Double meaning
A line carries a second reading the surface sense conceals.
Analysis
By Year
Song count per year
By Songwriter
% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)
By Era
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Songs(20)
| # | Title | Year | Album | Lead Vocal(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day Tripper | 1965 | Past Masters | John, Paul | Tripper as traveler & acid user |
| 2 | Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) | 1965 | Rubber Soul | John | 'Norwegian wood' - décor and possible revenge |
| 3 | Think for Yourself | 1965 | Rubber Soul | George | Reads as both a dismissed lover and political critique |
| 4 | Got to Get You into My Life | 1966 | Revolver | Paul | Love song surface; ode to cannabis underneath |
| 5 | Doctor Robert | 1966 | Revolver | John | 'Helps you to understand' = both healing and getting high |
| 6 | Penny Lane | 1967 | Magical Mystery Tour | Paul | 'Finger pies' |
| 7 | Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds | 1967 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | John | L-S-D are the initials of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Lennon maintained it was coincidental and inspired by Julian's drawing, but the controversy was immortalised when the BBC banned the song |
| 8 | A Day in the Life | 1967 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | John, Paul | 'Love to turn you on' |
| 9 | The Fool on the Hill | 1967 | Magical Mystery Tour | Paul | 'Fool' inverted to mean sage |
| 10 | Blue Jay Way | 1967 | Magical Mystery Tour | George | Contemporary listeners heard 'don't belong' |
| 11 | Why Don't We Do It in the Road? | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | Innuendo: 'do it' as sex act |
| 12 | Blackbird | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | Bird imagery as Black woman |
| 13 | Sexy Sadie | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | Sadie = Maharishi |
| 14 | Glass Onion | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 'The walrus was Paul' reads as both clue and red herring |
| 15 | Revolution 1 | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 'Count me out, in' - deliberate ambivalence |
| 16 | Happiness Is a Warm Gun | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | Gun as firearm and sexual metaphor |
| 17 | Only a Northern Song | 1969 | Yellow Submarine | George | 'Northern song' = music genre and publisher |
| 18 | You Never Give Me Your Money | 1969 | Abbey Road | Paul | 'Funny paper' = worthless contracts |
| 19 | Come Together | 1969 | Abbey Road | John | 'Come together' - gathering and sexual |
| 20 | Let It Be | 1970 | Let It Be | Paul | Paul's mother and Virgin Mary |
Day Tripper
Tripper as traveler & acid user
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
'Norwegian wood' - décor and possible revenge
Think for Yourself
Reads as both a dismissed lover and political critique
Got to Get You into My Life
Love song surface; ode to cannabis underneath
Doctor Robert
'Helps you to understand' = both healing and getting high
Penny Lane
'Finger pies'
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
L-S-D are the initials of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Lennon maintained it was coincidental and inspired by Julian's drawing, but the controversy was immortalised when the BBC banned the song
A Day in the Life
'Love to turn you on'
The Fool on the Hill
'Fool' inverted to mean sage
Blue Jay Way
Contemporary listeners heard 'don't belong'
Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
Innuendo: 'do it' as sex act
Blackbird
Bird imagery as Black woman
Sexy Sadie
Sadie = Maharishi
Glass Onion
'The walrus was Paul' reads as both clue and red herring
Revolution 1
'Count me out, in' - deliberate ambivalence
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Gun as firearm and sexual metaphor
Only a Northern Song
'Northern song' = music genre and publisher
You Never Give Me Your Money
'Funny paper' = worthless contracts
Come Together
'Come together' - gathering and sexual
Let It Be
Paul's mother and Virgin Mary
Updated