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The Beatles recorded this on the Apple Records rooftop on the afternoon of January 30, 1969. It appears in rooftop sequence of the movie Let It Be. It was their first live performance since they stopped touring in 1965.

There is a false start in this song that was caused by Ringo, as you can see Lennon looking back at him to make sure he's ready before they start again. What caused the hiccup is unclear: if you watch the clip, just as they are getting ready to count into the song, you see Ringo blowing smoke out of his mouth. There is a hesitation and you see him bending over, but it looks like he's already put his cigarette down prior to that.

In the 1988 film Imagine: John Lennon, home video footage reveals Lennon being asked about several lines from this song by a young man who was found hiding on the property surrounding Tittenhurst, Lennon's home in Ascot, England. Lennon assures him that the song refers to no specific person and that the lyrics are "nonsense," a lyrical technique he also attributes to unspecified Bob Dylan songs. John stated in 1969 about this song, "I just make it up as I go along." (thanks, Nick - La Crosse, WI)

The working title of this song was "Con A Lowry." Lennon changed it because, "'I con a Lowry' didn't sing well... it's got to be d's and p's you know."

Lennon wrote this as 2 songs: "All I Want Is You" and "Dig a Pony." In the original pressings of the Let It Be LP, it's listed as "All I Want Is You."

Producer Phil Spector cut out 2 lines for the album version. The unedited version is in the movie.

This song was listed as "I Dig A Pony" on the album (though that error was corrected for the CD). Some people thought that the line "Hi, hi hi, hi hiyeeee.... dig a pony" was "I, I, I, I Iyeeeeeeeee.... dig a pony." You can still find tabs online for "I Dig A Pony." (thanks, Loretta - Liverpool, England)

The line "I do a road hot" was originally "I dig a skylight" and then "I did a groundhog."

Comments:

This is a cool song,a slow rocker.It has a hard sound and great lead guitar work.Not one of Lennon's best,but still an interesting piece of music and great to listen to.
- George , Belleville, NJ

When I dig a pony you know I can’t celebrate anything Ooh. celebrate anything? But when I do a road hog That’s when I penetrate any place, it so Yes you can penetrate any place you go I told you so , all I want is truth Everything is got to be Because the wind is high And you blow my mind……… Back to when I picked my dog and rear him He radiated fear and blood and tears so near him everything you are is that truth? Because……- Ooh. I rolling Stonie, they can syndicate anyplace they go Don’t they though? Well you know I can imitate everyone he know’s I’m here to tell you so Tell you so , don’t you know Because the sky is blue, and you see it too. Because— Even if all 4 Beatles were here to read your song facts , they wouldn’t. They leave it all to us to decipher and they howl all the way to the bank. The little piggies.
- D , Redhook NY, NY

The Beatles stopped touring in 1966. August 1966, Candle Stick Park, San Francisco, was their last live concert.
- coco56 , Small town, TX

I like how he says "I Roll a Stoney, you can imitate everyone you know"... Def a dig at the Stones, who were totally tryin to outdo the Beatles...
- Clubber Lange , Ocean Gate, NJ

Ok, I'm not a Beatles fan. And although JL said the lyrics were nonsensical, um I don't buy that. The references are pretty strong. Mostly centered on childhood rhymes but with double and triple untundras. Just not pointed. We can seriously read into it if you like. First song played in 4 years, played from a rooftop. I'm sure it must have a more significant meaning than nonsense! A kind of response to the fans. You want us back, well I'd like a pony! Ok, you can celebrate that we're back, you can celebrate anything you want! Even Nixon's inaugeration a couple days ago.. Yeah we'll sleep with the fat roadies and if you stand in our way, we'll get by. And reach everyone. We can be good at media.. We want to influence the people. You want us back, why? Because duh We were the Moondogs, but that didn't work out, you liked the Beatles better. So you got it. We thought it was a descriptive name that said alot about us, but Beatles is better.. We took off for a while, left like a rollin stone, got quite high, etc.. Yip just like everyone was doing in the mid 60's. You did too.. We should have been on point, and using our platform, we told you this bad stuff was coming, you told us bad stuff was comming for us to.... But you want us back, Because.. The politics are crazy, and there's a change now, not for the better. Nixon just had his inaugeration. Somethings up! They're saying s--t about everyone! F that. I'd like a pony now. We're doing our part, now you listen.. We're gonna spread a message. Like the Row Row Row your boat song, and you can repeat it for us. Someone is starting s--t because it's not the way they want it. Just Because. Conspiracy theory at its best.. And ofcourse U2 copying the rooftop thing later on..
- Bill , Montague, NJ

Put this on my list of 'worst' Beatles' songs.
- Darryl , Queensland, -

For some reason, Phil Spector mixed out Billy's keyboard part on the original LET IT BE album, but in the Naked version, it's in there. He plays some really cool "galloping" riffs.
- Jim , Indio, CA

Ringo is way off the beat at the beginning, aye! I hope this is on purpose.
- G , Potomac, MD

Actually Patti Smith who uses "to pony" in LAND from the HORSES album claims "to pony" has a sexual meaning but she does explain what she means.
- Robert , brooklyn, NY

actually need to comment on something in the other comments. It is possible the semolina is a pudding in the UK but in fact it's a type of wheat. It's a grain mainly used in bread - semolina bread or in pasta - semolina pasta. P.S. Poems are just images that do have meanings at times but since the are not prose but poetry which are an attempt at creating pure image with words the invoke things but don't really mean anything eactly at all times. Semolina Pilchard climing up the effiel tower might mean something exact but then again it is just a very evocative sentence that might have no meaning except the beauty of it? Tiger tiger burning bright in the jungle night. Tell me what that means? you could tell me a 100 things and they would all probably have a grain--a pun on semolina ha ha--of truth in them.
- Robert , brooklyn, NY

The "semolina pilchard" reference comes from a children's nonsense verse local to Liverpool. It goes: "Yellow belly custard, green snot pie Semolina, pilchard and a dead dog's eye Slap it on a butty, nice and thick And wash it down with a cup of cold sick"
- Dave , Liverpool, United Kingdom

The three song line up of this followed by "Across the Universe" and then "I Me Mine" is one of the best they ever put together on an album...
- Clubber Lange , Ocean Gate, NJ

the intro of "Dig a Pony" was borrowed by The Red Hot Chili Peppers as an intro for their "I Could Die For You" song when they played it live. -Oleg, Belarus
- Oleg , Minsk, Belarus, Other - Europe

Really people, you must stop and listen. It's not really garbage or drugs or anything like that...it's just what was flowing at the time and place. It may not be the best but there's nothing different about it from the rest that came before is there? Unless you make it so. I mean ultimately you hear whatever you want to hear, don't you? So that's always been the beauty of the music hasn't it? I mean why read all this or that into it when that was never meant to be, o maybe it was? The Beauty lives on!
- James , Naugatuck, CT

For Ken, Elizabethtown, NY Semolina Pilchard originated from the Beatles song "I Am The Walrus". Many people have tried to find the true meaning behind this name, but it is actually quite simple. Semolina is a type of pudding that John Lennon was forced to eat as a child, and Pilchard is a type of sardine that was usually fed to cats. Dont know about the Eiffel Tower part.
- david , wilson, NY

I agree with James who said: "For me, this some a a call on high to not forget how it is to be creatively free, to be engaged with the muse." that makes up the majority of the seemingly non-sensical lyrics. "i pick a moondog, well you can radiate everything you are" is obviously about being a musician or performer or just radiating your creativity in anyway. jonny and the moondogs was an early band name for them, so ive heard. even "you can syndicate any boat you row" could be about anything but going with the creative analogies i'd say he's taking about how you can get behind any project you're in, or something to that extent. there's the obvious jab at the stones, which supports the whole theme of creativity. i doubt there's as many sexual connotations as people think but if there are it's all toward yoko and how much john loved her, so it would work its way in to a song that's about everything he likes, even drugs. very obviously just a huge stream of consciousness about what he felt at the time. it's only jibberish if you want to be told a straight story. he just didnt clean it up when it came out, besides making it rhyme. i love it when he says "dig a pony", its so distinct, john doing the lennon voice. i played the song for my friend before and he hadnt heard the song in so long and didnt know i was putting on beatles, so when it started he was like "WHAT'S THIS?" and he still didnt know when the "I, i i i iii" was going but when john said "Dig A Pony" he was like "OHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" with a big smile and like sat back relaxed. I was like "Exactly..." listen to "Dig It" after, so funny, its like he's still going, talking about "a rolling stone" and "the fbi" and "the cia" and "the bbc" "bb king" and "doris day"
- petermichaelwilson , hamilton, on, Canada

For me, this some a a call on high to not forget how it is to be creatively free, to be engaged with the muse. As we move on in life, heavy responsibilities and disappointments can make us, bit by bit (or sometimes, in one fell swoop), forget the childlike magic that is the seed of all creation. If Lennon need heroin to help hang on to that feeling long enough to put it to words and music, then, bravo!, welcome to civilization's fold a constructive use of heroin. I lump this song to gether with other Lennon works of the peroid: Because; Sun King; and Across the Universe. All of these works, to me, come from a certain "cosmic" place that Lennon could "report" very effectively from like a journalist on location.
- james , santa cruz, CA

The album version is the same rooftop take as the movie version (note the banter). Glyn Johns mixed a studio take (it also has a false start, and it ends with "All I want is you...Yes I do", continuing directly into "I've Got A Feeling" (as recorded).
- Molly , Niagara Falls, NY

roll a stoney sounds like rolling a spliff to me
- Lateeka , Kelowna, Canada

I like the music, but I wish John would've put more thought into the lyrics... to make it really say something. To me it's almost like he didn't really care. He wrote it while "sitting on a cornflake" perhaps??
- Cannie , San Antonio, TX

Wow, that's pretty sad, if you can't find some kind of meaning in the song, even it was just words, put together. All art lives to be intepreted, beyond what the artist did or didn't intend. I see a lot of meaning in the "celebrate" "penetrate" and "radiate" lines, though limiting it to just sexual interpretation is very juvenile. And I gotta admit, "syndicate any boat you row," that's gotta be pure nonsense, probably just there 'cause it rhymed.
- roman , bellingham, WA

Correction on the facts: it did appear in the movie, played on the rooftop, but the original cut (on Let it Be) was recorded in the studio, over the course of days in Jan/Feb. '69
- roman , bellingham, WA

here's my interpretation of the song I dig a pony (he's addicted to heroin) where you can celebrate anything you want (you can be an addict and enjoy it, celebrate getting your fix, or anything else you want) i do a road hog (some kind of sexual encounter where "dirty" things are done) where you can penetrate any place you go (this is about anal sex, as in, you can have sex in any place you want, for both men and women) all i want is you, everything has got to be just like you want it to (whatever works for you works for me, basically) i pick a moon dog (referencing his old band) where you can radiate everything you are (you can realize your dreams, you can be successful in the world he's talking about)000000000 i roll a stoney (obviously about the rolling stones copying the beatles, but also about how the beatles copied others, basically saying you should pinch musical ideas off of people) i feel the wind blow where you can indicate everything you see (this is where people are free to truly express how they feel, the wind blowing is the future, how things will eventually be) i wrote a lorry where you can syndicate any boat you row (this is being able to be successful no matter what you choose to do or boat you choose to row, another hypothetical situation and that's my interpretation the final point of the song is realizing the limitless potential and possibilities that we are capable of as long as we don't limit ourselves of course that's just how I see the song :p
- Mike , Oakdale, NY

I usually agree with John Lennons comments about their songs, however I dont think this song is a "piece of garbage"; for another band it would be their greatest hit.
- jonn , liverpool, England

i roll a stoney is lennon talking about rolling a joint?
- Andrew , Indianapolis, IN

looove this song and the way Paul dances to it near the end in the movie (you can see it on musicvideocodes.com) when they play the fast riff again. hilarious.
- Christina , Chandler, AZ

This song is funny. John Lennon's crazy, very random, and hilarious, and it shows!! I love it!
- Stefanie , Rock Hill, SC

If Lennon was a heroin addict when he wrote those lyrics, it shows. I'm amazed that the band put those words to music. If you just read the lyrics, it's hard to imagine making a decent song from them. Having said this, the music and lyrics together are a masterpiece. That song is terrific, even if it doesn't mean anything.
- Tim , Fort Worth, TX

Really cool song! (Not said much on John's songs for me, so this is rare!)
- Sylvia , London, England

that false start is so funny!
- Micka , šèavnica, Other

when i read what John said about this song it made me laugh. The reason being that my friend and I always say 'garbage', as in something being garbage ex. "that television show last night was garbage"
- Luna , London, England

Trey Anastasio of Phish (the "Phab Four") covered this tune on his 2005 spring tour. One notable version took place at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May 13, 2005. The band Particle opened the show that nite.
- Barry , New York, NC

To those who don't think its sexual,"you can celebrate anything you want" may refer to body parts but thats a weak one. "I do a road hog" and, "you can penetrate anyplace you go", however, are very connotated in an amorous manner. any place you go of course parallels you can celebrate anything you want. I may be wrong, if so, I'll blame it on my hormones. What can i do i'm a teenager?
- nelson , left field

It was originally called 'Con A Lowry', but John didn't think it sang very well.
- Jordan , Wimette, IL

Probably another good example of Johnny boy trying to write jibberish and see who would try and decipher it. Great jam though.
- Nathan , Defiance, OH

Lennon apparently thought a few of his songs were garbage. He evidently didn't have very high opinions of Sgt Pepper's, for instance, as I understand it.
- Paulo , India, United States

I recently only had about 100 beatles songs(mainly hits). I never heard this one until I finished getting all the beatles songs. Im glad I did because its one of my new favorites.
- Paul , Raleigh, NC

This was actually two songs according to the Beatles web site. Paul had half of a song, a beginning and John had half of a song, the end. They put the two halves together to make one song. To me this is the real genius of the Beatles. They had their differences but they could pull it together to make a song work out of just bits and pieces. This song has so much screaming energy being released and at the same time has this great guitar work that is just so cool. Makes me want to buy a better guitar and play more.
- Gary , Moorpark, CA

I always like to play Dig a Pony and I've got a feeling back to back. They have the same feeling for me anyway.
- Gary , Moorpark, CA

I like this song too. and harrison is amazing, it's great to watch him play
- Sheena , Port Colborne, Canada

Good song. not the Beatles best, but i still like it. BTW, Dan how is it a sexual song?
- Stefanie magura , Rock Hill, SC

As for the lyrics, I agree that it is mostly John's stream of consciousness poetic style and no hidden meaning (like "semolina pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower" - I dare you to analyze that!!!). But he does work in the dig at the Stones and some other little witticisms. As for the music, I also am another one of those who actually likes this song quite a bit. It is not your standard 3-chord pop song, for sure - the chord progression is really quite interesting and that gives lots of opportunity for good guitar riffs.
- Ken , Elizabethtown, NY

A fresh, simple song that's a testament to their earlier, more innocent compositions. In other words, not one of their best efforts.
- Nessie , Sapporo, Japan

It might not be everybody's favorite song, might not even be lennon's favorite. The guitar lines are a true testament to the genius of Harrison
- Nicholas , kalamazoo, MI

I actually really like this song
- Carly , San Diego, CA

Lennon was right...it WAS a "piece of garbage". Lennon was my favorite and the Beatles usually did everything great. But "Dig A Pony" is one of the worst songs ever recorded by them. Stupid title, stupid lyrics...but damn, 98% of everything else they did was pretty darn good.
- Roger , Bristol, TN

The line "I roll a stonie, where you can imitate anything you want" is a dig at the Rolling Stones. Lennon, along with many others, thought the Stones copied everything the Beatles did.
- Tom , Halifax, Canada

I'm not totally up on my hippie slang. Did "dig a pony" just mean "like a pony", "don't you like that pony" etc. or did the phrase actually have some other meaning? I'd be interested in knowing. And dan, what makes you think this is sexual?
- Loretta , Liverpool, England

The line: "I roll a stoney Well you can imitate ev'ryone you know Yes you can imitate ev'ryone you know" Is almost certainly about The Rolling Stones...who really did imitate 'ev'ryone they knew....they made millions doing so...so did the Beatles to a certain extent early on.
- Ed , Moline, IL

It was actually Ringo sneezing and blowing his nose that stopped the count-in. 1-2-3 HOLD IT!
- Mike , London, England

I don't think this is a piece of garbage. I like it.
- Don , Philadelphia, PA

LOL @ John's impression of his song.
- Paulo , New York, NY

OK, I hate it when people always blame nonsensical lyrics on drugs and whatnot but remember pony=horse, horse is slang for heroin. Probably just bizarre speculation but hey, I'm bored.
- Brett , Edmonton, Canada

another example of ramblin' poetry by John, put with music - In movie Imagine, a stalker caught on Johns property related deeply with the lyrics of Johns song - specifically this one - and John told him .. "it's just words, put together for a song" in other words, stop trying to find meaning from nonsense. If it's good to listen to, listen to it, don't analyze it.
- Mike , Mountlake Terrace, WA

a very sexual song
- dan , london, England

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