impervious in London
Could be difficult thing
It's quick like rush for peace is
Because it's so much
It was like being nakedIf you became naked
He's got a lot of soul, John has.'PAUL 1968: 'John wrote it, mainly.
It's his tune, uhh, which is surprising for John – 'cuz he doesn't normally write this kind of tune.
It's a very sweet tune, and Ringo sings it great, I think.
The arrangement was done by George Martin, uhh, 'cuz he's very good at that kind of arrangement, you know – very sort of lush, sweet arrangement.'JOHN 1980: ''Good Night' was written for Julian, the way 'Beautiful Boy' was written for Sean… but given to Ringo and possibly overlush.'PAUL circa-1994: 'I think John felt it might not be good for his image for him to sing it, but it was fabulous to hear him do it, he sang it great.
We heard him sing it in order to teach it to Ringo and he sang it very tenderly.
John rarely showed his tender side, but my key memories of John are when he was tender, that's what has remained with me – those moments where he showed himself to be a very generous, loving person.
I always cite that song as an example of the John beneath the surface that we only saw occasionally… I don't think John's version was ever recorded.'
Good night, sleep tight
Now the sun turns out his light
Good night, sleep tight
Dream sweet dreams for me (Dream sweet)
Dream sweet dreams for youClose your eyes and I'll close mine
Good night, sleep tight
Now the moon begins to shine
Good night, sleep tight
Dream sweet dreams for me (Dream sweet)
Dream sweet dreams for youMmmmmm
Mmmmmm
MmmmmmmmmmClose your eyes and I'll close mine
Good night, sleep tight
Now the sun turns out his light
Good night, sleep tight
Dream sweet dreams for me (Dream sweet)
Dream sweet dreams for youGood night, good night, everybody
Everybody everywhere
Good night