What is Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds really about?

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2 жыл бұрын

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" isn't what you think it's about.
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“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” is typically thought to be a song about drugs. Mainly because its lyrical concepts are absolutely wild. The track invites you out onto a river as you pass through tangerine trees and marmalade skies, eventually meeting a girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
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The imagery of things like “cellophane flowers”, “rocking horse people” and “newspaper taxis” all sound like references to hallucinations one might experience while on LSD. And upon further inspection of the trippy track, you could also speculate that its title is code for LSD. Even the BBC were quick to ban the tune from radio for it’s supposed drug references. But the band called it all just a coincidence, suggesting the real roots of the track are much more innocent than many may have believed. Let’s discover The True Meaning Behind LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS.
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#Middle8 #TheBeatles
This video is sponsored by CuriosityStream
Written, voiced and edited by Frank Furtado
Additional Music by Joywalk - / @joywalk

Пікірлер: 324

@MDaggatt 2 жыл бұрын

For some reason as a kid, I always imagined Lucy as a little girl and Diamonds was her pet camel who she rode in space.

@thinginground5179 2 жыл бұрын

She rides a horse

@cupuacu4life13 Жыл бұрын

and i thought she died to be fair i was not an english speaker and i only knee the title and some scattered words tangerine in english and tangerina in portuguese are only one letter apart so i could kinda get some context but still i thought she was dead thats why she was in the sky, and the song was talking bout how the sky was

@brain7178 2 жыл бұрын

“Tomorrow Never Knows” the song actually about lsd “She Said She Said” is also about lsd, which is also on Revolver, in which “Doctor Robert” talks about the Dentist that first introduced them to it

@o-mega7515 2 жыл бұрын

I knew about Doctor Robert, but not about the other two. Revolver is my favorite beatles album, too.

@jadedjimmy 2 жыл бұрын

Revolver actually being lowkey the most drug influenced album out of them all 😂

@camotm5090 2 жыл бұрын

dr robert i’m pretty sure is about bob dylan

@jadedjimmy 2 жыл бұрын

@@camotm5090 I have a book that dives into the meaning behind each of the songs and I’m pretty sure it said that Dr. Robert was about a legit drug dealer they knew of in some big city (lol obviously my knowledge is very hazy) but who knows, it could very well be wrong

@brain7178 2 жыл бұрын

@@camotm5090 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l7VxeKia1snGm5s.html

@cauemarley2545 2 жыл бұрын

I always felt this Alice in Wonderland vibe in the song more than the usual "it's about drugs".

@gustavofreng 2 жыл бұрын

alice in wonderland is abt drugs tho no?

@drizzd1 2 жыл бұрын

@@gustavofreng Jefferson Airplane sure thought so

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

@@gustavofreng It's the same sort of story -- the imagery and hallucinating is mentioned (i think they even eat mushrooms at one point), but there's just no evidence to support that it's really about drugs.

@o-mega7515 2 жыл бұрын

There's a theory that the author suffered from a syndrome that is now called "Alice in wonderland syndrome" where basically the individual may percieve things as bigger or smaller than they really are, or percieve time differently than it really is.

@AndrewLakeUK 2 жыл бұрын

@@gustavofreng No, it's about maths and a storyto tell to a young girl.

@The_RedVIII 2 жыл бұрын

It's definitely a coincidence, simply because the Beatles already confirmed it to be one. If it was actually about LSD, they would have said so. They never lied about their drug usage, so why would they lie about it just for this specific song?

@TheJulioGulio 2 жыл бұрын

Nah, The Beatles knew what they were doing. They had to keep the music industry and public happy so they said it wasn't about acid. John Lennon would always mess with interviewers.

@Jegbmf 2 жыл бұрын

@@TheJulioGulio He never lied when or which songs are about drugs. Hell, they admit the rest of the album is drug inspired. Why would they like about one song when they didnt care about all the other ones.

@pedrohesp-bastos 2 жыл бұрын

@@Jegbmf because it was the one that caused the most fuzz

@LetsRaZe 2 жыл бұрын

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds as a title seems really specific tho. Can you tell me other songs with those initials?

@gingerhater97 2 жыл бұрын

@redVIII It was definitely more stigmatized back then, and the interview on the Dick Cheney Show where John is denying its about LSD was in the early 70s, possibly around the time the FBI was trying to get him deported. So I don't think he would openly be saying he's writing songs about drugs at that time

@officerjoji2722 2 жыл бұрын

frank you're the only reason im considered the music king in my group, thanks for letting me steal your explanations xo.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

😂 this guy

@nahuelvalverde897 2 жыл бұрын

we need you to make a video about the strokes first album plz

@yellowplaydough7894 2 жыл бұрын

I think they already did

@nahuelvalverde897 2 жыл бұрын

@@yellowplaydough7894 im sure they did one about the new abnormal

@murilolopes6911 2 жыл бұрын

He alredy did!

@joerandl9252 2 жыл бұрын

@@nahuelvalverde897 he did one about is this it as well

@nahuelvalverde897 2 жыл бұрын

@@murilolopes6911 yeah i just found it! well, in that case i think we all deserve an album about the arctic monkeys first album, would be insane

@ShakespearsCyst 2 жыл бұрын

This was the song that got me into the Beatles. I was around 12 years old and up until that point I'd only heard some of the Beatles' early songs in passing so I thought it was all shallow pop stuff. That and my mom loved them so of course they must suck (gotta love kid's mentalities lol) But as soon as the intro started to play and John's surreal vocals kicked in, I had goosebumps all over. And it still gives me goosebumps. Such an amazing track and an amazing album. 💜💜💜

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

My first Beatles song was "I Am The Walrus". I think my dad just wanted to show me a funny song when I was about 8. After that I was hooked and ended up listening to all of Magical Mystery Tour

@Lukavichiano 2 жыл бұрын

This comment makes me smile

@dazitmane8905 2 жыл бұрын

@@Middle8 my first was Tomorrow Never Knows and I thought it was the creepiest track I had ever heard.

@jadedjimmy 2 жыл бұрын

Haha yes I was also 12 when I got into them! I’m way lamer though, my intro was just Here comes the sun 😂

@rivkier7214 Жыл бұрын

It’s not about lsd

@wistfulthinking 2 жыл бұрын

your editing skills are insane, amazing video as always

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@maximilianowen-wong3200 2 жыл бұрын

Insanely impressed with this video essay and it’s graphics, deserves more views.

@Papi_SpringRoll 2 жыл бұрын

CCR wrote a song called “Lookin Out my Back Door,” it has a lot of lyrics that sound like a trip as well. However, I believe them when they say it wasn’t about drugs because the band weren’t big on them.

@jorgemora9538 2 жыл бұрын

They were very big on drugs.

@yeastofthoughtsmind9623 2 жыл бұрын

Lol, CCR not big on drugs? Where'd you dig up that load of crock?

@eejchuluun3415 2 жыл бұрын

This song is my dad's favourite song. He put this as his phone ringtone. That first few piano always gives me nostalgic chills. I love this masterpiece

@chonk8659 2 жыл бұрын

loving this video 2 min in, so much valuable information in such a short time plus the visuals are stunning

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🙏

@kxnt_joel1238 Жыл бұрын

this channel is amazing keep on doing the good work

@theemraldwolf5874 2 жыл бұрын

This is a very well made video. You deserve way more subs!

@grubbygrouper7507 2 жыл бұрын

‘She Said, She Said’ is a song about the first time John and George took acid when their dentist drugged their coffee with it

@_J_2023 2 жыл бұрын

I thought that was dr robert

@findtheothers 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I think she said was about the time they tripped in LA and their friend was talking about knowing what it’s like to be dead.

@grubbygrouper7507 2 жыл бұрын

@@findtheothers oh yea i think you’re right i got it mixed up, Doc Robert was about the dentist

@findtheothers 2 жыл бұрын

@@grubbygrouper7507 I love me some psychedelic Beatles

@mitchjay2108 24 күн бұрын

the " she said she said " lines were written by John about a get together in LA I believe where they took acid with all the groovy ppl back then , and Peter Fonda sat next to John at some point and kept saying " I know what its like to be dead " everyone trippin

@roni6135 2 жыл бұрын

Man I love your visuals

@IgorRomanovv 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for all your work. Something, Blue Jay Way, A day in the life and many more

@prezident7972 2 жыл бұрын

aye, middle 8! glad to see you

@stravvman 2 жыл бұрын

2:34 Man, that "avant-garde lyricism" was lifted straight from the circus poster that Lennon saw: "Over Men & Horses, through Hoops, over Garters, and lastly through a Hogshead of REAL FIRE!"

@jesoos7426 2 жыл бұрын

My God this video was beautiful, great job with the graphic design. Causal W, banger video.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

🙏 thank you thank you. See you on Twitter my dude

@bhaveshtochabbra6853 2 жыл бұрын

It makes my day everytime you post.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for turning on notifications and watching!

@PaulRamen 2 жыл бұрын

Paul had the idea for Pepper during a plane trip, not an acid one haha. Lucy is an acidy song but it's not about acid.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

You're right, I kind of condensed that later half of 1966 into one "trip". He took LSD around the same time he had that flight.

@Ceu.Noturno Жыл бұрын

yeah the song is literally called LSD but isn't about acid

@Swagner_Soar 2 жыл бұрын

Great analysis!

@jessicapesso7978 2 жыл бұрын

right now, I'm taking a college course all about Beatles music theory. this made it even more interesting. thank you!

@mewcelappleby 2 жыл бұрын

YAAYYYY!!!!!! A BEATLES VIDEO!! Also, I LOVE the editing, looks like a TedEd video!

@j4m352 2 жыл бұрын

One of my favourite tracks of all time

@ourkidof91 2 жыл бұрын

At some point in the mid sixties, George and John had a dinner party with their dentist who slipped LSD into their coffees without them knowing, at a time when LSD was a very little known drug in the UK. I always assumed the song was inspired by that.

@cazador2711 2 жыл бұрын

The song dr. Robert is about that

@mitchjay2108 24 күн бұрын

absolutely correct , but the song I think that's about the dentist event which is Dr Robert

@aceryjin6355 2 жыл бұрын

Good music channel definitely deserves a new subscriber 💽

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

👍 welcome! Have a look around, I've got about 70 videos up now

@skymaster9484 Жыл бұрын

I actually had a whole semester in one class when I was in High School devoted to the Beatles songs in the 70's. I remember when we studied the Lucy song word for word and the teacher said the song was about LSD.

@kike6359 2 жыл бұрын

great video

@Classquatch 2 жыл бұрын

Tomorrow never knows isn’t about drugs, it’s about transcendental meditation

@reecehatton8469 2 жыл бұрын

Can you do a video on the disintegration loops? It has such an interesting background and Id love to see your take on them

@haywoodjblome4768 2 жыл бұрын

I will never not believe this song isn't about LSD

@danielmoseley8040 2 жыл бұрын

They didn't want to be remembered as a "drug band" which was already a problem they faced at the time

@lordtrimly 2 жыл бұрын

An advertisement for LSD….and it worked.

@brandonkief3278 2 жыл бұрын

I think my first introduction to the Beatles was through Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club but the movie by The Bee Gees it made me go discover the real album and Day in the Life became a staple in my music to listen too. I was kinda of young when John passed but I did buy the Beatles Anthology with Free as a Bird. The Beatles influenced so many great artists and their music will probably be passed on from generation to generation IMO.

@billcook4768 2 жыл бұрын

A psychedelic song written during Hohn’s LSD days with the initials LSD. Yeah, it’s a drug song. Don’t care what John says.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

😂 he's so convincing in that interview though

@yeastofthoughtsmind9623 2 жыл бұрын

@@Middle8 yeah, but that's exactly his sense of humor. Just dryly insist that a song that's obviously about an LSD trip is not actually about the drug. Especially since I'm sure he would consider a question with such an obvious answer to be quite dumb to ask, and to not be worth answering seriously.

@Ceu.Noturno Жыл бұрын

yeah it's such a dumb question to ask, and people who non-ironically believe it isn't about acid are so incredibly naive

@ThesuperChito 2 жыл бұрын

It's my birthday today and when I was 18 SPLHCB was the first vinyl I got as a gift

@shy_mon2954 2 жыл бұрын

Yet another banger from dis guy right here

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

🔥🙏 gonna bring another one in a few weeks

@shy_mon2954 2 жыл бұрын

@@Middle8 Already excited and waiting

@gamonutz 2 жыл бұрын

It's all of these things. The drawing, Alice, and none of it would be possible without the LSD.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

I like this answer.

@Soulreaper-1129 2 жыл бұрын

Best band ever!! I don’t care what the songs are about they are still better than anything coming out nowadays. Fav Beatles song: all of them…(Come Together)

@pixussb7524 2 жыл бұрын

There's a lot of amazing mind-blowing new music coming out still, you just gotta dig deeper and open your mind to new genres

@Soulreaper-1129 2 жыл бұрын

I’m sure there are but noting that holds up like The Beatles. I mean name me a song that has come out in the last 3 years that you would consider a classic and would be talked about in 60yrs +….(I’ll even listen to it)

@ALittleBitCheesy 2 жыл бұрын

Peace and love with Ringo forever

@propagafun4368 10 ай бұрын

From a kid's drawing to the song and then the humanoid fossil and space probe flung around asteroid belts. Lucy is really in the Sky wkth Diamonds

@n1night635 2 жыл бұрын

It’s about a drawing that Lennon’s son, Julian showed him. A simple child-like drawing with a girl in the sky with diamonds.

@eily_b Жыл бұрын

Haha, so cute that John checked all their songs first letters and if they spelled out anything. 😀

@HotSexyMan229 2 жыл бұрын

Sgt peppers will be remembered forever as one of the best albums of all time

@AndrewLakeUK 2 жыл бұрын

Not even the best album of the year, certainly far from the Beatles best.

@BridgeGold_ 2 жыл бұрын

@@AndrewLakeUK thats just your opinion

@daviddowns7552 11 ай бұрын

i think so too. a ground breaking album. just my opinion too

@dario2817 2 жыл бұрын

Best channel on youchube

@nurturejirou 2 жыл бұрын

i really like how you layout the videos then explaining the videos, but i would love to see you create an analysis called: "how does porter robinson create nurture"

@hill2610 2 жыл бұрын

New video let's go

@forkbeater8763 2 жыл бұрын

Thought i was having a flashback with the visual breathing effects lol

@pauloltman4960 2 жыл бұрын

3:54 I think of that line as just a bunch of dudes sitting on rocking horses and eating pie

@jamesbenefiel8717 2 жыл бұрын

I cannot find the backing track you use for this video but I need it so bad 😩

@mexicanmapper5064 2 жыл бұрын

PLEASE DO A VIDEO ON OLIVER TREE!! VERY INTERESTING CHARACTER AND EVEN MORE INTERESTING STORY!

@thesoniclion6023 8 ай бұрын

julian: draws his classmate and adds some shit from his imaginations everyone: *JOHN LENNON IS ON DRUGS*

@distanceovertime7806 2 жыл бұрын

Good video. Just to nitpick at 3:13, tape speed is not measured in cycles per second (Hz), it is measured in inches per second (IPS).

@ado7098 2 жыл бұрын

Cool visual video ! What fonts are you using ?

@richardidananyavor5347 2 жыл бұрын

Plot Twist: Julian was high when making the drawing.

@jcarreon234 2 жыл бұрын

Could you please make a video on the white album?! That would be awesome!!

@andrewtime2994 2 жыл бұрын

It was easy to use Alice in Wonderland for drug references (think "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane) because Lewis Carroll was was using references to drug experiences in the books. Note that mind altering drugs were legal and widely used in the nineteenth century, although in milder doses than the sixties counter culture would have encountered. The bottle that says "drink me" could have been a reference to addiction. There are a lot of cultural references in the Alice books that make no sense to us now but that Carroll's readers- who were mostly adults- would have understood.

@gameboy4288 2 жыл бұрын

This is one of my favourite song. It realy anspired my writing in my srorys and it is a real banger. (Btw I think got to get you into my mind is also about pot)

@gilbertobarbosa6584 2 жыл бұрын

My middle school history teacher taught me this one in 07

@jureksobkowski138 2 жыл бұрын

Did anyone notice that in 3:04 we hear Lucy in the sky with diamonds from Anthology 2?

@jacob_n_r_z8755 2 жыл бұрын

Please do more beatles videos

@strangebrew1231 2 жыл бұрын

Whether it’s intentional I believe what they say about it. But come on man. Kaleidoscope eyes? It’s such a trippy song

@nischayrautela3328 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe the true meaning is the friends we made along the way .

@alessandrolok5450 2 жыл бұрын

What is the alternative version of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds that is played in the beginning and throughout the video called? Or who played it?

@hill2610 2 жыл бұрын

Ever thought of making a video about MBDTF? I wanna see it

@dario2817 2 жыл бұрын

LOVE BEATLES CONTENT

@billcook4768 2 жыл бұрын

Next up - a video explaining that “Drive my Car” is a song about operating a motor vehicle.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

LMFAO, it's funny you say that -- "‘Drive my car’ was an old blues euphemism for sex, so in the end all is revealed. Black humour crept in and saved the day. It wrote itself then. I find that very often, once you get the good idea, things write themselves." -Paul McCartney

@jag3596 2 жыл бұрын

May I ask if anyone knows any of the fonts used in the video?

@MorphMakes 2 жыл бұрын

you should take a look at this band called vundabar i love their shit, also some sort of dreamy surfer rock stuff like mac demarco is something i feel would do very well and be super interesting!

@MonkeassOW 2 жыл бұрын

We need one for logics albums

@pickersplayspop 2 жыл бұрын

Worth noting that Lewis Carrol experimented with psychedelics.

@rattyeely 2 жыл бұрын

I like the knockoff version of the song that plays in the background, it sounds like the intro to an epic video game boss fight

@Leon-ub8pe 2 жыл бұрын

Do you think you would ever do a king crimson video?

@ringo.maxxx123 2 жыл бұрын

Plot Twist: The Mean of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is, Lucy at the Sky with her Diamonds

@Alberto-ny7kf 2 жыл бұрын

03:40 i don't know how this instrument you show is called, but i don't think it's the one that's being played in this song, the tambura is a very big instrument, usually with 3-4 strings, and it doesn't look like a guitar at all, it also does not have frets and the neck is very thick, as you're not meant to fret it at all, but instead only play open strings.

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

You might be right. This seems to be the Balkan version of the tambura. Still a massive string instrument.

@callmeoutlaw6601 2 жыл бұрын

I always loved Yellow Submarine.

@GrandWushu 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I had always wondered about this song. Alice in Wonderland influence makes a whole lot more sense than them being in denial of a drug reference when they are fairly open about other drug influences and references. There would be no reason to deny it was about LSD if it actually was about LSD.

@Ali-lf4wd 2 жыл бұрын

But maybe if ppl knew the song was explicit it would be more censored and taken off the radio🤷‍♂️Idk it just seems way too coincident if you ask me

@GrandWushu 2 жыл бұрын

@@Ali-lf4wdCoincidence gave us the Dark Side of the Rainbow.

@Ceu.Noturno Жыл бұрын

Honestly anyone who thinks it isn't about LSD is kind of a dummy

@mitologames7076 9 ай бұрын

i Think the name of the George Harrisson Guitar was "Lucy" always thought that theres something with it

@lanessarosel 2 жыл бұрын

Blackbird✨

@--Paws-- 2 жыл бұрын

Lucid Sky with Diamonds

@epictom3423 2 жыл бұрын

Epic

@ricaaat 2 жыл бұрын

please make a video about Rainbow / Rory Gallagher / John Frusciante (solo) / The Smashing Punpkins

@danmawdsley1692 2 жыл бұрын

I very much agree with this. Especially the smashing pumpkins

@zeynepnurdogrul2529 2 жыл бұрын

You should do stromaes latest albume. He stoped make music 10 years ago. Now he is back.

@stravvman 2 жыл бұрын

You can answer that question it like 5 seconds

@drewo.127 Жыл бұрын

My immediate reaction to seeing this just now: Beatles…*studies thumbnail* Beatles? *studies title* BEATLESSSS!!!! *TAPS VID ENTHUSIASTICALLY AND EXCITEDLY!* As you can tell, I’m a huge Beatles fan! (I’m even a fan of the Volkswagen Beetle!)

@lindawenzel7865 9 ай бұрын

The song was about a picture John’s son Julian drew about his childhood friend Lucy.

@CaptainSteveVPT Жыл бұрын

Lucy in the Sky gets a mention in "I am the Walrus" ... 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 To me I think they are singing about Lucifer the falling angel, most images said angel he is falling in a night sky. Makes more sense then to link those in control as luciferin.

@RuberHammer 2 жыл бұрын

What's the cover track we hear in the intro?

@Middle8 2 жыл бұрын

It's by Joywalk - kzfaq.info/love/NLMQPU-bm6OTpSZ09bL84Q

@Plentopic 2 жыл бұрын

hearing it in 4/4 is _weird_

@RuberHammer 2 жыл бұрын

@@Middle8 Maybe I'm dumb but I can't find the Lucy in the sky cover on their channel. Thanks for the link though !

@samm2608 2 жыл бұрын

I’m still waiting on that Black Keys vs Jackie White video I was promised…

@chrisfort5276 2 жыл бұрын

I believe about ten years ago Yoko came out and admitted it was about LSD. No idea if she was being truthful.

@constancelacroce1123 3 ай бұрын

Julian tells a different story. Showed his drawing of Lucy. She died maybe 5 years or more ago from Lupus. Julian wrote his own song for her and released it as a single.