Text · Lyrical device
Personification
Non-human things given human qualities - the sun smiles, loneliness talks
13
songs
Thirteen songs use it, for nearly the whole run, 1963 to 1970. It begins on 'Till There Was You' and finishes on 'The Long and Winding Road'. It goes quiet after 1965 and comes back in 1968 for 'Blackbird'. Paul sings lead on six of the thirteen, against four for John, with George on two and Ringo on one. On 'Mr. Moonlight': moonlight as a 'Mister' who delivers a girl. On 'Across the Universe (Wildlife version)': words 'slither', thoughts 'tumble blindly'. Of the thirteen, 'I'm Looking Through You' is in A♭ major, one of only three of their recordings in that key.
See alsoLyrical device:AnaphoraLyrical device:WordplayLyrical device:Double meaningVocabulary:Poetic lyricsChord shape:Am → E → D♭m → A♭mChord literal:Gm → D → Bm → F♯mChord literal:D → Bm → F♯m → AChord degree:iv–I–vi–iii
Analysis
By Year
Song count per year
By Songwriter
% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)
By Era
Early0 · 0%
Mid-period1 · 9%
Late10 · 91%
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Songs(11 of 13)
Year
Album
Writer
Lead vocal(s)
| # | Title | Year | Album | Lead Vocal(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I'm Looking Through You | 1965 | Rubber Soul | Paul | 'Love has a nasty habit of disappearing' |
| 2 | Julia | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | 'Windy smile', 'silent cloud, touch me' |
| 3 | Blackbird | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | Bird with broken wings, sunken eyes |
| 4 | Good Night | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Ringo | 'Sun turns out his light' |
| 5 | Piggies | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | George | Piggies wear shirts, use forks and knives |
| 6 | Mother Nature's Son | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | Paul | Mother Nature; daisies sing |
| 7 | While My Guitar Gently Weeps | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | George | Guitar weeps |
| 8 | She Came in Through the Bathroom Window | 1969 | Abbey Road | Paul | Days of the week telephoning each other |
| 9 | Across the Universe (Wildlife version) | 1969 | Past Masters | John | Words 'slither', thoughts 'tumble blindly' |
| 10 | Across the Universe | 1970 | Let It Be | John | Words 'slither', thoughts 'meander' |
| 11 | The Long and Winding Road | 1970 | Let It Be | Paul | Road 'leads me' |
I'm Looking Through You
1965·Rubber Soul·Paul
'Love has a nasty habit of disappearing'
Julia
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John
'Windy smile', 'silent cloud, touch me'
Blackbird
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul
Bird with broken wings, sunken eyes
Good Night
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Ringo
'Sun turns out his light'
Piggies
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George
Piggies wear shirts, use forks and knives
Mother Nature's Son
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul
Mother Nature; daisies sing
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George
Guitar weeps
She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
1969·Abbey Road·Paul
Days of the week telephoning each other
Across the Universe (Wildlife version)
1969·Past Masters·John
Words 'slither', thoughts 'tumble blindly'
Across the Universe
1970·Let It Be·John
Words 'slither', thoughts 'meander'
The Long and Winding Road
1970·Let It Be·Paul
Road 'leads me'
Updated