it is true that the Beatles deliberately put hidden messages and meanings in their album covers and lyrics and recordings just to keep their fans frothing at the mouth.
the Beatles never took themselves seriously. their music may have taken a serious tone by the time Sgt Pepper was done, but the Beatles never took themselves seriously as a band.
John, for one, resented all the hype and worked feverishly toward the end of the Beatles' career (along with Yoko) to destroy any little box the media and the fans tried to put them in.
"I Am the Walrus" was based on Carroll's "The Walrus & The Carpenter" as Jabbatut pointed out, but was more along the lines of Carroll's "Jabberwocky" in terms of nonsense.
the lyrics all have some foundation in Lennon's childhood and early adult life pre-Beatles.
the lyric about the Eggman is supposedly about Eric Burdon, of fellow Brit band the Animals (House of the Rising Sun). Eric Burdon apparently liked to involve eggs in the bedroom, and John was taking the piss out of him. the Eggmen would be the rest of the Animals.
and yes, tho debatable, it does sound as if there is a crowd chanting "Smoke pot, Smoke Pot, Everybody Smoke pot" in the background.
also amidst the flurry of voices in the end of the song you can hear the Beatles singing the lyrics from their past hits, which is something they did quite often!
John actually wrote the song after he found out a class at an English University was started for the sole purpose of deciphering the Beatles' lyrics.
reportedly, after recording the song, Lennon smiled to producer George Martin and said, "There, let those buggers figure that one out."
Alice in Wonderland also had the character Humpty Dumpty who was an egg, and who said his words mean (paraphrased) "precisely what he meant by them, neither more nor less." I think Lewis Carrol was enquiring as to whether that is even possible.
Alice in Wonderland also had the character Humpty Dumpty who was an egg, and who said his words mean (paraphrased) "precisely what he meant by them, neither more nor less." I think Lewis Carrol was enquiring as to whether that is even possible.
That may well be the 'eggman' reference. The singer's both the Walrus and the Egg/Man. Not the Walrus and the Carpenter.
That may well be the 'eggman' reference. The singer's both the Walrus and the Egg/Man. Not the Walrus and the Carpenter.
Incidentally, the chant at the end is "everybody's got one", and I presume it refers to genitalia - everybody has genitalia, that of which it is impolite to speak in public (was, in the 60s, at least.) It's the kind of thing a parent in the 60s might say to reassure their child.
Incidentally, the chant at the end is "everybody's got one", and I presume it refers to genitalia - everybody has genitalia, that of which it is impolite to speak in public (was, in the 60s, at least.) It's the kind of thing a parent in the 60s might say to reassure their child.
all this ridiculous nonsense about the chant at the end of the song being
"Smoke pot, Smoke pot, Everybody smoke pot" is complete rubbish
all this ridiculous nonsense about the chant at the end of the song being
"Smoke pot, Smoke pot, Everybody smoke pot" is complete rubbish
my mum revealed to me what it was by singing along with it randomly one day
its an old childrens chant
the first two sounds are meaningless noises that if i remember correctly are "oompa loompa" which has no connection to roal dahl's little characters
the chant is "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper"
you're a bunch of idiots
my mum revealed to me what it was by singing along with it randomly one day
its an old childrens chant
the first two sounds are meaningless noises that if i remember correctly are "oompa loompa" which has no connection to roal dahl's little characters
the chant is "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper"
you're a bunch of idiots
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
reminds me of when thom yorke responded to an interviewer about so many bands copying their style, and what they have to say about it, after kid a came out and he simply responded with "well good luck with kid a"
reminds me of when thom yorke responded to an interviewer about so many bands copying their style, and what they have to say about it, after kid a came out and he simply responded with "well good luck with kid a"
Roger, I was with you all the way until the Eric Burden reference. "The Walrus and the Carpenter" was a Lewis Carroll poem, written in his jabberwocky style. John's interpretation of the poem was that is was a criticism of capitalism, but he incorrectly remembered the poem, thinking the Walrus was the good guy. When it was pointed out to him later, he realized that "I Am The Carpenter" would never have worked as a title. As for comments from other posts, there is some truth to John making fun of people finding meaning in his songs that weren't there....
Roger, I was with you all the way until the Eric Burden reference. "The Walrus and the Carpenter" was a Lewis Carroll poem, written in his jabberwocky style. John's interpretation of the poem was that is was a criticism of capitalism, but he incorrectly remembered the poem, thinking the Walrus was the good guy. When it was pointed out to him later, he realized that "I Am The Carpenter" would never have worked as a title. As for comments from other posts, there is some truth to John making fun of people finding meaning in his songs that weren't there. He did once say something about, "If Dylan can do it, so can I." Anyone who read either of Lennon's first two books, knows that he loved to write nonsense and make fun of the Queen's English every chance he got.
it is true that the Beatles deliberately put hidden messages and meanings in their album covers and lyrics and recordings just to keep their fans frothing at the mouth.
the Beatles never took themselves seriously. their music may have taken a serious tone by the time Sgt Pepper was done, but the Beatles never took themselves seriously as a band.
John, for one, resented all the hype and worked feverishly toward the end of the Beatles' career (along with Yoko) to destroy any little box the media and the fans tried to put them in.
"I Am the Walrus" was based on Carroll's "The Walrus & The Carpenter" as Jabbatut pointed out, but was more along the lines of Carroll's "Jabberwocky" in terms of nonsense.
the lyrics all have some foundation in Lennon's childhood and early adult life pre-Beatles.
the lyric about the Eggman is supposedly about Eric Burdon, of fellow Brit band the Animals (House of the Rising Sun). Eric Burdon apparently liked to involve eggs in the bedroom, and John was taking the piss out of him. the Eggmen would be the rest of the Animals.
and yes, tho debatable, it does sound as if there is a crowd chanting "Smoke pot, Smoke Pot, Everybody Smoke pot" in the background.
also amidst the flurry of voices in the end of the song you can hear the Beatles singing the lyrics from their past hits, which is something they did quite often!
John actually wrote the song after he found out a class at an English University was started for the sole purpose of deciphering the Beatles' lyrics.
reportedly, after recording the song, Lennon smiled to producer George Martin and said, "There, let those buggers figure that one out."
Alice in Wonderland also had the character Humpty Dumpty who was an egg, and who said his words mean (paraphrased) "precisely what he meant by them, neither more nor less." I think Lewis Carrol was enquiring as to whether that is even possible.
Alice in Wonderland also had the character Humpty Dumpty who was an egg, and who said his words mean (paraphrased) "precisely what he meant by them, neither more nor less." I think Lewis Carrol was enquiring as to whether that is even possible.
That may well be the 'eggman' reference. The singer's both the Walrus and the Egg/Man. Not the Walrus and the Carpenter.
That may well be the 'eggman' reference. The singer's both the Walrus and the Egg/Man. Not the Walrus and the Carpenter.
Incidentally, the chant at the end is "everybody's got one", and I presume it refers to genitalia - everybody has genitalia, that of which it is impolite to speak in public (was, in the 60s, at least.) It's the kind of thing a parent in the 60s might say to reassure their child.
Incidentally, the chant at the end is "everybody's got one", and I presume it refers to genitalia - everybody has genitalia, that of which it is impolite to speak in public (was, in the 60s, at least.) It's the kind of thing a parent in the 60s might say to reassure their child.
all this ridiculous nonsense about the chant at the end of the song being "Smoke pot, Smoke pot, Everybody smoke pot" is complete rubbish
all this ridiculous nonsense about the chant at the end of the song being "Smoke pot, Smoke pot, Everybody smoke pot" is complete rubbish
my mum revealed to me what it was by singing along with it randomly one day its an old childrens chant the first two sounds are meaningless noises that if i remember correctly are "oompa loompa" which has no connection to roal dahl's little characters the chant is "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper" you're a bunch of idiots
my mum revealed to me what it was by singing along with it randomly one day its an old childrens chant the first two sounds are meaningless noises that if i remember correctly are "oompa loompa" which has no connection to roal dahl's little characters the chant is "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper" you're a bunch of idiots
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
The guy with the low voice is definitely singing "oompa loompa, stick it up your jumper", but the woman or whatever the high voice is doesn't sound like that at all.
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
Maybe they're sing multiple lyrics at once just to confuse everyone?
reminds me of when thom yorke responded to an interviewer about so many bands copying their style, and what they have to say about it, after kid a came out and he simply responded with "well good luck with kid a"
reminds me of when thom yorke responded to an interviewer about so many bands copying their style, and what they have to say about it, after kid a came out and he simply responded with "well good luck with kid a"
Roger, I was with you all the way until the Eric Burden reference. "The Walrus and the Carpenter" was a Lewis Carroll poem, written in his jabberwocky style. John's interpretation of the poem was that is was a criticism of capitalism, but he incorrectly remembered the poem, thinking the Walrus was the good guy. When it was pointed out to him later, he realized that "I Am The Carpenter" would never have worked as a title. As for comments from other posts, there is some truth to John making fun of people finding meaning in his songs that weren't there....
Roger, I was with you all the way until the Eric Burden reference. "The Walrus and the Carpenter" was a Lewis Carroll poem, written in his jabberwocky style. John's interpretation of the poem was that is was a criticism of capitalism, but he incorrectly remembered the poem, thinking the Walrus was the good guy. When it was pointed out to him later, he realized that "I Am The Carpenter" would never have worked as a title. As for comments from other posts, there is some truth to John making fun of people finding meaning in his songs that weren't there. He did once say something about, "If Dylan can do it, so can I." Anyone who read either of Lennon's first two books, knows that he loved to write nonsense and make fun of the Queen's English every chance he got.