Beatlesongs.wiki
SongsThe Beatles (The White Album)Good Night
The Beatles (The White Album) album cover

“Now the sun turns out his light”

A Lennon composition for Ringo's lead vocal, closing the White Album. The only Beatle on the final track, Ringo sings a Hollywood-style lullaby over a 26-piece orchestra and 8-voice Mike Sammes Singers, all arranged and conducted by George Martin.
VinylCD

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Year1968
AlbumThe Beatles (The White Album)
Track30 · Side 4 · Album closer · Side closer
Duration3:11
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalRingo
RecordedJune 28, July 2, July 22, 1968
ReleasedNovember 22, 1968

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Text125 tags

Motif

SleepDreamsNatureSoftnessFamilyNursery rhymeWeatherAnatomySunshineDarknessTimeLight

Title

Day or night in title

Vocabulary

Positive tone

Narrative

Second personFirst personImperativeConversational

Lyrical device

PersonificationAnaphora

Rhyme type

Internal rhymeTriple rhymePerfect rhymeIdentical rhymeExtrametrical rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Many choruses (4+)Standard verses (2-4)Has outroHas refrainHas intro

Section links

Outro based on verseChorus variationIntro based on verse

Repetition

Recurring verseRecurring line
Word cloud

Recurring words

beginsdreamseverybodyeverywherelightmoonshinesleepsuntightturnsand i'llbegins toeyes andit's timenow it'snow thethe suntime toto sayyour eyesit's time tosay good nightclose your eyes and i'll

Cover-shared words

closedreameyesgoodhismeminenightnowsaysweettimeyouyourfor mefor you

Lyric shape

[ADV] the[VERB] mine[VERB] out[ADJ] [VERB] for[ADV] it's [NOUN][ADV] the [NOUN][NOUN] [VERB] to[VERB] for me[VERB] for youand i'll [VERB]for you [VERB]it's [NOUN] toto [VERB] [ADJ][ADJ] [VERB] for me[ADV] the [NOUN] [VERB][NOUN] [VERB] to [VERB]the [NOUN] [VERB] to [VERB]your [NOUN] and i'll [VERB][VERB] your [NOUN] and i'll [VERB]

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] it's[NOUN] and[NOUN] to[VERB] for[VERB] to[VERB] yourhis [VERB]i'll [VERB]it's [NOUN]me [VERB]the [NOUN]to [VERB]you [VERB]your [NOUN][NOUN] to [VERB][VERB] to [VERB][VERB] your [NOUN]me [VERB] [ADJ]the [NOUN] [VERB]you [VERB] [ADJ]your [NOUN] and[VERB] your [NOUN] and

Rhyme scheme

ABABAAAAAAABCAABBB

Line length

4-4Consistent line lengthsUnique line length
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Music205 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsChoirViolinViolaCelloDouble bassHarpFrench hornFluteClarinetVibraphoneCelesta

Instrument group

WoodwindStringOrchestralChoralKeyboardsBrass

Bass work

Stepwise bass line

Drum work

No drums

Music genre

Children's songBallad

Melody

Call and response

Tempo

Slow

Key

G major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusABABAB

Sections

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

Section links

Outro based on verseChorus variationIntro based on verse

Section transition

I to IVV to II to I

Harmony

Half cadencePerfect cadenceCircle of fifths50s variantPlagal cadenceSensitive femaleJazz cadencePedal pointDrone

Composition

Tonic openingTonic endingVerse in ITonic verseChorus in IVChorus in ITonic chorusNon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminordom7min7slash chord

Scale degree

Iii7iiiIVV7vi

Chord degree

I–iiiIV–VI–iii–IV–VV–Iiii–vivi–IVIV–II–VIV–V–II–iii–vivi–IV–IIV–I–VV–I–iii–vivi–IV–I–Vii–VI–IVii–V–IV–I–IVI–viI–vi–IVvi–IV–VV–I–viI–vi–IV–VV–I–iiiI–IV–ii–VV–I–iii–IViii–vi–IV–IV–I–iii–vi–IVI–IV–iiI–iii–vi–IVIV–I–V–Iiii–IVIV–iiIV–ii–Viii–IV–VI–iii–IViii–IV–V–IIV–ii–V–Iii–V–I–IV

Chord shape

C → FC → EmC → DC → D7C7 → FAm → DmAm → FC → GC → D → GC → Em → AmAm → F → CC → G → DC → F → Am → DmC → AmAm → DAm7 → D7C → Am → DC → Am7 → D7Am → D → GAm7 → D7 → GC → F → B♭C7 → F → B♭C → F → DmC → Am → FAm → F → GAm → F → G7C → Am → F → GAm → Dm → B♭ → FC7 → F → Am → B♭C → F → Dm7 → G7C7 → F → Am → Dm → B♭C → F → Dm7C → G/D → D7 → GC → F → B♭ → GmC7 → F → Am → DmC → Am7C → G → D → GAm → B♭C → D7 → GC7 → F → DmC → F → AmAm → B♭ → CC → Am → D → GC → F → Dm → GAm → Dm → B♭C → Em → FAm7 → D7 → G → CAm → B♭ → C → FC7 → F → AmC → Em → Am → FC → Am → F → G7Am → F → C → GC → Em → F → GAm → D → G → C

Chord literal

G → BmC → DC → D7D → GBm → EmEm → CC → GG → DC → D → GG → Bm → EmC → G → DC → AmG → CD → G → CG → C → AmD → G → EmG → Em → C → DG → EmD → G → BmC → D7 → GG → C → Am7C → Am → D → GD → G → Bm → CD7 → G → Bm → CC → G/D → D7 → GC → Am → DAm7 → D7 → GC → Am7 → D7G → Bm → C → DG → Em → C → D7Am → DC → Am7D7 → GC → G → D → GEm → C → DAm → D → GAm7 → D7D7 → G → CBm → CEm → C → GBm → C → D → G
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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.

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