Album: Let It Be (1970)

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• Words are flowing out
  Like endless rain into a paper cup
  They slither wildly as
  They slip away across the universe
  Pools of sorrow, waves of joy
  Are drifting through my opened mind
  Possessing and caressing me
  
  Jai Guru Deva, Om
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  
  Images of broken light
  Which dance before me like a million eyes
  They call me on and on across the universe
  Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
  They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe
  
  Jai Guru Deva, Om
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  
  Sounds of laughter, shades of life
  Are ringing through my opened ears
  Inciting and inviting me
  Limitless, undying love
  Which shines around me like a million suns
  It calls me on and on across the universe
  
  Jai Guru Deva, Om
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  Nothing's gonna change my world
  
  Jai Guru Deva
  Jai Guru Deva
  Jai Guru Deva
  Jai Guru Deva
  Jai Guru Deva
  Jai Guru Deva Writer/s: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 185

• Sharon Hilmers Steele from Victoria, TexasI love the Beatles. They did change me as a child. When I heard their music for the first time on the radio, I really got interested in music for the first time! I loved it! Could not get enough of their music ! I was 6 years old!
• Martin Stevenson from Milton KeynesI worked in London at the time the Beatles were going through their split and I remember so many Beatles songs because we spent hours in dark rooms, singing all Beatles songs while processing customers photos and slides! Jai Guru Deva ommmmm was special to us for some reason and I’ve never, ever forgotten that song and it’ll live with me forever.
• J. Mathew Conn from Jurupa Valley, Ca.Odd thing. I've loved this song from day one. And as time passed, I've toyed with it only to find this song indestructable. Meaning whatever genre it is converted to, the vibration of the mantra remains as potent as ever.
  So is the song constructed around the spirit, or is the spirit so flexable it cannot break?
  Try this next time you're angry(providing anger permits it). Sit down, close the eyes, visualize open skies*. Now, quietly sing "jai guru deva om". Think " Hey God! Are you listening? I wanna say Thank you". Doesnt have to sound good, but the concentration on open sky must be there.
  Now you can call me a nut, but this will mello you out instantly, everytime. And I dont know why. But I been doing it for years. I found this out by accident after ingesting psilocybin and listening to their recording in my early twenties. But the same results without the psilocybin occur even better. And I do not endorse or encourage any drug use to anyone, and my arm is not twisted to say that. I'm just stating a fact.
  To add to this oddity, this is coming from a guy that favors old school punk, neo punk, speed metal, basically the stuff that most everyone else dislikes.
  *no rhyme intended here.
• Roberttrest from South AlabamaI am not all knowing about songwriting, but I do have my own likes about songs. John Lennon's songs have a message that leaves my mind in wonder. Paul. Writes songs with very little meaning. Songs u dance to, like I said songs must have meanings to me not just music. Sorry but that's my opinion john has a message in his work.
• Titan from Adelaide, South AustraliaI am really getting sick to death with all the incorrect descriptions of there being two different recordings of this song. They are one and the same song. In Feb '68 The Beatles booked Abbey Road studios for a series of sessions in order to record a single that would be released while they were away studying Transcendental Meditation in India, which ended up being "Lady Madonna/ The Inner Light". John's offering was this song, and recording took place on the 4th and 8th Feb 1968.
  John was not happy with several aspects of the finished recording, he thought his singing and the guitars were out of tune (Geoff Emerick thought he had never sung better), he was upset with what he thought was a lacklustre effort from Paul on his song. He was deeply annoyed that Paul had grabbed a couple of Apple Scruffs from outside the studio to sing the high pitched chorus (two fans named Lizzie Bravo and Gayleen Pease) rather than get professional singers. Anyway, John decided to shelve the song, then donated it to Spike Milligan for a charity record to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund in 1969. George Martin, for unknown reasons, sped up the original recording and added 20 seconds of bird noises at the beginning of the song. This further infuriated John. That version was released only in Britain on Dec 12 1969.
  When Phil Spector resurrected the song for the Let It Be project in 1970, he took the original tapes from Feb 68, remixed some of the original instrumentation and discarded all the backing vocals, slowed down the tape and added an orchestra and choir to produce the lush hymn like version which received a much wider mainstream release in May 1970. The wildlife version was the first to be released but was rather obscure and only really got well known when it was included in the Past Masters Volume Two CD in 1988. It is a more charming rendition and truer to The Beatles' own style. Please check it out on YouTube if you've never heard it.
  What is interesting to note here is that BOTH VERSIONS OF THIS SONG ORIGINATE FROM THE SAME RECORDING. The backing track and John's vocal ARE EXACTLY THE SAME!!! I have had fun with an app called music speed changer, I have taken the original wildlife version and slowed it down to its original speed. The original version was sped up by 2% in tempo and the pitch was increased by 0.25 of one semitone. The original recording was 3:37 in length. The wildlife version, with the extra 20 seconds and sped up goes for 3:47, and the Let It Be version, slowed down goes for 3:47 as well. The original recording is somewhere between the two released versions. If you follow the pitch and tempo changes outlined above, you'll experience the song as it was originally recorded.
  
  Source: The Beatles Complete Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn.
• Ken from Philadelphia, PaLet me be clear up front, I love John. I am not some closet member of Team Paul looking to trash him. I also love that he was gracious enough... even years after the breakup... to talk in depth and honestly about his days with the Beatles over and over again. Look at it this way: If people everywhere, including complete strangers, asked you all day, everyday about a job you quit 10 years before, how long do you think it would take before you were really bored... and annoyed. If it were me, I am figuring I'd last maybe 10 minutes before I had to take a poke at somebody for asking me about "Help!" for the 20th time.
  
  Having said all of that, I still get a little annoyed when he says thing like Paul subconsciously sabotaged his songs while forcing the boys to work on his own songs endless until Paul felt like they'd gotten them perfect. Mind you, it is well known that Paul was a perfectionist in the studio and the band would absolutely get ticked when he'd make them do many, many takes of, say, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" which, at best, is a novelty song. My beef is that John absolutely could have made the band do the same with his songs. For whatever reason, he just didn't. That isn't Paul's fault. That's John's fault.
  
  One of the songs John complains about is "Strawberry Fields Forever". The thing is that the final version of "Strawberry Fields" was famously cobbled together by George Martin in (for its day) an amazing feat of engineering. The band did a couple of takes and John told George that he liked the first half of one take and the second half of another. Rather than do another take... or 20 more takes... he just told George to figure out a way to merge the two, and went home. Apparently the two versions had slightly different time signatures so George Martin had to slow one version down by a fraction of a second and speed the other one up but somehow the record sounds seamless (at least to my ears) and, of course, amazing. The point, though, is that wasn't Paul's fault. That was John's choice. It would seem that he just resented the fact that Paul was a workaholic with almost insane focus while he was... well... just a little bit lazy.
• Trebor from TexasWow Johan, you are a Jealous Guy. McCartney is on par with Lennon. No ifs, ands or buts about it.
• Johan Cavalli from SwedenIn the future, Lennon will be regarded as the great and heavy composer -- one of the greatest ever, and McCartney the composer of good filler music.
  
  The greatness of John Lennon's music as i see it:
  –The increasing tension. For example I Should Have Known Better. Before Lennon, all pop music structure was AABA, where the tension decreased in the middle part B. But with Lennon the tension from the verse continued in the middle part. Besides that, in this song it is not only a key change in the transition to the middle part, it is even a little key change in it. The increasing tension was what first characterized The Beatles. The first single where the verse lacked this increasing tension was Can't Buy Me Love. (But the chorus is OK). I didn't know then it was a McCartney composition. – Other ways of increase the tension by Lennon is to pack together several little songs. Happiness Is A Warm Gun consists of three or four songs, and Bring On The Lucie consists of three songs. –All You Need Is Love has another way: First talking, then repeating half singing, then singing, and finally the climax in chorus.
  –The melody does not changes, but the background. For example in Strawberry Fields Forever and in Julia the singing melody uses the same notes, but instead the accompaniment changes! Listen to Puccini. He got tired of his sang melodies in Boheme and in Tosca he composed a lot where the sang melodies are often on the same notes, but the background changes instead. The effect can be stronger.
  –Octave Leap. For example, in the middle part of Please Please Me, Lennon makes an octave run in "…it's so hard to reason with YOU…", the climax of the song. George Martin didn't understand the quality in that. In his orchestration of it in Off The Beatle Track, Martin excludes the octave, the most important bit of the song!
  –Verse and resolve. Typical for Lennon is a melody followed by a resolve, for example in No Reply "…I saw the light!"…and in Girl "girl! girl!…". Lennon said that "a good song must have climax and resolve".
  –Only one chord. In Tomorrow Never Knows there is only one chord, or bass note, an innovation in pop music. In the Middle Ages it was common with that bordun note, an unchanged bass note. When Lennon played the song the first time for George Martin, Martin didn't like it.
  –Whole-tone scale. Most scales have both whole step and half steps between the notes in an octave. In the verse in Norwegian Wood, there is most whole steps, and that's like the impressionists, for example Debussy. It sounds very clean.
  –Church Modes. A Hard Day's Night is written in the mixolydian mode, an ancient vocal scale, preserved in British, Irish and American folk song. –If you play the beginning of Please Please Me slowly, you can hear the similarities with the Westminster bells ringing. When Lennon was a little boy, he loved visiting the divine services. Afterwards he used to improvise anthem music. Westminster bells could unconsciously have inspired him to the beginning of Please Please Me. There is also anthem music in the beginning of All You Need Is Love: "love love love…".
  –The lamentation second. A little half step up in the scale. And that's to indicate a pain. In All You Need Is Love Lennon sings the refrain twice unchanged and then suddenly the third time, rises a little, a very expressive and important step up. That step up started in the baroque epoch, and was called The lamentation second. When Lennon played it the first time to George Martin, Martin didn't like it. He leaned towards McCartney and muttered: "It's certainly repetitive".
  –From darkness to light. Happiness Is a Warm Gun starts with a little melancholy, and ends with enthusiasm.—In the middle part of I Am The Walrus the darkness switches over to light: "sitting in an English garden…". And the transition from the chaos and darkness in Revolution 9 to the light in Good Night. That is very typical in Wagner's music. I think that temperamentally the two were similar. And I think Wagner would have loved the arrangement in Glass Onion.
  –Suggestive and hypnotic music. With small intervals between the notes in combination with some dissonance chord, Lennon can create a suggestive and hypnotic feeling in for example Across The Universe. It is more like Wagner than pop music.
  –Few notes. With few, but effective notes, Lennon can create more feeling than McCartney with all his notes, for example in If I Fell and Love.
  –A melody sang three times, in succession, with just a little change every time. When you hear it you can get frustrated or desperate not getting out from the melody. That we have in the middle part in I Call Your Name and in the middle part in And Your Bird Can Sing. And at the same time the melodies are stick together with a countermelody at the guitar. Rather hypnotic –Melodies without joint. Innovation. When repeating the verse melody in Any Time At All, the first note is the same note as the last note in the first verse: "…there is nothing I won't DO if need a shoulder to cry on…"
  –The accompaniment doesn't follow the vocal line. In the middle part of Hey Bulldog, the piano doesn't follow the singer. An innovation in pop music. The first one was Schumann in his songs.
  –The first rap song. The talking in the end of Hey Bulldog.
  –The most excellent and lovely melodies: The middle part of Bad to Me, the middle part of This Boy, the middle part of Yes it Is and the middle part of Nobody Loves You.?
• Peter from Usa"JOHN LENNON/PAUL MCCARTNEY" my foot! This song is John's- one hundred per cent.
• Vee from Virginia BeachThis song will always be one of my favourites, and Nothing's Gonna Change My Mind...
• Trebor from TexasJohan-why did Lennon let Paul "sabotage" his song with the two teenagers? Wasn't Lennon is control of his song and music? If Lennon is as great as you claim in many of your posts, then he should have refused the teenagers "help."
• Grayson from New Orleans, LaOne of my favorite Beatles songs. I really wish more people listened to the classics , like this.
• Zero from Nowhere, NjI can't imagine Scott Weiland singing this song (I do like him as a rock vocalist though). I've never heard the naked version of this song, so I guess I can't make any judgement, but I love Phil Spector's Let It Be version of this song loads. I can't imagine it being better with just acoustic instruments, though, like I said before, I really can't say.
• Johan from Stockholm, SwedenLennon´s "Across the Universe" is the best music since Wagner! A cosmic sound and feeling. But the first recording from February 1968 is better than the final. At first Lennon wanted it to be released as a single, but McCartney sabotaged it by letting two amateur teenagers sing the chorus falsely, and out of time.
• Megan from Stevenson, AlTotally getting a tattoo of this on my foot:) Can't wait!
• Olivia from Philadelphia, PaThe Beatles are the best band that the world will ever see. End of story. I am only 15 but I grew up my whole life in love with the Beatles and Paul McCartney. All of the Beatles were amazing.
• Megan from Stevenson, AlThis is an amazing song! Gorgeous. Makes me want to cry everytime!
• Danno from Seattle, WaWendy from the UK, Aretha Franklin did not write "Let It Be." Paul did. Yeesh. There should be a way of reporting factually inaccurate comments here if this site truly purports to be "songfacts.com".
• Sydney from Dallas, TxI think that this is one of John's best songs while he was with the Beatles.I have to agree with everyone who thinks that Phil SPector really killed this song.
• Roberta from Washington, DcYou have to watch the Beatles Anthology, where George Martin talks about John and then, alone in the control room, plays the original tape of John singing Across the Universe. The camera stays on George's face and you can see the emotion in his eyes as he listens to John's voice and misses him.
• Andre from Rio De Janeiro, BrazilI love the anthology version of this song
• Grace from Malibu, CaThis song greatly influences my life. Jai Guru Deva om.
• Matthew from Santa Fe, NmI didn't know this song was first released on a album compiled by Spike Milligan. That's awesome.
• Rickylsd from Santa Ana, Casuch a beautiful song
• Breanna from Henderson, NvThis song's great I really love the cover in Across the Universe that one's great. The one by John Lennon's a clasic though and can only be discribed as genious.
• Mr. Morozov from Fremont, NeAwesome. Just awesome.
• Marty from Mount Vernon, IaThis is such a soothing song. I absolutely love the Let It Be naked version. Phil Spector ruined the Let It be album.
• Tod from Las Vegas, NvThis song illustrates John Lennon's complete mastery of song writing. He had such an outstanding gift of choosing words, phrases and melody that fit together beautifully like a puzzle. I don't think we will ever see his kind again.
• Chloe from St. Louis, Mooctober 9th- happy birthday, John.
• Joe from Kingston, NhThe 1st females to sing on a Beatle record were Maureen Starkey, Yoko and Patti Harrison, not the Apple Scruffs Girls! The song was on the White Album, title, Birthday!
  
  
  Joe, Kingston, NH
• Jenn from Cleveland, Ohthanks so much :)
• Martin from Rostock, GermanyJenn, I would suggest the Songfacts forums - you'll find lots of Beatles lovers there :)
• Jenn from Cleveland, Ohdoes anyone know where i can find a beatles blogging site where i can talk to other people about their love for them toooo?
• Jenn from Cleveland, Ohi absolutely love this song. this is the most beautiful song ive ever heard. im only 17 but i love the beatles dearly and i wish i could have been their to witness their power to amaze people with their music
• Ron from Sydney, AustraliaAcross the universe has been my fav Beatles song since I was probably 12 or so in High School.. I was the only brown skinned kid in a 1,000 white kid school and this song was my friend..
  The Beatles were the best, they still have no equal. No one even close. The soundtrack of my life.
• Rahul from Chennai, Indiahi guys... im from india..... the words mean victory to the guru(maharishi)..... anyway...gr8 song...jus can't stop loving the beatles...lol
• Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnFiona Apple did a great version of this song.
• Linc from Beaumont, TxThis song is so great because it was truly written from the heart at a time when John must have been coming to terms with a lot of different emotions. It is a beautiful expression of not having answers to why he felt engaged in his relationship with Yoko and remorse for his loss with Cyndi...
• Dylan Sharp from El Segundo, CaA very big misconception is that people seem to think that in the very beginning of the song John is saying "goodnight, Richie" when in all actuality, he is saying "You're right, Richie." His accent just makes it a little bit harder to decipher.
• Rich from Bellevue, WaActually, "Jai Guru Deva Om" backwards comes out as "Stig has been dead for ages, honestly!"
• William from Pheonix, AzI bought a different verison, he talks in the beginning and plays...I dont know what version but it better then the W.W.F version.
• Faye from Tucson, AzLovely song.I read that the line Jai guru deva om comes from the Saskrit language. It means something like: Victory to God Devine.
• Cynthia from Scranton, PaMATT from CHICAGO, I completely agree. And I don't know if any of you guys saw the 2005 Grammy performance of this song. IT was Velvet Revolver and Alison Krauss (on violin) as the backing band. The singers were Steven Tyler, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Brian Wilson, Tim McGraw, Scott Weiland, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Bono. The performance as a whole was dreadful. Velvet Revolver was great and so was their singer Scott Weiland. Steven Tyler was absolutely perfect, as always, and Alicia Keys was good. All in all though, it was a random group of people. Billie Joe Armstrong looks like a little girl next to Steven and Scott, and STevie Wonder's voice, IMO, is not suited to this style of song.
• Chloe from St. Louis, Moi dont really care which version it is- the let it be one, the anthology one, whatever....as long as i can hear john's voice and his lyrics, i still want to cry when i hear it. its too gorgeous.
• Chloe from St. Louis, Mosong gives me shivers. i second that, marissa.
  
  wow, the fact that is listed fourth at the top really kind of surprised me. paul, purposely try to screw up a song? was john being overly sensitive, or did their styles just not mesh?
• Marissa from Akron, OhThis is a great song to listen to while painting. Just throwing that out there. :)
• Grace from Brisbane, AustraliaThe best, hands down.
  AAAND its by the beatles.
  also hands down the best band to walk the earth.
  RIP John and George..
• Matt from Ny, NyIt's a fantastic track but would have been so much better had George Martin produced it.
• Jim from New York, NcSay, Has Anyone heard the hums wild version.
• Tay from San Diego, Cathis always reminds me about the troubles in the world.me and my mate were talking about it on the roof and were thinking about life. it mad us stop and think for once. i love it.
• Nady from Adelaide, AustraliaThis song gives me shivers everytime I listen to it. I'ts beautiful
• Olivia from Chicago, IlI love the Beatles. Ya know that quote from Almost Famous? 'They don't even know what it is to be a fan. Y'know? To truly love some silly little piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts.'
  thats how i feel about the beatles
• Alyson from Beaver Dam, WiI love how Rufus Wainwright sang this song for the movie I am Sam, because that is my favorite movie! It was really good that the Beatles wrote it! It is a very good song.
• Janet from Philedelphia, PaI LOVE THIS SONG!It's so artistic yet it's beautiful! And definatley one of my favorites!I sang it to my grandpa for his birthday because he loved the beatles!
• Rosario from Naples, FlThis song contains probably the most beautiful lyrics ever written.
• Clubber Lange from Ocean Gate, NjThis has been described by many famous musicians as an example of a "perfect song"....The beautiful words, circling guitar chords, the fact its really just John and his guitar.....Perfect
• Emma from Asheville, Ncprobably one of the only songs that can make me cry. it is so beautiful. that is the sign of true art, if it can cause you to experience an emotion by being exposed to it. across the universe is not a song but a piece of art.
• Bill from Erie, PaThis song is also featured in the Beatles-inspired epic "Across the Universe". A young boy is shown singing it as he hides behind a wrecked car during the 12th Street Riot in Detroit, which segues into that same young boy's funeral, where it is sung by an Afro-American gospel choir. This is woven in with scenes of the funeral of an American soldier who was killed in Vietnam.
• Bill from Erie, PaWendy: It's Aretha Franklin's version that is a cover, as Paul McCartney wrote the song. Because the "Let It Be" sessions had been shelved by the band and weren't released until after "Abbey Road", her version appeared before the original.
• Wendy from Liverpool, United KingdomActually Luna Let it be...naked is absolute crap. It is not the original and will never be a classic in the public's eyes. Do you even realize that John hated the so called "naked" album and asked phil Spector to come in and do something with it. He said Spector did "a fantastic job" and I agree with him. Most of teh songs are either poor "Two of us", Maggie May2 or old. "Let It Be" had already been released by Aretha Franklin in 1969. The Beatles version is a cover. I love the Spector version of "Across The Universe" absolutely marvellous. I can loop the MP3 for hours again and again. It's heavenly.
• Andrea from Sønderborg, DenmarkI would love to watch this movie, 'cause I love this song, but I don't think it's possible in Denmark. Boo-hoo...
• Br!tt@ny from Florissant, Molove the song! love the movie even more!
  
  jai guru deva om!!!!
• Ron from Auburndale, FlThis is probably my favorite Beatles song. It is simply beautiful...
• Susan from Toronto, CanadaThis is a difficult song to sing because syllable follows syllable with little space to catch your breath!
• Anurag from Calcutta, IndiaMy favourite song of all time !
  I love all the versions : Let It Be, Anthology, Wildlife.
• Ozzy from Fresno, CaAm I the only one who noticed the similarities in lyrics from this song and Echoes by Pink Floyd???
• Jasmine from Ponca City, OkThis is such a beatiful song. I love this song. I love the words. I play this song on repeat when I go to bed. I mean...the words just...I swear, I can not explain it. There is just so much beauty in the words. This is also a great movie. Everyone should see it. Jim Sturgess does wonderful singing it.
• Gene from San Diego, CaBrilliant song from a brilliant album. I really loved the original version that was to be used in Sergeant Peppers (and is know in Past Masters), however, the bird chirping is a little cheesy. This is the perfect stoner song. The line "words are flying out like endless rain into a paper cup" were taken from his wife, Cynthia, who described his words as such. Lennon thus took them into his song. Hnh, the perfect stoner song.
• Jason from State Of Fitz, Njabsolutley beautiful melody. one of Lennon's best.
• Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmLovley Song! Just gorgeos! Love it! John was amazing at song wwriting and singing!
• Jocelyn from Greeneville, TnI'd like to meet more beatles fan but not the ones who think every song's about drugs people serious about the beatles only. many of you seem intelligent and cool..
  www.myspace.com/wanderingalice
• Raymond from Sydney , AustraliaOnly love is unchangeable, so the line 'nothings gonna change my world' is odd if it means this world but great if he means his world of love.
  Also beings who want to travel the universe are usually violent types who are not satisfied with living a peacful life on this planet. So its more like wishful thinking on John's part. Love is not blind,love is omniscient of maximum possible intelligence -- how could it be otherwise?
• Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmAcross The Universe is the best movie on earth. All the Beatle fans out there should see it! I love the song! LOVE IT! ^_^
• Dean from Plettenberg Bay, South Africa10CC covered this on 'live in tokyo'
• Colin from Melbourne, AustraliaThe female backing vocalists in the song. Both were about 16 years old and one came from Brazil. Paul picked them out from the throng of fans outside the studios. Apparently John was annoyed at this as he wanted to wait till the next day to get professionals in for the job, and rightly so. But no, Paul wanted it his way. I think the girls' voices sounded very flat. However, they are part of the Beatles recording history. As to using other female backing vocalists in their songs, you can hear the distinctive sounds of Yoko and Patti helping out in "Birthday" which was put down after a night out watching a Cliff Richard movie.
• Stewart from Bellevue, WaI don't know if this has already been noted, but the verse chords D,Bm,F#m,G,Em7,A7,D play in a circle on the fretboard of a guitar. I wonder if Lennon was relating the fingering pattern of the chords to the song's theme (Across the Universe). I think the odd's are high given his personality, the "round and round" feel to the verse's music and lyrics, and the rarity of this chord progression.
• Lizz from Tampa, FlStephanie magure- No one said it was ABOUT LSD. They said it's good to listen to ON LSD. I don't think it was about any drugs at all, it reminds me of hindu philosophy/theory/whatever. Which would explain putting the mantra in the chorus.
  Would be a fun song to listen to on said substance though...
  
  :)
• Simon from Chattanooga , Tnvery nice work. and im looking forward to the new film being released soon, focusing on the era of the Beatles and the struggles that their fans faced. by the end of the decade, if you liked the Beatles, you were a "freak". its awesome that some people still stand up for them. the soundtrack to the film also features total Beatles work, such as "Hey Jude", "Let It Be" AND this song. i am SO looking forward to it.
• Melissa from Newtown, Paa lovely song and also the title for the new beatle inspired film!
• Jim from Indio, CaI think this is the only Beatles song I know of that one of the electric guitars uses a wah-wah.
• Joel from ManchesterYet another brilliant song from the Beatles
• Al from Laredo, TxGorgeous...just gorgeous
• Nathan from Willow Spring, Ncthis is easily the best written Song by The Beatles. the words are beautiful & the music is incredible. this song is a piece of artwork.
• Will from Midland, MiI think that this song is possebly one of the most creatitive songs of all time. It has clever wording, and a tune that makes the song flow. This is unquestionably one of Lennon's best songs. I think that the Let It Be...Naked version is the best.
• Tim from Canberra, AustraliaEveryone has their own opinion as to which version of the song is best, and maybe we can have different opinions as to who Gurudeva was. Gurudev was also the name by which many in India referred to Rabindranath Tagore, the poet/playwright/novelist/songwriter/thinker who was the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. I may be wrong, but I always thought that in the vast cast of the cover of Sgt Pepper, Rabindranath is the bearded sage in the top left corner. The images and mood of Across The Universe remind me of the languid ease of his poems. I just assumed that John had read him too, and was referring to him.
• Mistergreg from Evanston, IlJohn's demo version released on "Anthology 2" is better than the wildlife version and the LIB version.
• James from Pittsburgh, PaRelating to John Lennons "Across the Universe":
  first,the lyrics "jai guru deva om" when played backwards clearly-clearly are heard as "love is good hashish. Secondly,during the filming of the movie "Let it Be" during the roof taping scenes, Mr. Lennon is also clearly heard and shown singing a verse of "Don't Let Me Down" backwards......straight from his own mouth really!.. prove them both to yourself. jrb Pittsburgh, PA.
• Sarah from Usa, IaAnother song John wrote at Kenwood, Surrey, UK when living in London had become impossible because of Beatlemania. He woke up early one morning with those words "pools of sorrow, waves of joy" in his head.
• Emmie from Long Island, NyJohn Lennon was an amazing songwriter/singer. Across the Universe should be as well-known as Hey Jude and Let it Be. It makes me feel so peaceful and carefree. And the imagery is great! I always see rain going into a paper cup.
• Jess from Brisbane, Australiai havn't heard the other versions of across the universe i only know the original by john lennon.. i think, but i know i really love the song. the lyrics are art, they are meaningful and inspiring.
• William from Wellington, New ZealandI Love Pastmasters Two Version Sounds Very Crazy...
• Leah from Humboldt, Iai really love this song. it has a very haunting melody and lyrics.
• Cez from Manila, OtherI?ve met people finding a deep philosophy of the universe and feeling good with ?Across the universe?, - that's to qoute my friend Jit in his personal website where he dedicated a page to the Beatles. When my phone rings, it plays 'Across the Universe' people look around for chirping birds. And my blog description reads - words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup they slither as they pass they slip away across the universe.. - cez.
• Cez from Manila, Other"I?ve met people finding a deep philosophy of the universe and feeling good with 'Across the universe'", to qoute my friend Jit in his website where he dedicated a page for the Beatles. Each time my phone rings, it plays 'Across the Universe'. The short description of my blog reads - words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup they slither while they pass they slip away across the universe ... - cez, Manila,Philippines
• Pinkmonty from London, Englandeven my non-beatle-follower friends like this song!
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThanks for the history Paul. I didn't know that, and I like the Let It Be Nked version better.
• Paul from Sacramento, CaThis great Lennon song has one of the Beatles' more interesting histories, because it was originally recorded at an odd phase of their career, right before the crucial changes occurred that would lead to their breakup. It was one of a handful of songs (including "Lady Madonna", "The Inner Light" and "Hey Bulldog") recorded in a February 1968 session that followed the failure of "Magical Mystery Tour", and just before the 1968 trip to India to study transcendental meditation. Along with "The Inner Light", it is a very late, last gasp of Beatles psychedelia, as clearly shown by one of the alternative takes released on "Anthology 2". This was also the final "classic" Beatles recording session that predated Lennon's imminent and total involvement with Yoko Ono, which of course would change everything. The track languished during the "White Album" sessions, probably because psychedelic flavor was already out of step with the times in mid-1968. As Lennon's late 1968 heroin addiction and his deep unhappiness with the Beatles addled his songwriting output just before the "Get Back" sessions, he went back to the song, and the Beatles made half-hearted attempts to re-record it during these sessions before again abandoning it. Later in 1969, one of the original February 1968 tracks was remixed for the "wildlife" charity release in 1969-1970, and Phil Spector remixed and orchestrated the same track for use in the "Let it Be" album, with minimal Beatles input. Spector buried the sitar/psychedelic aspects of the recording behind his trademark strings and choir, and Lennon was reportedly happy that the song could finally be released, although by this point he was creatively done with the Beatles. The stripped-down "Let it Be Naked" version of the February 1968 recording is far and away the best released recording of the song.
• Brian from Sydney, CanadaI think this sounds quite beautiful on the Naked CD. It is as intended I suppose. As far as Lennon criticizing McCartney's production efforts and time, Lennon was too strung out to bother since around the time of 'Pepper'. McCartney and Martin had to pick up the slack and change Lennon rough materials into Beatles magic. Without McCartney during the 67-70 period who nows what would have happened to those beautiful singles and albums. However, this song is perfect on acoustic guitar compared to the rehearsal of it with full band on the 'Let It Be' film.
• Jim from Arcata, CaDirk from Tennessee:
  
  Hi, again. I would give you another example. I think The Mamas and Papas improved considerably on "I Call Your Name." And it's arguable that the master electric violinist of the classical music world, Vannesa Mae, improved on "Because" on the album "In My Life," though that perhaps should not count, since the album was produced in full by George Martin. Check out her version of "Because," which will put you in a wonderfully spaced out state of mind, and then... listen to Jeff Beck's intrumental recording of "A Day in the Life." You won't believe it. (Unless you believe in desecration of masterpieces as a form of comedy, you might want to steer clear of Jim Carrey's "I Am the Walrus.")
• Jim from Arcata, CaAs anyone who has read my mile-long comments under "Hey Jude" knows, I am an enormous Beatles fan. And usually, I have very specific opinions about which versions of their songs I like best--e.g., prior to Sgt. Pepper's, I prefer the mono version over the stereo version, every time. For the next two years, it depends on the song. In "Hey Jude's" case, I prefer the mono version about a trillion to one, and think the person responsible for the 1970 stereo remix should be executed. But with another of my huge favorites, "A Day in the Life," I distinctly prefer the stereo version.
  
  Well, THIS song is an exception. Not as to the W.W.F. version. I can't stand that. But comparing the Spector version, which I've heard thousands of times (literally) over the past 36 years, to the "Let it Be (Naked)" version, I honestly cannot say which one I like better.
  
  At first, I thought that would be an ephemeral state of affairs, seeing as how the "Naked" version was brand new and I'd heard the other version so very many times. But now I've heard the "Naked" version a lot of times, too. I know for sure I prefer the "Naked" versions of "Two of Us" and (by far) "I've Got a Feeling." And I just HATE McCartney's stripped-down "Long and Winding Road," which sounds like a bad joke.
  
  But honest to god, I hear so much greatness in both the lavish Spector version of "Across the Universe" and in this upstart new version--even though they are so different. One objection to the "Naked" version, I suppose, would be the emotionally manipulative way it has Lennon's voice echoing at the end, almost producing the effect of a voice from the Great Beyond. That seems a crass thing to do, but it does add a lot to the song's emotional impact, which is already tremendous.
  
  I can say this: That original recording has been one of my 30 all-time favorite songs since I was in high school and the "Let It Be" album came out in 1970. I heard great things about the Bowie version, bought it, and HATED it. Under those circumstances, one would expect there'd be no way I could love a new, radically different version of this song, even by the Beatles themselves.
  
  But that just ain't so. Oh, how I love it, and it probably will be 20 more years, if I live that long, before I know which of the two versions--Spector or "Naked"--I like better. Now, if this new version of "Let It Be," with a terrific vocal twist by McCartney at the end, only didn't have a laughable guitar solo.... Well, that's ok. I sure love the Spector version of "Let It Be."
  
  Strange, really. I'm a guy who thinks George Martin was not "The Fifth Beatle," but at LEAST "The Third Beatle," yet these three controversial Spector tunes--"Let It Be," "Universe" and "Long Winding"--are right up near the top of my list, my #6, #7 and #9 favorite Beatles songs. But I'll admit: I sure would not have wanted all their songs to sound like those three do.
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumPHIL SPECTOR IS A GREAT PRODUCER, THE VERY BEST.
• Dirk from Nashville, TnStephanie, you said way down below, about Fiona Apple, that it's hard to cover a Beatles song. That's so true. I can't even think of anyone who ever improved on a Beatles song, although a lot of people did respectable jobs. And for that matter, would you agree that every song (ALMOST every song) the Beatles ever covered of somebody's else's, they improved on. (The one obvious exception being Taste of Honey.)
• Steve from Fenton, MoI've been a Beatles fan from the start and I always thought this song was pretty good. In the past year or so it has moved up on my personal list of Beatles favorites. If you are interested, there was a band from St. Louis Missouri that was signed by EMI around 1969. The were huge Beatles fans. They recorded an album at Abbey Road Studios during that time that wasn't released until the last few years. The name of the group was the Aerovons. They are pictured in Andy Babiuk's book entitled "Beatles gear". They wrote all of their songs, but two of them sound so much like "Across the Universe" and "Oh Darling", it makes one wonder if they weren't borrowed from the Fab Four.
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumStefanie, the reason I like Phil Spector's version is because for me it's very beautiful.
  I like the songs he did for the Ronettes, Crystals, Righteous Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner
  ..., I like his "Wall of Sound", for me there's no question of overproduction, let's say that I'm a 100% Spector fan.
• Jonathan from Johnstown, PaThe No One's Gonna Change Our World verison is better, i got it on my iPod(For u peole who're wondering where i got it,it's on "Past Masters, Vol.2
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScLinus. I think Let It Be... Naked has a cleaner sound, but that's my opinion. Buy both albums, and you can compare them and judge for yourself.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScTeresa. Phil Spector was a very talented producer, but he over-produdced the songs on Let It Be when it was originally released. That's your opinion that his talent makes it different, but obviously there were/are enough people who don't think the songs needed that much production work.
• Dean from New York, Nyman, this is a great song, i am not a fan of fiona apple's cover, but it is true....how on earth can anyone upstage the beatles at their own works of art?
• Michelle from Antigonish, CanadaI love the Bealtes beyond any other artist in the world, and I truly wish to become an astronomer. This song brings my hopes and dreams to heart!!
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumThe difference between "Let it be" and "Let it be ... naked" is the great talent of Phil Spector.
• Linus from Hamilton, On, CanadaWhat is the difference between the "Let it be" and "Let it be...naked" versions of this song?
• Brian Lynch from Durham, NcI love this song. The first version I heard was from Let It Be the Spectored version. I loved it, except for the distortion they put on John's voice that sounded like it was through a telephone or some other electronic device, I don't know what they used to create it, but it ruins the beauty and purity of John's voice. I do not care for Let it be...Naked. Mostly because of the distortion on the guitar at the end of each verse and the large distortion on the OM while it makes sense, drowns out John's voice for a moment. I like this song because it is simple, but speaks of so much. I connect with this song, it reminds me of when I am up late at night and I can't sleep because my mind is just running all over the place. I don't even mean to, I mean to be sleeping but my brain cannot help but be cast out Across The Universe. I also do not the Let It Be...Naked for the shrieking harpies they call a choir....thats a harsh statement. Have you heard the version done with Ravi Shankar? I think that is my favorite, because it removes almost all distortion and though the sitar addition is not my favorite, it is appropriate. Cover versions by Rufus Wainwright and Fiona Apple are quite good. My favorite is Rufus or the Ravi Shankar version. The Grammy's were pretty bad. If you happen to get a copy of the Itunes release, Stevie gets the words right and it sounds "a little" bit better. Though my personal favorite is Alicia Keys...something about the riffs she does for the song make so so much sense "Like a million eyes". I love this song, I love The Beatles. And I'm fairly sure John and I would have gotten along. This song stops me in my tracks.
• Ashley from Yarmouth, CanadaEw, those are gross ppl to sing a Beatles songs. Ew, Velvet Revolver? They are old and gross. They taint that lovely song. And Green Day? They are so full of crud. They cant take those wonderous words and sing them, since they cant even sing. I feel sad now! God. Some people.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScToday's the 25th antiversary of John Lennon's death, and I miss him! I was born 8 years or so after he died, but I feel connected to him somehow.
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumMessage to Johnny, Los Angeles : even if you don't like the original Phil Spector's version, you have to accept that other people have their opinion. Phil Spector, "Wall of Sound" mmmm...
• Johnny from Los Angeles, CaFiona Apple's version is really good, just like that person who covered "refugee" by Tom Petty
• Johnny from Los Angeles, CaYou guys had it good! I bought Let it Be Naked BEFORE I even heard Let it Be. HUUUUUGE letdown, Phil Spector ruined this. It's sad to think many people won't even hear let it be naked. Christopher, Doesn't Yoko also do backups on Birthday. She has quite a bad voice. This is the best song on Let it Be...Naked (Maybe not the original, cuz it sucked so much!!!) If more Let it Be songs were like this and not like stupid snippets (Dig it and Maggie Mae) and without the turmoil in the album, Let it Be would have a better shot for being the Beatles best album. This is not about drugs. But I wish somebody on this chatroom actually told me the meaning, I WANT TO KNOW!!!!!
• Ryan from Kansas City, MoThis is really good if you are trying to write poetry and it really helps you!
• Sylvia from London, EnglandI love this song! I can play it on acoustic guitar and it is really fun. Another wonderful John song, kinda sad somehow. On my top 20 Beatles songs list!
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScDidn't know Ringo's wife recorded with them. Well.. never mind. I think I knew that but I'm not sure.
• Christopher from St. Louis, MoRegarding women recording with the Beatles...Yoko might have been the first woman to sing a line solo in a Beatles song, but it wasn't "Happiness is a Warm Gun." It was "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill," and Ringo's wife Maureen is also credited with singing backup on that song. George's wife Patti was credited with singing backup on "Revolver," and some of the musicians performing on "A Day in the Life" were women. Depends on your definition of "record a song with the Beatles."
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScFiona Apple's version is good, but it's hard to make a good cover of a Beatles song.
• Gerard from Honikiwi, New ZealandI feel a bit out in the dark here, the only version I've heard is the Fiona Apple version, from the end of the Pleasantville movie, until today I was a bit puzzled by the Jai Guru bit, it sounded Latin, which was confusing from a Beatle (or anyone for that matter). Also, someone said earlier that it inspired Liam Gallagher and I was wondering if they got confused, since Noel wrote every Oasis song until Standing On the Shoulders of Giants?
• Ryan from Lakewood, OhJust to second what everybody else has said, the 'Let It Be...Naked' version of this song is much better, as well as all of the other songs on the 'Let It Be' album. It's really a shame what Phil Spector did to the album.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI agree Luna.
• John from StokeSorry Brian, he first woman to appear on a Beatles album was Yoko Ono. Happins is a Wam Gun Wite Album.
• Luna from London, EnglandThe Let It Be ..... Naked version is 100% better. The original is crap. Its only good if you haven't heard the naked version.
• Kevin from Central Islip, Nyif anyone is interested go to www.cyndilauper.net all of her unreleased material is there including an awesome studio recording she made of "across the universe"
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI like the Naked version bettter too.
• Kalissa from New York City, NyI think the "De-Spectored" version
  on Let It Be Naked is 100% better.
  But everyone's entitled to their opinion aren't they?
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumFor me Phil Spector's version is just PERFECT.
  I have the orginal "Let it be"-cd and if it wasn't for Phil Spector, I don't think that it would be as good as it is. For me Phil Spector is the greatest music talent of popsongs.
• Chet Walters, Ink Specialist from Bethlehem, PaThe Naked version of this song is absolutely perfect. I agree with everyone who said Spector ruined the song. He did. This song needed nothing to "complement" its sound.
• Eloise from London, EnglandNo, Albert from Houston, Ecstasy wasn't manufactured 20 years later. Most of us in the 70's smoked weed and dropped acid and that was it. Speed/coke/amphetamines were around but not so popular.
• Nathan from Defiance, OhAnyone else think its weird that John, who was weary of religion, especially the Maharishi, would put in the Hindu chant? Then claim he liked the lyrics? By the way the naked version is far superior, Spector ruined that song.
• Kika from Nyc, Nythe naked versionis so much better
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScTo Jordan from Wimette Illinois. It's "words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup."
• Jim from Winchester, MaThe two girls singing in the background during the chorus were unknowns simply hanging out by the studio and were spontaneously invited in to record. What a great job they did.
• John from Dublin, United StatesJohn Lennon cited this as an example of Paul's attempt to push for more studio time for his own material. According to John, this was treated as not such a major work, and worked on very little in the studio, allowing Paul more time to fine-tune his own material.
  Lennon claimed that this was an on-going situation in the later days.
  My guess is that John was so out of it at the time, he was too apathetic to press for more time.
• Jordan from Wimette, IlIs it 'words are floating out and in, it's raining to a paper cup' or 'words are floating out like endless rain into a paper cup'?
• Ben from Cheverly, MdGood song, it's ok
• Albert from Houston, TxI don't know...doesnt quit touch on LSD..but..was Ecstasy around at that time?
• Fuko from Oakland, Cathis song has got to be about acid. look at the lyrics man.
• Lee Newham from London, EnglandThis is the one song by the Beatiles in which I prefer the cover version to the Beeatles version. Fiona Apple did a great version. What it proves (I know a lot of you wil dissagree with me) is that a good song is a good song, no mater who sings it. More evidence of the genius of the Beatles.
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumPhil Spector's version is just perfect, he didn't kill or overproduce the song, let's just say that he has a lot of talent. Phil Spector, you are still my number 1, love you 4 ever!
• Ash from Cary, Ncacross the universe is a wonderful song. John Lennon when he sings Jai Guru Deva Om, he is saying victory to the gods. I know this because i am hindi
• Kevin from Canada, CanadaI perform this song. Its got a great melody and the lyrics fit perfectly. It was hard to learn because of the phrasing. I recall seeing John Lennon on tape once saying "I cant believe I wrote these daft lyrics" Its hard to memorize because there is nothing concrete to visualize. Liek a story. Its rather mindless blather going on and on. Did I hear Axl Rose from Guns and Roses totally ruin this song? Was that at the Grammys?
• Dave from Baltimore, MdListening to Lennon's "Let It Be Naked" version this song carefully, you can hear Lennon's deep understanding of the nature of String Theory thirty years before it was proposed. If "OM" is the vibration of the universe, "Across" is the narrative of how String Theory operates. Now, listen again...
• Gary from Moorpark, CaThe Grammy's have been a big dissappointment for a long time so what else is new ? Last year they advertised heavily that there would be a special tribute to the Beatles. There were days and days of adds talking about it. When it came right down to it they had Paul for about 30 seconds and Ringo for about 30 seconds. That's it. I was infuriated and regretted spending all those hours waiting through the rap crap just for so little of what I wanted.
• Gary from Moorpark, CaOne of my favorite Beatles songs and very fun to sing and play. It makes me feel so serene and peaceful and very special in a special world.
• Gary from Moorpark, CaStephanie, The thing about acid is that after you come down you are changed in a profound way for a very long time. Everything you do from that point on is " influenced " by what you have done to yourself in one 12 hour period. Eventually it all goes away - If you quit - just like smoking. And when I say profound it is not all good.
• Craig from Madison, WiThe road to hell is paved with good intentions, and while you walk down the road there are speakers blasting the Grammy All-Star Tsunami relief team's disembowling of "Across the Universe." It could have been worse. They could have been translating it to sign language. They could have forced the audience to do the wave. They could have flashed the words "Free Mark David Chapman" on the screen. In the ranks of "Brilliant Minds organizing to destroy a thing of beauty," Grammy's "Across the Universe" ranks with the bombing of Dresden.
• John from Boston, MaI like the Past Masters Volume 2 version of this better, good song, good song
  
  btw, Lucy from Chicago, nice job of cut and paste on your entry ;)
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI can't believe y'all think this song's about LSD! If you listen to it or read the lyrics, it clearly isn't. Even though I'm not sure if I believe it, I can see why a song like "Lucy In The sky With Diamonds' would have something to do with LSD, but "All Across The Universe"? that makes no sense.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI agree Loretta. I like the virsion on 'Let It be Naked" better too.
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumI like this song very much but I don't agree with some of you about Phil Spector. For me "Let it be" is a very good album because of the great talent of Phil Spector. I consider him as THE
  VERY, VERY, VERY BEST.
• Joslynn from Pj, MalaysiaWhich album does Across the Universe (the version where John says "Goodnight Richie" at the beginning) appear on?
• Nessie from Sapporo, JapanDavid (Gosford) -- I totally agree. The stripped down version is a million times better than the Spectorfied travesty.
• Jackie from Chicago, Ili agree with ana and kenny on this one... what an unappropriate song to play at the grammys, with war and everything. "nothin's gonna change my world"? i love this song, and they should of left it alone.
• Edwin from Parker, CoWho is John talking to when he says, "Goodnight Richie" at the beginning. I assume it's Ringo - who then did a quick drum into as a nod to John, and then left for the evening.
• Carly from San Diego, CaMy favorite song ever
• Kenny from Baltimore, MdThis is one of my favorites along with Don't Let Me Down. I agree with Ana, they butchered it at the grammys.
• Ana from Louisville, KyI'm no kind of purist, and I still hate what they did to it at the Grammies. Note to all singers: the more people singing, the more alike they need to sound. Urgh!
• Martijn from Helmond, NetherlandsA thorough analysis of this song can be found here:
  http://www.geocities.com/hammodotcom/beathoven/unihome.htm
• Ellen from Nashville, TnI hated what they did with this at the grammys. i know it was for a good cause and everything, but im such a purist that i hate anything but the original. plus, Stevie Wonder said "caressing and caressing me" rather than "posessing and caressing me" which didnt help the matter
• Mason from San Antonio, Txactually jenny, lucy in the sky with diamonds is about a drawing julian showed john when he was just a kid, accoring to john. across the universe opens like this; "words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup, they slither wildly as they slip away across the universe"
• C.c. from Lake Charles, LaSteven Tyler, Norah Jones, Brian Wison, Green Day,
  Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Tim McGraw and Emmylou Harris all backed by Velvet Revolver performed this live on the 2005 Grammy Awards. 100% of the proceeds from the download benefit tsunami victims. Righteous!
• Jude from Los Angeles, CaAwesome song! In the grammys it was sang for the tsumani disaster with all of the various artists but they didn't sing it with their heart like john did, well Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, the lead singer of Velvet Revolver with Stevie Wonder was great but Steven Tyler messed it up big time with the tone of the song.
• Lucy from Chicago, IlGuru Deva, actually it is Guru Dev, is incited in the song because he was the Maharishi's teacher. He is an actual person, and they invoked him in their meditation every day. The name actually has meaning in itself. A Guru is a teacher, or spiritual leader of sorts. Dev, according to some other sites I went to, means god or heavenly one. As stated, Maharishi's actual teacher's name was Guru Dev. John Lennon appeared to take the liberty adding the "a"on the end. Jai means, and there are several meanings I have for this, "I give hope, or thanks to", this I was told, but some sites say it means, "victory" or "salutations". Om, is probaby the easiest part to explain. Om is believed to be the natural vibration of the universe. Hence, when many meditate, they make the "ooohhhmmmm" sound. They are trying to bring in that vibration of the universe.
  
  So all together it means, "I give thanks (victory) (salutation) to Guru Dev (or heavenly teacher), om".
• Col from Sheffield, England"slither wildly as they pass"
  
  Thank you thank you thank you.
  This has been bugging me for years because I always thought the line went "slither while they pass" but Lennnon clearly sings "as" and the line "slither while they as they slip away..." clearly didn't make sense.
  
• Jenny from Miami, Flha! you think this song describes LSD... what about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
• Jes from Mason City, IaFalsetto harmonies on the charity album version provided by Lizzie Bravo and Gayleen Pease, two fans Paul found outside Abbey Road Studios 2-4-'68
• Loretta from Liverpool, EnglandI like everything on Let it B Naked better
• Ellen from Nashville, Tni love this song. i mean, its a song about songwriting.
• Travis from New York City, NyI personally like the version on Let it Be...Naked the best.
• George from San Francisco, IlThe lyrics listed here are wrong. Fiona Apple sings it wrong. Rufus Wainwright sings it wrong. David Bowie got it right but then he had John to help him. The words don't "slither while they pass" and there are no "shades of earth". Those are someone's incorrect interpretation first printed in the "Beatle's Illustrated Lyrics". It's "slither wildly" and "shades of life" kids. Give the originals a listen.
• Si from London, EnglandThis song accurately describes what it is like to be on LSD? Really? You must have had some extremely mundane LSD then!
• Rato from Lisbon, PortugalThe words came to John one night at Kenwood, while he was trying to sleep. He had a discussion with Cynthia and the sentence "pools of sorrow, waves of joy" didn't let him rest. So he got up and wrote all the lyric before returning to bed.
• Jeff from Barrington, IlIt's alright for Fionna Apple to cover this song, but a lot of people think that she wrote it.
• Erik from Nyc, NyThis song accurately describes what it is like to be on LSD...Believe me ;)
• David from Gosford, AustraliaPhil Spector killed this song. I didn't fall in love with the song until I heard it on Anthology 2, which removes all of Spector's fluff.
• Danny from Grass Valley, CaGeorge Martin was right
• Liza from The Dalles, OrThanks for the lyrics. I've never read them before. Actually I thought when they were singing "Jai Guru Deva Om" they were saying something about macaroons...
• Matt from Chicago, IlA great song that i beileve more people should live bye. I know i do.
• Carolyn from P'ville, CaRufus Wainwright remade this song for the I Am Sam soundtrack
• Tommy from Duluth, MnGeorge Martin has claimed the album Let It Be was produced by him and over produced by Phil Spector.

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