Desmond has a barrow in the marketplace
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 hand

[Chorus]
Ob la di ob la da life goes on bra
La la how the life goes on
Ob la di ob la da life goes on bra
La la how the life goes on

Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler's store
Buys a twenty carat golden ring
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing

[Chorus]

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

Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond lets the children lend a hand
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
And in the evening she still sings it with the band

[Chorus]

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

Happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening he's a singer with the band

[Chorus]

And if you want some fun sing ob la di bla da



Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by Ashikabi

Track duration: 03:34

"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" as written by John Winston Lennon, Paul James Mccartney

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da song meanings
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56 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:An error in the following comment I made:

    Its not the "Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face", which is correct, but the "And in the evening he's a singer with the band" line which should read "And in the evening SHE'S a singer with the band"
    Flag brlamonton April 07, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is ABSOLUTELY about Desmond being, or becoming, a cross-dresser. The "Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face" lyric in the last stanza should read: "Desmond stays at home and does her pretty face". The song is about changes that often happen in marriages and how, if the couple wants to be happy, they should endure those changes positively - that life goes on.

    As usual, the Beatles are being lyrically sly.

    By the way, "bra" is an abbreviation for "brother" and should probably be indicated as such (bra').
    Flag brlamonton April 07, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My GF absolutely luvs this song. Me, I really don't like it that much. It's okay.
    It's more like a Wings song, kinda like "Hi, Hi, Hi".

    I like the fact that John came into the studio stoned & pissed off, then played that piano intro & said "This is how we're gonna do it!" Then John & George make sarcastic jabs @ it, when Paul sings "....lend a hand". then John & George say, "Arm" "Leg".

    I do remember being in 2nd grade @ recess when I heard a car go by blasting this song. It was the very first Beatles song I ever heard.
    Much later, when the 45rpm came out, a friend of mine bought it. "Ob-la-di..." on the A side & "Helter Skelter" on the B-side. I'd ride my bike over to his house to listen to it. We listened to Helter Skelter over and over!
    I like the Anthology version much better!!!!
    Flag tesladudeon March 21, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Take ob la di la da" doesn't necessarily mean drugs. Basically the chorus says "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on". I get the feeling that by "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da" they mean how life pretty much happens, boy meets girl, boy and girl get married and have kids, boy and girl live happily ever after.
    Flag SideshowJazz1on November 23, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:The story of Paul and Linda McCartney, bra. Paul stays at home and does his pretty face (doesn't have a day job)And in the evening Linda's a singer with the band.

    And if you want some fun, pick Paul and Linda, not John and Yoko.
    Flag TheBeckleson June 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's NOT about crossdressing, that was just a sweet twist on the words. Obviously it's just about life. I have a friend called Molly, and I always sings this to her. :)
    Flag clockworkdollyon April 04, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:In Russian, obladit' is the совершеный вид of "to manage, arrange", and obladat' is "to own". So allowing for terrible Russian, the title would translate to: "having arranged my forces, I proceeded to pwn the hell out of these people".
    Flag swietowitmeowsanewon March 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is hilarious!
    Flag WhopperBuzzon December 29, 2009   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:suck it bitch above me
    Flagged shakelly_blackmouthon June 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:worst song ever
    Flagged seba88argon May 11, 2009   Link

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