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SongsAbbey RoadPolythene Pam
Abbey Road album cover

Polythene Pam

1969 · Abbey Road

“She's killer-diller when she's dressed to the hilt”

A Lennon composition for the Abbey Road medley, sung in affected Scouse accent. Segues from 'Mean Mr. Mustard' into 'She Came in Through the Bathroom Window' as a single continuous track.
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Year1969
AlbumAbbey Road
Track12 · Side 2
Duration1:12
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn
RecordedJuly 25 – July 30, 1969
ReleasedSeptember 26, 1969
Song familyCharacter song

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Text161 tags

Motif

ContainersCharacterClothesMediaFound inspirationWomenCultural snapshot

Influence

Music hall influence

Title

Title is a personPerson in title

Vocabulary

Neutral toneCasual languageMinimal lyrics

Narrative

PersonaSecond personConversationalObservationalThird personImperative

Lyrical device

Alliteration

Rhyme type

Triple rhymeInternal rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

StrophicNo verse-chorusMedley

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)No chorusHas refrainHas introHas outro

Section links

Solo based on introInterlude based on verseIntro based on verse
Word cloud

Recurring words

dragmakesohhpambut shedressed inget agirl thatin dragkind ofof hersee hershe wasshe's dressedshe's soshe's thewhen she'syes youyou couldthe kind ofshe's the kind of

Cover-shared words

bagbuiltdressedgetgirlherheykindlikelooksmannewssayseeshewellworldyeahyoua girla manin herlike athe kindthe newsthe worldwell youyeah yeahyou shouldyeah yeah yeah

Lyric shape

[WORD] whencould [VERB]in [VERB]was [ADV][NOUN] of a[VERB] [VERB] in[VERB] but she[VERB] she was[WORD] of herbut she [VERB]her [NOUN] [NOUN]like a [NOUN]of a [NOUN]the [NOUN] ofwhen she's [VERB]you could [VERB][VERB] like a [NOUN]a [NOUN] that [NOUN]she's the [NOUN] ofthe [NOUN] of ato the [WORD] [WORD]

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] you[NOUN] of[NOUN] that[VERB] a[VERB] but[VERB] her[VERB] in[VERB] she[VERB] the[VERB] to[WORD] and[WORD] ofa [NOUN]a [WORD]and [WORD]her [NOUN]in [WORD]she [VERB]she's [VERB]she's [WORD]should [VERB]so [VERB]that [NOUN]the [NOUN]the [WORD][NOUN] that [NOUN][VERB] a [WORD][VERB] like a[VERB] the [WORD][VERB] to the[WORD] and [WORD][WORD] of thea [NOUN] [WORD]a [NOUN] thata [WORD] ofin her [NOUN]of the [NOUN]she [VERB] [VERB]she's [VERB] tothe [NOUN] [WORD]the [WORD] [WORD]the [WORD] ofto the [WORD]you should [VERB][VERB] a [WORD] of[VERB] the [WORD] of[VERB] to the [WORD][WORD] of the [NOUN]she [VERB] like athe [WORD] of thethe [WORD] of the [NOUN][VERB] the [WORD] of the [NOUN]

Rhyme scheme

AABAABCA

Line length

Unique line length

Distinctive word

ah-ah-ahattractivelydosegood-lookinggreathiltjackbootskiller-dillerkiltohh-ohhpolythene
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Music139 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarLead guitarBass guitarDrumsPercussionTambourineMaracasCowbellNoisesSpoken wordOther percussion12-string guitar

Instrument group

GuitarsPercussion

Guitar work

Guitar solo

Bass work

Stepwise bass line

Music genre

RockHard rock

Influence

The Who influence

Vocal work

Ooh vocalsAah vocalsYeah vocalsVocals on interludeVocal harmonies

Solo / Riff

Defining riffGuitar solo

Tempo

Fast

Key

E major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

StrophicAANo verse-chorusMedley

Sections

Standard verses (2-4)No chorusHas refrainMultiple interludes (2+)Has soloHas introHas outro

Section traits

Unique outro

Section links

Solo based on introInterlude based on verseSolo on outroIntro based on verse

Harmony

Pedal pointDouble plagalModal mixtureBorrowed chordCircle of fifthsPlagal cadenceParallel harmonyBackdoor cadenceHalf cadenceChromatic mediant

Composition

All major chordsOnly basic triadsNon-tonic openingNon-tonic endingVerse in ♭VIINon-tonic verse

Mode

Mixolydian

Chord type

majorslash chord

Scale degree

I♭IIIIVV♭VIVI♭VII

Chord degree

♭VII–VII–♭VII–IVIV–I–♭VII♭VII–IVIV–II–♭VII♭VII–IV–II–♭III♭III–V♭VII–I♭VI–♭VIIV–♭VIIV–I–♭IIII–♭III–V♭VI–♭VII–IVI–VV–♭VI–♭VII–IIV–I–♭III–VI–♭VII–VI

Chord shape

C → G → FC → BC → D → EC → B♭ → FC → GC → B♭C → G → DC → E♭C → EC → D♭C → DC → G → B♭C → D♭ → E♭C → E♭ → GC → B♭ → AC → B → AC → B♭/CC → G → D → FC → E → FC → G → D → C → BC → D♭ → E♭ → FC → G → B♭ → DC → B♭ → A → GC → E → F → GC → G → F/G

Chord literal

D → ED → AA → EE → DB → CC → DD → A → EE → D → AE → GG → BA → E → DE → G → BA → E → GB → C → DC → D → ED → A → E → GA → E → G → BG → B → C → DE → D/ED → C♯C♯ → B
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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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