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SongsAbbey RoadOctopus's Garden
Abbey Road album cover

Octopus's Garden

1969 · Abbey Road

“We would be warm below the storm”

Ringo Starr's second solo Beatles composition, a country-flavored pop rock tune sung from the perspective of someone dreaming of a peaceful life underwater. George Harrison helped shape its arrangement during sessions for Abbey Road.
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Year1969
AlbumAbbey Road
Track5 · Side 1
Duration2:48
Songwriter(s)Starkey
Lead VocalRingo
RecordedApril 26 – July 18, 1969
ReleasedSeptember 26, 1969

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Text221 tags

Motif

AnatomySunshineRainHappinessNatureAnimalsFreedomSea lifeCommunicationSoundDarknessDirectionsHomeChildhoodFriendshipFound inspirationNursery rhymeColorWeatherSports

Title

Title in chorus

Vocabulary

Positive toneCasual language

Narrative

ConversationalFirst person

Rhyme type

Internal rhymePerfect rhymeExtrametrical rhymeHalf rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Has pre-chorusHas outroMany choruses (4+)Standard verses (2-4)Has intro

Section links

Verse variationOutro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verseChorus variationPre-chorus based on verse

Repetition

Consecutive lineRecurring line
Word cloud

Recurring words

becausebeneathfriendsgardenknowingknowsliesoceanseasingwarmwavesand danceand mebe sobeneath thecan't bein hisin ourmy friendsno oneoh whatsing andso happythe oceanthe seathe shadethere toto cometo tellus inwhat towould bebeneath the waveslike to beno one therewhat to doyou and me

Cover-shared words

aboutaskboycomedanceeveryfoundgirlhappyheadhisjoyknowletlikelittlememynearohoneourseeshouttellthereusweyouand seecome andevery girllike toto beto dowith mewith youyou andcome and seei'd like to

Lyric shape

[ADJ] you[VERB] they're[VERB] we[VERB] where[WORD] weand [NOUN]his [WORD]in [VERB]one [ADV]our [ADJ]the [VERB]they're [ADJ]what [NOUN][ADV] a [WORD][ADV] to [VERB][NOUN] and [NOUN][NOUN] in the[NOUN] with me[VERB] on the[VERB] us in[WORD] [WORD] the[WORD] that [NOUN][WORD] we [VERB]can't be [VERB]his [WORD] [NOUN]in his [WORD]in our [ADJ]no one [ADV]so [ADJ] youthe [WORD] thatto [VERB] us[NOUN] in the [WORD][VERB] [WORD] the [NOUN][WORD] [NOUN] with me[WORD] [WORD] the [NOUN][WORD] the [NOUN] [VERB]in an [WORD] [NOUN][VERB] [VERB] [WORD] the [NOUN]

Cover-shared shape

[ADJ] and[ADV] a[ADV] to[NOUN] and[NOUN] for[NOUN] in[NOUN] with[VERB] and[VERB] around[VERB] my[VERB] on[VERB] our[VERB] to[VERB] us[WORD] that[WORD] the[WORD] to[WORD] whata [WORD]an [WORD]and [VERB]be [VERB]for [WORD]i'd [VERB]my [WORD]our [NOUN]so [ADJ]that [NOUN]the [NOUN]the [WORD]to [VERB]we [VERB]would [VERB][NOUN] with you[VERB] [WORD] the[VERB] and [VERB][VERB] my [WORD][VERB] our [NOUN][VERB] to be[WORD] [NOUN] and[WORD] [NOUN] in[WORD] the [NOUN][WORD] to [VERB]and [VERB] [WORD]i'd [VERB] toin the [WORD]my [WORD] tothat [NOUN] [WORD]the [NOUN] [VERB]to [VERB] and[VERB] and [VERB] [WORD]to [VERB] and [VERB][VERB] my [WORD] to [VERB]

Rhyme scheme

ABABCDABCBAA

Line length

8-99-97-88-8Unique line length

Distinctive word

cavecoralhe'dhideawayoctopus'srestingsafeseabedstormswim
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Music166 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarBass guitarPianoDrumsPercussionSound effectsOther percussion

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboardsPercussion

Guitar work

Guitar solo

Bass work

Stepwise bass line

Music genre

Country rockRockPopCountryNovelty song

Vocal work

SingalongAah vocalsOoh vocals

Solo / Riff

Guitar soloSolo on chorus

Melody

Call and response

Tempo

Upbeat

Key

E majorA majorKey change

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusBABABAB

Sections

Has pre-chorusHas outroMany choruses (4+)Standard verses (2-4)Has soloMultiple pre-choruses (2+)Has intro

Section traits

Chorus before verse

Section links

Verse variationOutro based on verseOutro based on chorusIntro based on verseSolo on chorusChorus variationPre-chorus based on verse

Section transition

V to viI to IV to IV to IV

Harmony

Royal road (partial)50s variantRoyal roadPerfect cadenceHalf cadenceBorrowed chordDeceptive cadence

Composition

Only basic triadsSectional modulationNon-tonic openingTonic endingShared chordsChorus in IVVerse in IChorus in ITonic verseTonic chorusNon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminor

Scale degree

IIIIVVvi

Chord degree

I–V–IVV–II–VV–IVIV–VI–vivi–IVIV–V–IV–I–viI–vi–IVvi–IV–VI–vi–IV–Vvi–IV–V–II–IIV–I–IIV–viV–vi–IVI–vi–IV–V–viV–IV–V–I–viI–V–IV–VIV–V–viV–I–vi–IVI–vi–IV–V–vi–IV–V–viV–vi–IV–V–vi–IV–V–IV–IV–V–I–vi–IVV–I–V–IVIV–V–I–viV–IV–V–IV–vi–IV–V–I

Chord shape

C → FC → GC → B♭C → DC → AmAm → FC → G → FC → D → GC → F → DmC → Am → FAm → F → GC → B♭ → C → FC → Am → F → GAm → F → G → CC → F → GC → D → G → AC → DmC → Dm → B♭C → Am → F → G → AmC → B♭ → C → F → DmC → Dm → B♭ → C → Dm → B♭ → C → FC → F → Dm → B♭C → Am → F → G → Am → F → G → AmC → B♭ → C → F → Dm → B♭C → Dm → B♭ → C → FC → G → F → GC → D → G → EmC → D → EmC → F → C → B♭

Chord literal

B → EB → AA → BA → F♯mD → EE → AE → C♯m → AA → B → C♯mE → A → F♯mD → E → A → F♯mE → C♯m → A → BB → E → C♯mB → C♯m → AE → C♯m → A → B → C♯m → A → B → C♯mD → E → AF♯m → DB → C♯m → A → B → C♯m → A → B → EA → F♯m → D → EC♯m → A → B → EB → E → C♯m → AB → E → B → AC♯m → AE → A → BE → BC♯m → A → BA → F♯m → DE → B → AE → C♯mB → C♯mA → B → E
You might also like:Musicnotes – Beatles Piano/Vocal/GuitarSheet 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.

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