The Beatles – A Day in the Life

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I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh

I saw the photograph.
He blew his mind out in a car
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
A crowd of people stood and stared
They'd seen his face before
Nobody was really sure
If he was from the House of Lords.

I saw a film today oh boy
The English army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
But I just had to look
Having read the book
I'd love to turn you on.

Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
And looking up I noticed I was late.
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream.

I read the news today oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
I'd love to turn you on

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Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by PTCGAZ

Track duration: 03:58

"A Day in the Life" as written by John Winston Lennon, Paul James Mccartney

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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A Day in the Life song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment:You people are trying to explain something that can't be explained. Using logic to explain the song. Common mistake. The song got an energy, that nobody will ever explain. That's why is so especial.
    Flag Batata99on April 26, 2013   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion:I'm pretty sure that the first two verses are about one of The Beatles' friends who died in a car crash.

    The part about the film is about "How I Won the War," a film that John was in.

    Paul's verse is about an ordinary day in an ordinary man's life.

    Last verse... I have no idea.


    To me, it seems that John's lyrics represent craziness and confusion in one man's life, while Paul's lyrics represent very mild craziness in a different man's life.
    Flag GJRP4319on March 29, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:My take of this song:
    First off the second line is wrong.
    I read the news today oh boy,
    about a lucky man who made the grave (not grade)
    Basically John was reading a newspaper and a rich playboy guy crashed his sports car into the back of a truck when he rear-ended a semi truck (as the English would call a lorry) The guy was decapitated. (I dont remember what his name is sorry)

    And though the news was rather sad, I just had to laugh..
    I saw the photograph, .... And no one was really sure if he was from the house of lord" which means that a bunch of people saw the accident, and saw the picture and everyone knew how the guy was but they couldn't place him so they were thinking he was in the house of lords (part of the English government, sorry I would assume it's like the US congress or senate, please don't make fun of me,, I don't know English government very well, but I could tell you about our sytem pretty well).

    Then there is a section which I think is sorta contrasted with how things are then, with how they were when WWII was won.

    Then there is a bridge which Paul wrote..
    Basically he's saying he woke up, and realized he'd overslept, so he had to run to make the bus. he lit up a smoke (IE could have been pot, or a cigarette take your pick)

    After the bridge the end is talking about another story from the paper, probably on the last page, as opposed to the front page stuff about the wreck..
    so there's 4000 holes in Blackburn.. and now they know how many it takes to fill the Albert Hall, basically these lines are about potholes, and so John being John decided that they all should go to the Albert Hall. (these lines could also be a sexual metaphor, the whole thing about I'm going to turn you on" part might fit with this, almost like it was the day dream that Paul had, and the last thing he was reading about was on the last page.. But then again.. I love this song, and basically, I think it's about trivial bullshit in a day in a life, from many different views, but told by two people John, and Paul.
    Flag PTCGAZon December 31, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:I believe the structure of the song is crucial to understand what it means;

    the first part is about laying in bed, waiting to fall asleep, thinking of the day that is about to finish. he thinks of the irony in life, he can't help but laughing at someone dying in such an absurd way, after "having made the grade" in the life. the orchestral section is the moment when he falls alseep, with so much meaningless thinking going on (beautiful how the last thing he thinks is his loved one, and how he would like her to be there with him).
    Then he suddenly wakes up and starts his day routine; he has to hurry, no time for thinking; but then he smokes, and while people are talking about something he probably doesn't really care about, once again he goes away with his mind just like when he was about to sleep ("i went into a dream"), and again the orchestral section is the division between the everyday world and the world he has in his mind. Yet again, the last thought that comes to his mind is her... He'd love to turn her on...

    Sorry about my poor english, i did my best
    Flagged Urasawaon November 18, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Some of the best bass and drum playing ever in this song... So simple yet so perfect.
    Flagged NickPon October 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Does anybody have any idea why this song was banned by the BBC when it initially came out in '67?? It was supposed to condone drug use, but I think other songs are much more obviously druggie than this one. Some help here?
    Flagged musicgypsyon October 01, 2011   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • +1
    General Comment:my favorite beatles song and probably my favorite song of all time.
    Flagged person0on February 23, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:"somebody spoke and I went into a dream"

    I N C E P T I O N.
    Flag Alchemist5on January 03, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I love Ringo's drum fills on
    this one.
    Flag Ashley Yon November 16, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:John contemplating a world that is quickly devolving and coming apart at the seems.. while at the same time moving into interesting new frontiers.. and his response to all of this is that of a slightly passive, stoned, outside observer... his reflections are filtered through the world of media and art, all of which were in the process of becoming increasingly innovative and pervasive in everyone's lives. The disinterested quality is kind of a product of that and, to my mind, was something that continued on through many years later, into the 90s, with the 'slacker' label we all got (rightfully so, perhaps). I wonder if there is also a subconcious thought he's having here about whether his contributions to this new emerging 'art', and that of his contemporaries, is really helping the situation, or just making it worse. He was always so smart like that, being able to see both sides of the coin when it was most critical to have done so, but also when so few people actually were able to like him. So, at the end of the day, I think this is a song that contemplates a life of confusion, bewilderment, ecstasy, ambilivence, engagement, tempation, violence, brilliance, all converging on eachother simultaneously... that's why you hear the cacophy at the end.. but remember, that's followed by the incredible 4 beatles all hitting the same chord on the grand pianos in unison (then followed by a loop of weirdo beatles chatter if you have the actual LP). Good stuff. Hardly gets any better.
    Flag caucasianon September 05, 2010   Link
    • 2 Replies

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