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Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
| "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" | |||||
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| Single by The Beatles from the album The Beatles |
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| B-side | Julia | ||||
| Released | 22 November 1968 Album 8 November 1976 Single |
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| Format | vinyl record 7" | ||||
| Recorded | Abbey Road: 3 July 1968 | ||||
| Genre | Pop, ska | ||||
| Length | 3:08 | ||||
| Label | Capitol 4347 (US only) | ||||
| Writer | Lennon/McCartney | ||||
| Producer | George Martin | ||||
| The Beatles singles chronology | |||||
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| Music sample | |||||
| The Beatles track listing | |||||
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"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is a Beatles song originally released on the double-disc album The Beatles (also known as The White Album), and later released as a single. It is a Paul McCartney composition (credited to Lennon/McCartney).
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The song was a conscious homage to the emerging reggae movement (lyrical reference: "life goes on, brah"), possibly related to the growing Jamaican population in Britain, although it is heavily blended with honky tonk. Aside from the syncopated beat, the song also employed metre schemes and devices not used in the Beatles' previous works and demonstrated the group's highly experimental nature at the time of its recording.
The unique piano introduction to the song was a happy accident created by John Lennon. As recounted by Richard Lush, on the fourth night of recording the song Lennon came to the studio under the influence and proceeded to "smash the keys with an almighty amount of volume, twice the speed of how the'd done it before." In the end, this was the version that was used on the final recording.
The character of Desmond is a reference to ska and reggae legend Desmond Dekker.[citation needed]
The light-hearted lyrics tell and retell the story of a couple named Desmond and Molly; the simple, upbeat lyrics are often punctuated by laughter, shouts, and sounds that accompany the lyrics in the background. The second time that the story is retold, the names are switched around in certain places. McCartney described the switch as a slip of the tongue; he decided to keep it in because none of the other Beatles wanted to run through the song again. Also, the first time the line "lets the children lend a hand" is sung, it is possible to hear two Beatles in the background saying "arm" and then "leg" instead of "hand". The second time it is sung, you can hear "foot". Longtime Beatles associate Pete Shotton, who was present at the session, confirmed Paul's statement that the switch-up was accidental in his memoir The Beatles, Lennon and Me.
Nigerian musician/singer Jimmy Scott later claimed that the phrase "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" was originally his; Scott sued McCartney for compensation for using the phrase in the lyrics and as the title of the song. According to McCartney, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" merely was a common saying of the Yoruba tribe, and Scott had simply taught the saying to McCartney. It reportedly means "Life goes on", words which are also heard in the song. The case was settled out of court.
This song was part of the list of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks, presumably because of the "life goes on" part.
- Arthur Conley, on the album More Sweet Soul.
- Celia Cruz (a version in Spanish), on the album Tropical Tribute to the Beatles.
- Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, on the album Music of the Beatles.
- Daniel O'Donnell, on the albums The Jukebox Years, Rock 'n' roll show.
- James Last, on the albums "Die grössten Songs von The Beatles" (1983) and "James Last & Friends" (1998) (as a part of the "Beatles Medley")
- Maria Muldaur, on the album The Blues White Album.
- Marmalade (reached number one in 1969).
- The Bedrocks, a West Indian band from Leeds (reached number 20 in 1968).
- No Doubt, on the albums Boom Box, Live in the Tragic Kingdom.
- Persuasions, on the album The Persuasions sing the Beatles.
- Phish, on the album Live Phish Volume 13.
- Shango, on the album Shango.
- The Heptones, on the album Mellow Dubmarine.
- Youssou N'Dour, on the album 7 Seconds.
- The cast of Life Goes On during the show's opening sequence
- Pato Fu, a brazilian band, on the album Gol de Quem?.
- The song is referenced in Savoy Truffle composed by George Harrison, which is on the same album
- This song's lyrics were mentioned in the "Full House" episode "The Big Three-O." Jesse drives Danny's red convertible Bullet into the San Francisco Bay. Danny, attempting to not mind, states, "Hey! Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah!"
- John Williamson, while covering The Offspring's "Why Don't You Get A Job" as a musical challenge for the Andrew Denton Breakfast Show, segued into "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" when he noticed the strong (intentional) similarity between the songs.
- During the home games of the National Hockey League team the Vancouver Canucks, the song is always played at least once.
- Spanish/French fusion singer Manu Chao references the phrase repeatedly at the end of his 2001 hit single, "Me Gustas Tú."
- A cover version served as the theme song on the ABC television series Life Goes On, sung by the cast with Patti LuPone on lead vocals.
- The song came top in an online poll of the worst songs ever. [1]
- An edited cover was performed by the Australian comedy duo the Scared Weird Little Guys with the words completely replaced with morse code.
- In the show Ed, Edd, 'n' Eddy, on the episode "Rent a Ed", when Ed breaks a teeter totter and falls into the ground, he says "Ob La Di, Ob La Da".
- In the popular play Angels in America, written by Tony Kushner, Louis tells Joe, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Di."
| Preceded by "Lily the Pink" by The Scaffold |
UK number one single (Marmalade version) January 1, 1969 (one week) |
Succeeded by "Lily the Pink" by The Scaffold |
| Preceded by "Lily the Pink" by The Scaffold |
UK number one single (Marmalade version) January 15, 1969 (2 weeks, 2nd period at top) |
Succeeded by "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac |
- Paul McCartney – vocal, bass, handclaps, 'vocal percussion'
- John Lennon – backing vocal, piano, 'vocal percussion'
- George Harrison – acoustic guitar, backing vocal, handclaps, 'vocal percussion'
- Ringo Starr – drums, bongos, percussion, handclaps, 'vocal percussion'
- Above credits per Ian MacDonald[2] and Mark Lewisohn[3]
- Horns arranged by George Martin
- ^ Beatles classic voted worst song from The BBC (November 10, 2004)
- ^ MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties, Second Revised Edition, London: Pimlico (Rand), 131-132. ISBN 1-844-13828-3.
- ^ Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books, 140-142. ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
Categories: Articles lacking sources from February 2007 | All articles lacking sources | Single articles with infobox field chart position | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since October 2007 | The Beatles songs | 1968 songs | 1968 singles | 1969 singles | 1976 singles | Number-one singles in the United Kingdom | Number-one singles in Australia | Number-one singles in Germany | Number-one singles in Switzerland | Number-one singles in Norway | Number-one singles in Ireland | Songs produced by George Martin