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SongsPast MastersAcross the Universe (Wildlife version)
Past Masters album cover

Across the Universe (Wildlife version)

1969 · Past Masters

“Jai guru deva om”

Lennon composition with a Sanskrit mantra refrain, sped up and dressed in birdsong effects for the World Wildlife Fund charity album 'No One's Gonna Change Our World'. A distinct mix from the slower Spector-produced Let It Be version.
See also: Across the Universe (Let It Be version, 1970)
VinylCD

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Year1969 · 1968
AlbumPast Masters
Track31
Duration3:49
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn
RecordedFebruary 4 – 8, 1968
ReleasedDecember 12, 1969 (Single)March 7, 1988 (Past Masters)

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Text176 tags

Motif

SpaceWeatherAnatomyContainersCommunicationLightRainSelf reflectionMeditationPhilosophicalSpiritualNatureSadnessSurrealismLoveSoftnessNumbersSound

Influence

Drugs influenceEastern philosophy influenceBob Dylan influence

Vocabulary

Foreign languagePoetic lyricsPositive tone

Narrative

Stream of consciousnessFirst person

Lyrical device

PersonificationSimileExtended metaphorAlliteration

Rhyme type

Internal rhymeIdentical rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Has introHas outroStandard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)

Section links

Outro based on chorusVerse variationIntro based on verse

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

XAAAAABCDABCBAAAAAA

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
You might also like:The Beatles Illustrated LyricsAll the Songs

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Music144 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarPianoOrganPercussionMaracasSitarTambouraNoisesSound effects

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboardsIndianPercussion

Guitar work

Fingerpicking

Bass work

No bass guitar

Music genre

BalladFolkPsychedelicFolk rock

Influence

Psychedelia influenceIndian music influence

Vocal work

Vocal harmoniesThree-part harmonyFalsetto

Tempo

Slow

Key

D major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusABABAB

Sections

Has introHas outroStandard verses (2-4)Standard choruses (1-3)

Section links

Outro based on chorusVerse variationIntro based on verse

Section transition

I to Iiv to IV to I

Harmony

Half cadencePerfect cadencePlagal cadenceBorrowed chordDroneParallel harmony

Composition

Tonic openingTonic endingVerse in IChorus in ITonic verseTonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Scale degree

Iii7iiiIVivVV7vi

Chord degree

V–IVI–V–IVI–VI–viIV–Ivi–iiiV–I–viiv–Iiii–iiV–I–vi–iiiiv–I–viii–VV–IV–VV–V–Iiii–VI–vi–iiiiii–ii–VI–vi–iii–Vii–iv–Iii–V–Viv–I–vi–iiiI–vi–iii–ii

Chord shape

C → B♭C → GAm → Em → DmAm → EmC7 → FC → G → FAm → DC → AmAm → EAm → GmC → F → DmC → F → Dm → AmAm → E → D♭mC → FC → CC → C7C → C → FAm → CAm → Em → GC → Am → EmC → C7 → FC7 → F → DmAm → D → DAm → Gm → CAm7 → DC7 → F → Dm → AmC → Am → Em → GAm → Cm → GAm → Gm7Am → E → D♭m → A♭mC → Am → Em → DmC → C7 → F → DmAm → D → D → GAm7 → Cm → G

Chord literal

Em → AA7 → DA → DD → AG → DA → GGm → DA → A7A → AGm → D → Bm → F♯mA → A7 → DD → BmA → A → DF♯m → AEm7 → AD → A → GA → D → BmBm → F♯mA7 → D → BmD → Bm → F♯m → AEm → A → A
You might also like:Harmony & Voice LeadingSheet Music Plus – Beatles Collection

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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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