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SongsLet It BeAcross the Universe
Let It Be album cover

Across the Universe

1970 · Let It Be

“Jai guru deva om”

Lennon's stream-of-consciousness meditation chant, with a Sanskrit refrain to Maharishi's guru. The Let It Be version carries Phil Spector's 1970 orchestral and choral overdub layered over the 1968 basic track.
See also: Across the Universe (Wildlife version, 1969)
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Year1970
AlbumLet It Be
Track3
Duration3:47
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn
RecordedFebruary 4 – 8, 1968; April 1, 1970
ReleasedMay 8, 1970

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Text174 tags

Motif

SpiritualPhilosophicalNatureSelf reflectionMeditationContainersCommunicationLightRainSpaceWeatherAnatomySurrealismSadnessSoftnessLoveSound

Influence

Eastern philosophy influenceDrugs influence

Vocabulary

Foreign languagePoetic lyricsPositive tone

Narrative

First personStream of consciousness

Lyrical device

SimilePersonificationAlliterationExtended metaphor

Rhyme type

Internal rhymeIdentical rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Has introStandard choruses (1-3)Has outro

Section links

Verse variationIntro based on verseOutro based on chorus

Repetition

Consecutive lineRecurring fade lineRecurring line
Word cloud

Recurring words

brokencallschangeearsflowinginsidelightmindopenedpaperrainshinesslipsorrowtheirthoughtswaveswinda millionas theycall mecalls mefade outgonna changeinside ainto ame onof lifeslip awaythe universetheir waythey slipwords are

Cover-shared words

awaycallcupdanceeyesjoyletterlifelikelovemakememyringingtheywaywordsworlda letteracross thelife arelike ame likeof joy

Lyric shape

[NOUN] across[VERB] before[VERB] out[VERB] theirare [VERB]their [NOUN][NOUN] across the[NOUN] are [VERB][VERB] me on[VERB] of [WORD][VERB] their [NOUN]a [ADJ] [VERB]a [NOUN] [NOUN]across the [WORD]as they [VERB]into a [NOUN]like a [ADJ]my [NOUN] [NOUN]of [NOUN] [VERB]of [WORD] [WORD]they [VERB] [ADV][WORD] gonna [VERB] my [NOUN]

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] as[NOUN] are[VERB] and[VERB] around[VERB] into[VERB] me[VERB] my[VERB] of[VERB] through[WORD] a[WORD] ofa [ADJ]a [NOUN]a [WORD]and [VERB]gonna [VERB]me [VERB]my [NOUN]of [NOUN]of [VERB]of [WORD]out [VERB]the [WORD]they [VERB]they [WORD][VERB] [WORD] a[VERB] and [VERB][VERB] my [NOUN][VERB] of [NOUN][WORD] [WORD] of[WORD] a [NOUN][WORD] gonna [VERB][WORD] of [NOUN][WORD] of [VERB]a [NOUN] [WORD]a [WORD] [NOUN]a [WORD] [WORD]and [VERB] melike a [WORD]my [NOUN] [VERB]they [VERB] me[VERB] [WORD] a [NOUN][VERB] and [VERB] me[WORD] of [VERB] [VERB]gonna [VERB] my [NOUN]

Rhyme scheme

AAAAAAABCBXAAAAABCD

Line length

5-5-5-5-5-515-8-17-1217-12-15-166-7-7-7-715-16-15-8

Distinctive word

blindlyboxcaressingdevadriftingendlessguruimagesincitinginvitingjailaughterlimitlessmeandernothing'spoolspossessingrestlessshadesslithersoundssunstumbleundyingwildly
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Music155 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarPianoOrganDrumsPercussionMaracasChoirViolinViolaCelloHarpSitarTamboura

Instrument group

GuitarsStringChoralKeyboardsIndianPercussion

Guitar work

Fingerpicking

Bass work

No bass guitar

Music genre

FolkBalladPsychedelicFolk rockRock

Influence

Indian music influencePsychedelia influence

Vocal work

Group vocalsChantingFalsettoVocal harmonies

Tempo

Slow

Key

D major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusABABAB

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)Has introStandard choruses (1-3)Has outro

Section links

Verse variationIntro based on verseOutro based on chorus

Section transition

V to Iiv to II to I

Harmony

Half cadenceBorrowed chordPerfect cadencePlagal cadenceJazz cadenceRock/Mixolydian cadenceRhythm changes (partial)DroneParallel harmony

Composition

Tonic openingNon-tonic endingChorus in IVerse in ITonic verseTonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Scale degree

Iii7iiiIVivVV7vi

Chord degree

I–viii–VI–V–IViii–iiV–I–viiv–IV–II–Viv–I–viV–I–vi–iiiIV–IV–IVvi–iiiV–VV–V–Iiii–ii–VI–vi–iiiiii–VI–vi–iii–iiiv–I–vi–iiiI–vi–iii–Vii–iv–Iii–V–V

Chord shape

C → AmAm → DC → GC → B♭C → FAm → EmAm → Em → DmC → G → FAm → EAm → GmAm → E → D♭mC → F → DmC → F → Dm → AmC7 → FC → CC → C → FAm → CAm → Em → GC → C7C → Am → Em → DmC → Am → EmAm7 → DAm → Gm → CAm → D → DC7 → F → DmC → C7 → F → DmAm → D → D → GAm7 → Cm → GAm → Cm → GC → Am → Em → GC7 → F → Dm → AmC → C7 → FAm → Gm7Am → E → D♭m → A♭m

Chord literal

Em → AGm → DA7 → DA → DD → AG → DA → GA → AA → A7Gm → D → Bm → F♯mF♯m → AA → A → DA → D → BmD → A → GD → BmD → Bm → F♯m → AA → A7 → DBm → F♯mEm → A → AEm7 → AA7 → D → Bm
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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

External entity links: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz recording · MusicBrainz work · Wikidata

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