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"I Am the Walrus" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 television film Magical Mystery Tour. Written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was released as the B-side to the single "Hello, Goodbye" and on the Magical Mystery Tour EP and album. In the film, the song underscores a segment in which the band mime to the recording at a deserted airfield.
Lennon wrote the song to confound listeners who had been affording serious scholarly interpretations of the Beatles' lyrics. He was partly inspired by two LSD trips and Lewis Carroll's 1871 poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter". Compositionally, every musical letter of the alphabet is invoked and every chord is a major or a seventh. Producer George Martin arranged and added orchestral accompaniment that included violins, cellos, horns, and clarinet. The Mike Sammes Singers, a 16-voice choir of professional studio vocalists, also joined the recording, variously singing nonsense lines and shrill whooping noises.
Since the "Hello, Goodbye" single and the Magical Mystery Tour EP both reached the top two slots on the British singles chart in December, "I Am the Walrus" holds the distinction of reaching numbers one and two simultaneously. Shortly after release, the song was banned by the BBC for the line "Boy, you've been a naughty girl, you let your knickers down".
Lyrics[]
Bolded lyrics are from a sample from the Shakespearian play "King Lear." [Verse 1]
I am he as you are he as you are me
And we are all together
See how they run like pigs from a gun
See how they fly
[Refrain]
I'm crying
[Verse 2]
Sitting on a corn flake
Waiting for the van to come
Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday
Man you've been a naughty boy
You let your face grow long
[Chorus]
I am the egg man
They are the egg men
I am the walrus
Goo goo g'joob
[Verse 3]
Mister City policeman sitting
Pretty little policemen in a row
See how they fly like Lucy in the sky, see how they run
[Refrain]
I'm crying, I'm crying
I'm crying, I'm crying
[Verse 4]
Yellow matter custard
Dripping from a dead dog's eye
Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess
Boy, you've been a naughty girl, you let your knickers down
[Chorus]
I am the egg man
They are the egg men
I am the walrus
Goo goo g'joob
[Bridge]
Sitting in an English garden
Waiting for the sun
If the sun don't come you get a tan
From standing in the English rain
[Chorus]
I am the egg man (now good sir)
They are the egg men (a poor man)
I am the walrus (made tame to fortune's blows)
Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob (good pity)
[Verse 5]
Expert, texpert choking smokers
Don't you think the joker laughs at you (ho ho ho, hee hee hee, hah hah hah)
See how they smile like pigs in a sty, see how they snide
[Refrain]
I'm crying
[Verse 6]
Semolina Pilchard
Climbing up the Eiffel tower
Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna
Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allen Poe
[Chorus]
I am the egg man
They are the egg men
I am the walrus
Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob
Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob, goo
[Bridge]
Joob, joob, jooba
Jooba, jooba, jooba
Joob, jooba
Joob, jooba
[Verse 7]
Umpa, umpa, stick it up your jumper (jooba, jooba)
Umpa, umpa, stick it up your jumper
Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa)
Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper)
Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa)
Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper)
Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa)
Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper)
Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa)
Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper)
Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa)
Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper)
Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa)
[Outro]
Slave
Thou hast slain me
Villain, take my purse
If I ever
Bury my body
The letters which though find'st about me
To Edmund Earl of Gloucester
Seek him out upon the British Party
O untimely death
I know thee well
A serviceable villain, as duteous to the vices of thy mistress
As badness would desire
What, is is he dead?
Sit you down, Father, rest you
Inspiration and Song Structure[]
The song was originally written as three independent songs by Lennon. One was inspired by the up and down patterns of a police siren (the "mister city p'licemen" portion). Another was an odd line about cornflakes ("sitting on a cornflake/waiting for the van to come"). The third was a tune about sitting in his garden ("sitting in an English garden/waiting for the sun). One line of the song was taken from a nursery rhyme. Lennon had asked his friend, Peter Shotton, to remind him of the lyrics to. The rhyme went:
Yellow matter custard, green slop pie, all mixed together with a dead dog's eye, Slap it on a butty, ten foot thick, then wash it all down with a cold cup of sick
(the rhyme inspired the lyric "Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye")
"I Am the Walrus" was also inspired by the Lewis Carroll poem, "The Walrus and The Carpenter." Lennon was later dismayed as he found out that the Walrus in the poem is in fact the villain, who represented capitalism.
The song was also written in response to a letter he received about how a teacher had begun to analyse songs of the Beatles. The song was intentionally written to deceive those trying to find a meaning within the song.
The intro lyric "I am he/as you are he/as you are me/and we are all together" is a boiled down version of Indian philosophy.
The line "elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna" is a political statement aimed at blind worship of religion. The "penguins" were praying without asking why. This is an example of Lennon incorporating obscure lyrics into his songs, which was inspired by Bob Dylan.
The lyric "semolina pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower" which occurs just before the above is a dig at DS Norman Pilcher of the Drug Squad, who was notorious for cracking down on pop/rock stars and for using often dubious methods in doing so.
This song is rumoured to be inspired by LSD. This may or may not be true, as it is widely known The Beatles experimented with the then legal "wonder drug."
"I Am the Walrus" is famous for its unique chord structure, which uses each letter in the musical alphabet in succession (A-B-C-D-E-F-G). The bridge of this song (sitting in an English garden ...) basically is still following this main pattern, but starting on a B chord, rather than an A chord.
After the chorus of, "I am the eggman (woo) they are the eggmen (woo) I am the Walrus", Lennon exclaims a series of nonsense words, spelled "goo goo g'joob" (as in the lyrics in the album state).
The song has virtually no meaning. As said above, the lines have partial meanings, and references to many things, a favourite of Lennon's.
Personnel[]
- John Lennon - Lead Vocals, Hohner Pianet Electric Piano
- Paul McCartney - Bass Guitar (Rickenbacker 4001S), Tambourine
- George Harrison - Lead Guitar (Fender Stratocaster)
- Ringo Starr - Drums
- The Mike Sammes Singers-Backing Vocals
- Sidney Sax, Jack Rothstein, Ralph Elman, Andrew McGee, Jack Greene, Louis Stevens, John Jezzard, Jack Richards-Violins
- Lionel Ross, Eldon Fox, Bram Martin, Terry Weil-Cellos
- Gordon Lewin-Clarinet
- Neil Sanders, Tony Tunstall, Morris Miller-Horns
Trivia[]
- The song makes a reference to "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" in the line "See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky."
- This song is referenced in "Glass Onion" by saying "the walrus was Paul."
- Who actually is the walrus remains a total mystery. Although John is the one singing the "I Am The Walrus" lines, in "Glass Onion" he says, "I told you 'bout the walrus and me, man * Yeah, we're about as close as can be man * Well here's another clue for you all * The walrus was Paul." Also, in Lennon's solo song "God", he tells us, "I was the walrus, but now I'm John." Also, on the back of the Magical Mystery Tour album, underneath the words "I Am The Walrus", the words: "'No you're not,' said Little Nicola."
- The extra instrumental intermission that leads to "Yellow Matter Custard" only exists in mono because it's only on the US single.
- The "goo goo ga joob" lyric is typical of nonsense lyrics included in mediaeval folk songs. Simon & Garfunkel referred to this lyric in the song "Mrs. Robinson". Some people often mentions it as "kookookachoo" or "kuku kuchu".
- The song’s full title is "I Am The Walrus ("No You're Not!" said Little Nicola)". — Nicola is a character in the Magical Mystery Tour film.
References[]
External links[]
- Acordes de esta Canción en tabfan.com