The Beatles began recording 'I am the Walrus'
As a kid, I went to bed every night with a stuffed pink walrus. Forget bears, he was my everything; I loved his long cotton teeth. He didn't have a name so my grandmother christened him 'El Dienton,' the long toothed one.
When I heard 'I am the Walrus' for the first time, I assumed it was about seahorses like him. I looked up the lyrics and found no connection to my favorite cuddly toy. But it still fascinates me that they started recording this crazy song 56 sixty years ago today.
What the hell does it mean?
Here are the lyrics if you feel like singing along. John talks about the why in the video below.
I am he as you are he as you are me
And we are all together See how they run like pigs from a gun See how they fly I'm crying Sitting on a corn flake Waiting for the van to come Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday Man you've been a naughty boy You let your face grow long I am the egg man They are the egg men I am the walrus Goo goo g'joob Mister City policeman sitting Pretty little policemen in a row See how they fly like Lucy in the sky, see how they run I'm crying, I'm crying I'm crying, I'm crying Yellow matter custard Dripping from a dead dog's eye Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess Boy, you've been a naughty girl, you let your knickers down I am the egg man They are the egg men I am the walrus Goo goo g'joob Sitting in an English garden Waiting for the sun If the sun don't come you get a tan From standing in the English rain I am the egg man (now good sir) They are the egg men (a poor man, made tame to fortune's blows) I am the walrus Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob (good pity) Expert, texpert choking smokers Don't you think the joker laughs at you (ho ho ho, hee hee hee, hah hah hah) See how they smile like pigs in a sty, see how they snide I'm crying Semolina Pilchard Climbing up the Eiffel tower Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allen Poe I am the egg man They are the egg men I am the walrus Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob, goo Joob, joob, jooba Jooba, jooba, jooba Joob, jooba Joob, jooba Umpa, umpa, stick it up your jumper (jooba, jooba) Umpa, umpa, stick it up your jumper Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa) Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper) Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa) Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper) Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa) Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper) Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa) Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper) Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa) Everybody's got one (stick it up your jumper) Everybody's got one (umpa, umpa) Slave Thou hast slain me Villain, take my purse If I ever Bury my body The letters which though find'st about me To Edmund Earl of Gloucester Seek him out upon the British Party O untimely death I know thee well A serviceable villain, as duteous to the vices of thy mistress As badness would desire What, is is he dead? Sit you down, Father, rest you Source: LyricFind Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney I Am the Walrus lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
To listen to John Lennon's explanation of 'I Am The Walrus:
