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SongsThe Beatles (The White Album)The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
The Beatles (The White Album) album cover

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

1968 · The Beatles (The White Album)

“He went out tiger hunting with his elephant and gun”

Lennon composition for The Beatles (the White Album), with a group sing-along chorus and a guest vocal line from Yoko Ono. Inspired by an American big-game hunter Lennon encountered at the Maharishi's Rishikesh ashram.
VinylCD

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Year1968
AlbumThe Beatles (The White Album)
Track6 · Side 1
Duration3:14
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn
RecordedOctober 8, 1968
ReleasedNovember 22, 1968
Song familyWritten in India

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Text169 tags

Motif

AnimalsViolenceDeathSocial commentaryPoliticalAmericanismMotherFamilyQuestionDialogueNursery rhymeReligionGreetingsWarAnatomyContainersChildhoodMusicSoundCharacterStorytellingReal peopleFound inspiration

Influence

Eastern philosophy influence

Title

Long titlePerson in titleTitle not in lyrics

Vocabulary

Positive toneCasual language

Narrative

Second personVignetteObservationalThird person

Lyrical device

Wordplay

Rhyme type

Identical rhymePerfect rhymeTriple rhymeInternal rhymeHalf rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorus

Sections

Has outroStandard verses (2-4)Many choruses (4+)

Section links

Chorus variationIntro based on chorus

Repetition

Recurring line
Word cloud

Recurring words

askedbetweenbillcaptaincasechildrendeepguninsteadlieslookedsingsonsurprisea sinand hisbill anddeep indid youhave beeninstead ofnot aof himthe childrenthe eyeswhat didwhere thewith hiswhat did you

Cover-shared words

allalwayseyesheheyhimhisitlooksmother'srighttakentookuswentyouall thenot whenwent out

Lyric shape

[ADJ] in[VERB] could[VERB] him[VERB] was[WORD] he[WORD] were[WORD] whereand [NOUN]by [VERB]could [VERB]he [WORD]his [WORD]the [VERB]us [WORD][ADJ] in the[NOUN] [VERB] the[NOUN] and [NOUN][NOUN] of [WORD][VERB] his [WORD][WORD] [VERB] his[WORD] [VERB] inand his [WORD]could [VERB] itdid you [VERB]in [NOUN] ofnot a [WORD]the [VERB] [VERB]you [VERB] [WORD][NOUN] [VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] with his [NOUN]did you [VERB] [WORD]he [WORD] [VERB] histhe [WORD] [WORD] [VERB]what did you [VERB]you [VERB] [WORD] [NOUN]

Cover-shared shape

[NOUN] and[NOUN] of[VERB] by[VERB] his[VERB] in[VERB] it[VERB] so[VERB] the[VERB] with[WORD] of[WORD] out[WORD] thea [WORD]he [VERB]him [NOUN]his [NOUN]in [NOUN]of [WORD]out [NOUN]so [ADJ]so [NOUN]the [ADJ]the [NOUN]the [WORD]to [VERB]were [VERB]you [VERB][VERB] so [ADJ][VERB] the [NOUN]in the [WORD]out [NOUN] [VERB]so [NOUN] [VERB]the [ADJ] [NOUN]the [WORD] [WORD]

Rhyme scheme

AAAAAABBAAABABAC

Line length

5-8-5-8Unique line length

Distinctive word

accidentsamericanbullet-headedbungalowbuttedelephantelephantseyupfiercehuntingjunglekillmarvelmightymummummysaxontigerzapped
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Music120 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsAcoustic guitarBass guitarPianoOrganMellotronDrumsPercussionTambourineHandclapsWhistling

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboardsPercussion

Keyboard work

Keyboard intro

Music genre

FolkNovelty song

Vocal work

Group vocalsSingalong

Melody

Call and response

Tempo

Moderate

Key

C majorKey change

Time signature

2/44/4

Song form

Verse-chorusBABABAB

Sections

Has outroStandard verses (2-4)Many choruses (4+)Has instrumental

Section traits

Extended outro/codaChorus before verseKeyboard intro

Section links

Chorus variationIntro based on chorus

Section transition

V to viI to I

Harmony

Minor circle of fifths50s variantPerfect cadenceHalf cadence

Composition

Only basic triadsTonic openingTonic endingVerse in viChorus in INon-tonic verseTonic chorus

Mode

AeolianIonian

Chord type

majorminor

Scale degree

Ii♭IIIIVivV♭VIvi♭VII

Chord degree

♭VI–V–iIV–V–IV–I–viI–vi–IV–Vi–♭VI♭VI–VV–ii–iv♭VII–♭IIIiv–♭VII–♭IIIi–iv–♭VII–♭IIII–vivi–IVIV–VV–II–vi–IVvi–IV–Viv–♭VIIV–i–iv–♭VII–♭IIIV–i–♭VIi–♭VI–VV–i–iv

Chord shape

C → D → GC → F → DmC → Am → F → GC → BC → FmAm → DmAm → DC → B → EmAm → D → GAm → Dm → G → CC → Fm → D♭C → AmAm → FC → DC → FC → Am → FAm → F → GAm → F → E → Am → F → E → Am → DmAm → F → EAm → Dm → GC → Fm → B♭m → E♭C → Fm → B♭m → E♭ → A♭C → Fm → B♭m

Chord literal

E♭ → Cm → A♭ → B♭A♭ → GB♭ → E♭B♭ → E♭ → CmCm → Fm → B♭Fm → B♭Fm → B♭ → E♭A♭ → B♭Cm → A♭ → B♭A♭ → B♭ → E♭Cm → FmG → Cm
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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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