Album: The White Album (1968)

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Comments: 63

• Circe801 from Rock Hill, ScAnd thank you, all you Brits, for explaining the 'get' thing. I always thought it was John lamenting the purchase of a brand of cigarettes he ended up not liking. More fool me.
• Circe801 from Rock Hill, Scdope kick--like 'cold turkey'. not cocaine. heroin.
• Rob from Saltburn-by-the-sea, England.I can understand our American cousins struggling with the use of the word "get" - it's not a colloquialism in common usage in modern times, being local to Northern England. It was a favourite of my father, who hailed from Doncaster in Yorkshire. He explained that it was more acceptable for everyday use than bastard, which was it's original meaning. The word is often mentioned in historical novels, in reference to bastards fathered by landed gentry to lower born mothers. In fact, fantasy writings set in a medieval culture often include the word, used in similar context. Also, I can't believe that such consummate songsmiths would try to rhyme cigarette and git Come on....not on your nelly!
• Divad from Birkenhead, United KingdomI can say 100% that the word is not git but get, I live in Birkenhead less than two miles from Liverpool and the word would be said numerous times by an angry parent or one person to another as said above it comes from the word to beget i.e. a bastard (somesay)
• Leo from Westminster 1, MdMy absolute favorite and best song from The White Album and amome my Top 10 Beatles songs because as always Paul McCartney was becoming so impossible and intolerable to work wit that it isn't even funny! As always John Lennon sang, wrote and played with such passion and rage that it breaks my heart to listen to the Beatles even today. John and Paul were at each other's throats they absolutely hated each other in the end-Lennon and McCartney were two totally diffferent people-Johnny the Rocker and Paulie the music-hall enthusiast. Iknow which one I would prefer in a heartbeat or a second. For all of his 40 years on Earth, John was and will always be a great Rocker who dared to Imagine the truth and rock & roll. Johnny Rebel you are missed but absolutely not forgotten by me. And while we're at it Johnny Rebel, let's give a Hare Krishna Twist and shout to good odld George, Shall we? Both of you are Rocking Hard in heaven enjoying a joke and raising a drink. Beatles forever!
• Andes from Bsas, Argentinathis song obviously is giving examples about living a "cocaine-dependant-point-in-life"
• Andy from Santa Cruz, Ca"Git - (n) stupid person."
  
  -- Jann Turner-Lord; BOB'S YOUR UNCLE: A DICTIONARY OF BRITISH SLANG FOR MYSTERY FANS, Fithian Press, Santa Barbara, 1992.
  
  The Beatles, being Northerners, rhyme "get" with "cigarette", rather than "fit", as a Southerner Brit would do.
• Russell from Bridgnorth, United KingdomIn Wrexham - twenty five miles from Liverpool - a 'stupid get' meant the same as what the yanks would call a stupid mother******
• Mrcleaveland from Cleveland,I've always liked to think of this song as a companion/opposite piece of another John song, "I'm Only Sleeping." Oddly enough, in the alphabetical listing of all Beatles songs, these two songs are right next to each other.
• Beatlemark from Pensacola, FlYes, the ending jibberish. Play it backwards and you hear, "Paul is dead, man. Miss him, miss him, MISS HIM!"
• Luke from Liverpool, United Kingdomseriously its "GET"... you will not catch anybody in this city using the word 'Git'. It defeats me why some of you refuse to acknowledge this just because the slang term 'get' is alien to you, but obviously you guys know more than us who speak with the same local dialect! wow that turned into a bit of a rant ha!
• Nick from Seattle, Albaniawow the dramma and emotion in Johns voice is so real! he actualy sounds like hes been up for three weeks. thats what seperates the men from the boys
• Chloe from St. Louis, Moi love these lyrics- 'curse sit walter raleigh, he was such a stupid git!' typical john.
• Jason from Pittsburgh, Pato me this song is about Yoko, I believe he had meet her prior to going to the Ashram and also the Beatles "dried out" up there aside from some occasional puffs here and there. John's obvious boredom with the scene has set in. none the less it is a fantastic song and the Sir Walter Raleigh referernce is fantastic, if its git or get its still great. I"M GOING INSANE! He wants Yoko's love and is clearly missing her, "I'd give you everything I got for a little piece of mind"
• Tay from San Diego, CaOk, seriously it's "git". I may not be British but i know it's slang. it's like "bird"(which means girl). Oh, and ive heard "twit" once or twice in the US.
• Jonny from Curitiba, BrazilThe part he says "Call you, but I know what you would do." backwards IT says "I wish I WISH I was NOT a beatle."
• R.h. from Pauls Valley, OkI still have the original poster from the White Album and the words are on the back. He says "get"!
• Kayla from Nashville, Tni like this song i like the part "i wonder should i call you but i KNOW what you would do"
• Lonely_1 from Fresno, Cadon't ask me why....for some reason the style of this song makes me think of Sean Lennon's music (like the songs from "Friendly Fire" and such...) is it just me or is there some slight similarity?
• Rosario from Naples, FlI love when he says "no joke, it's doing me harm." I don't know why but I always laugh.
• Zipster from San Diego, CaI can't believe that nobody has touched upon the fact that this song is about a guy whose woman has left him. He has been stewing in misery for three weeks, most likely because it was his fault, or his lack of attention over a time span. So she leaves, and he ends up doing nothing smoking, drinking, being depressed, and probably not eating much for three weeks. Then he wonders if he should call her to try to mend things, to which he believes she'll think he is putting her on and believing that he is not being sincere. Yet all he is asking for, above anything, is relief aka "piece of mind." Come on, hasn't anybody been through a break up before?!?!?!?
• Catherine from Essex, United Kingdomevery song i go to there is something about sex and drugs, just get over it! not every beatles song is about sex or drugs, they do drugs - so what?? lucy in the sky is probably an acid trip anyway so whats the big deal, and it doesnt make them bad people. paul, george john and ringo are all equal in evry way and will live forver
• Yunasa from South Pasadena, CaAhha, now see, in my school we do Thirteen Colonies reports and I do North Carolina. Which Sir Walter Raleigh had quite a bit to do with. So, I went around all day with his name stuck in my head... and came home only to hear this song.
• Forrest from Rochester, MnRecorded on the same day as "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" and it shows. Same melody structure throughout the verses. Try singing a verse from "Im So Tired with the chorus of "Bungalow Bill"
• Lachlan from Stonewall, CanadaThis song and Happiness is a warm gun are my two favourite songs from the white album. But I love all the other songs too!
• Peter Griffin from Quahog, RiOne of the best songs off of the White Album.
• Simon from Chattanooga , TnIzzy from Buffalo made a great point; i write and record some songs on tapes and whatnot, and if i ever set them out, i would love to know that people don't always analyze them. i believe that John loved that sort of thing to some extent, but when he wrote a truly brilliant piece of music and word, we should sit back and let it be.
• Tracy Burdett from Liverpool, Englandsorry but no way is brittanie from here or she'd no its defo get! dont no where it came from but we use it to mean similiar 2 sod. very mild and used more 2 describe our kids when they naughty than adults. so there get = sod!!ne 1 going matthew st festival this year?? c u there!!
• Ridge from New Delhi, IndiaWell, technically, if you play ANY song backwards, and you listen to it real hard, you WILL hear something.
  Almost Always.
  Not denying that Beatles wouldn't do anything deibrately, wouldn't put that past them.
  However, they have always denied putting delibrate backward vocals, and I think they were true to the fans, specially when asked about it so many times.
  Try to record anything on the normal MS Windows Windows Recorder, it has a builtin reverse filter, apply than and listen carefully...
  
  Great song, without doubt, backward lyrics or not!
• Josh from Vancouver, CanadaI don't know if anyone else got this, but I played the entire song backwards and I distinctly heard the words "Sad old man, never came back, never came back," during the chorus. I personally believe this to be John talking about his father who left him at a young age.
• Jt from Tullahoma, TnI heard an old Paul is dead radio prgram. The mumbling at the end was recorded by john, but there is also belief that it was George's voice. Also, did anybody actually pay attention to blue Jay way when George sings? LIke, when he sings "There's a fog upon LA." Listen to those voices, they say "Paul." And next he says, "And I'd really like to stay." Then the voices say dead. After the next line, the voices (which are the chorus voices played backwards) they say Paul is Bloody. Listen to those voices. There are some odd messages. But hearing stuff like this really makes you wonder. I know Paul isn't dead, but the saying of how the Beatles did not hide the clues I can't believe for myself, I know they were intentional later on. Not were they to tell something, but do you have any idea how many people started buying Beatles albums after the rumors surfaced? It's a publicity stunt. This has been my input, Peacec, Love, Triangle!
• Alan from Liverpool, EnglandI'm a Scouser who has lived in Liverpool all my life and 'Get' is commonly used as an offensive word. Not too sure what it means but I remember my Dad using it quite a lot. It's still used over hear today but not has much as in the 60's/70's.
• Izzy from Buffalo, Nyok, this song obviously states 'cigarette', so you can all shut up about that now. but when you go to something else ITS NOT NECESARRILY ABOUT DRUGS! my god! imagine u were john, and you were in heavan(which is where he is, he has his own level of heavan along with george) and you look down, hoping to see someone who is just sitting back, and enjoying your songs. you do, but for every 1 person just enjoying the songs, there are about 50 other people arguing about whether all of your songs are about drugs. now, thats not what you want to hear when you're dead, and waiting for some of your friends to come on up also. so, in respect for the dead, i am not going to argue with you about this, i am just going to tell you that not all of the songs are about drugs. and if you had any respect for john or george, you would do the same thing too.
• Joe from Lethbridge, CanadaIt sounds to me like he at least prounounces it "GET". And it's true, Sir Walter was a stupid get (or git). Probably a heroin addict too, the wanker!
• Jerry from Portland, OrGET rhymes with cigarETTE. And a friend of mine from England said that "Get" means "b*st*rd" just like Rick from Powhatan, VA says.
• George from Poopville, IaIt's actually supposed to say Monsieur Monsieur Lets have another one at the end of the song.It's in the book called The Walrus Was paul.
• John from StokeBritannie from Liverpool is so wrong. 'Get' was a commonly used insult in the 60's and 70's in the north of England. Can we put this one to bed now..I'm so tired.. it is GET not Git
• Lee from Clearwater, Fllove the song, if ever i cant sleep i will turn it on, and that is a compliment.
• Luna from London, EnglandI live in London but I was raised in Liverpool. in liverpool we say get but people in London and other parts of britain say git. so john sings get. if you don't believe me look in the book that comes with the White Album disc that includes the lyrics. it says get as well
• Rigo from El Centro, Cathis is about drugs like it or not. In this case crystal meth a.k.a speed.
• Tuulia from Turku, FinlandNelle has a point there, too. And I must say, a good knowledge of english, for a Latin American person, no offence for the rest of ya. ;)
• Nelle from Lima, PeruI totally agree with Martin...i don´t understand why people get so ofended by the fact that it is pretty much the most realistic thing in the world to admit and aknowledge that The Beatles were inspired by drugs. Grow up and deal with it already!
• Tuulia from Turku, FinlandEven though you yourself are against drugs, it's very much living in denial as a Beatles fan if you keep convincing yourselves the boys never did anything too much with them or never referred to drugs in their songs. So far Martin from London has made the most sence.
  What I came here to find out was if John really sings "get" but the opinions seem to be a bit divided. I'd love some more information on this one, since I'm not a native english speaker.
• Jordan from Wimette, IlPLAY THE END BACKWARDS. YOU'LL SEE. I think the mumbles are played backwards.
• Laura from Santa Fe, NmDoes anyone know who mumbles at the end? I think that part is cool.
• Becky from High Wycombe, EnglandLennon claims at the end of this song he was saying "Monsieur, monsieur, lets have another one". . .
  but it DOES sound like "paul is a dead man, miss him, miss him, MISS HIM!" when played backwards and is really creepy coz the music is building up on the last miss him.
  also, in the recording on the anotholgy just before the last 'give you everything ive got' there was more speaking (lennon) and when played backwards it sounded like "are you listening" as if Lennon was trying to get attention for his announcement (paul is a dead man). . .
  I totally dont believe that paul is dead, but i just thought that was interesting. . .
• Steve from Liverpool, United StatesPrudence of Canada: The line should say he's such a stupid "GET". You are wrong Brittanie, you obviously aren't born and bred in Liverpool, the word is "GET". Git is a more London and the rest of the country type of insult.
• Nessie from Sapporo, JapanSome excellent vocal phrasing in this one.
• Dino from Athens, Greeceone of the best beatles songs. i get chills anytime i hear it.AND SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: when someone is composing, his thoughts are very simple and there is nothing behind the lyrics. No drug references or paul is dead bla bla bla...Happiness is a warm gun isnt about drugs too, just an idea came from a magazine, the lyrics are nonsense(but its cool too)! lennon's lyrics are not that kind of mysterious or enigmatic.He was not such a genious.Jim morrison's lyrics have some strange meanings and most people will never understand.He was a genious.clear??
• Kristen from Aurora, IlThis is what I feel like after being up all night doing homework except I wouldnt fix myself a drink unless it was like a glass of milk or something like that. Also I wouldnt have a cigarette. Otherwise this describes my life as a student.
• Rick from Powhatan, VaActually, "git" was originally "get" and means that which is begotten--the connotation being illegitimacy. So a stupid git or get is what we in america would call a dumb b*st*rd.
  
  see http://www.takeourword.com/TOW111/page2.html
• Ellen from Nashville, TnWhy in the world would you even think of calling someone a "stupid get" anyway? it doesnt make sense
• Chloe from New York, NyPopular rumor has it that this is about speed. But hell. I don't know.
• Kelly from Burbank, CaWe don't say twit here in America. Or at least I've never heard anyone say that...
• Julian from Strongbadia, AustraliaI'm from Australia and I knew that "git" was an insult and never thought that the lyrics were "stupid get"...
• Peter from Carmel, InActually, Brittanie, if you knew what you were talking about, you would be ashamed of what you just said. A git is English slang for "jackass" of " ". It's an insult!
• Matt from Saugus, MaYou'll have to forgive us Americans for not immediately understanding British slang...but it's not ENTIRELY our fault. It didn't help much that the lyrics on the back of the White Album poster say "get".
• Scott from Bismarck, NdMartin, Lennon thought the meditation camp was a crock, not the song.
• Martin from London, England1. It's strange that the "Songfacts" (above) states that "Lennon thought [this track] was a crock" as I have read that it was one of his favourites among his own compositions. Somebody's wrong!
  
  
  2. Sick of drug references or not, MANY of the Beatles' songs were inspired by or have references to drugs. [Quote from Paul McCartney (who should know): "...drugs informed what we did" - So get over THAT! And it wasn't always "obvious". For example, "Got To Get You Into My Life" was [quote Paul, who wrote it] "directly about pot". Both McCartney and Lennon did all sorts of drugs and, though they usually wrote and recorded 'straight', it would be unrealistic to suggest that such creative genius would not pepper their work in some way. The fact that it did is interesting and, given that this site is about "songfacts" is important to the context of the songs under discussion. Why are you so hung up about it?
  
  
  3. As for this track, it makes reference to one of the most obnoxious drugs of all - cigarettes!!!
• Alyssa from Georgetown, Txi agree with catherine, stop with drug refrenaces! they're obvious, get over it
• Seth from Orono, MeYes, it is "git", common British slang, similar to "twit" in the US. By the way, he calls Sir Walter a git for popularizing tobacco in Europe:
  
  Although I'm so tired I'll have another cigarette
  And curse Sir Walter Raleigh
  He was such a stupid git
• Brittanie from Liverpool, EnglandOkay, just for those of you that don't know. When he says, "And curse Sir Walter Raleigh he was such a stupid git." He isn't saying "GET" It's "GIT" and that simply means someone from Liverpool or there-abouts.
• Rae from Vista, CaI have always thought "Im So Tired" was about him trying to come off of Heroin or possibly some other drug. I have just always associated it with "Happiness is a Warm Gun". The words in "Im So Tired" kind of sound like he is fighting a come down.

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