Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

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“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” cover
Single by The Beatles
from the album The Beatles
B-side Julia
Released 22 November 1968 Album
8 November 1976 Single
Format vinyl record 7"
Recorded Abbey Road Studios
3 July 1968
Genre Rock, ska
Length 3:08
Label Capitol 4347 (US only)
Writer(s) Lennon/McCartney
Producer George Martin
The Beatles singles chronology
"Got to Get You into My Life"
(1976)		 "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
(1976)		 "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
(1978)
Music sample
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Problems? See media help.
The Beatles track listing
"Glass Onion"
(3 of disc 1)		 Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
(4 of disc 1)		 Wild Honey Pie
(5 of disc 1)
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” cover
Single by The Marmalade
B-side Chains
Released 1968
Format 7" vinyl record
Genre Pop
Label CBS
Writer(s) Lennon/McCartney
Producer Mike Smith
Certification #1 UK

"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is a song by The Beatles 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, but credited to Lennon/McCartney.

Contents

[edit] Musical composition

The song was a conscious homage to the emerging reggae movement (lyrical reference: "life goes on bra"), 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 song is in the key of Bb major. The structure of the song is as follows:

Intro, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Chorus, Outro[1]

According to Geoff Emerick, Lennon openly hated the song, calling it "Paul's granny shit." [2] After leaving the studio during recording of the song, (after several days and literally dozens of takes of the song, trying different tempos and styles)[3] he returned a few hours later, heavily drugged, declaring loudly that he was more stoned than he had ever been and than they would ever be. He then went to the piano and banged out the unique piano introduction to the song, claiming that it was what the song needed. The chords that he played are the ones used in the final mix. (According to Blender, the song has "the woefully unconvincing laughter in the final line: 'If you want some fun — heh-heh-heh-heh! — take ob-la-di-bla-da!'", which is why it was listed as #48 in its list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".[4])

The character of Desmond is a reference to ska and reggae legend Desmond Dekker.[citation needed]

[edit] Controversy

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.[5]

[edit] Cover versions

[edit] In popular culture

  • The song is referenced in Savoy Truffle composed by George Harrison, which is on the same album
  • In an episode of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Frank and Joe sing this song while traveling in a van with members of a band they have joined.
  • 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 similarity between the songs, similarities said to be intentional by The Offspring[citation needed].
  • 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. [7]
  • 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."
  • In the Hindi song,"zara tasveer se tu" from the movie "Pardes", Shahrukh Khan belts out "Ob La Di, Ob La Da"

[edit] Personnel

  • 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[8] and Mark Lewisohn[3]
  • Horns arranged by George Martin

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pollack, Alan W. "Notes on 'Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da.'" 1997.
  2. ^ Emerick, Geoff (2007). Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. New York: Gotham Books, 246. ISBN 1-59240-179-1. 
  3. ^ a b Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books, 140-142. ISBN 0-517-57066-1. 
  4. ^ Run for Your Life! It's the 50 Worst Songs Ever! from Blender.com
  5. ^ "Clear Channel List of Songs with 'Questionable' Lyrics Media Critica
  6. ^ Gallucci, Michael. Review of Humanitarian. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. “Humanitarian succeeds only when it sticks firmly to its roots. This means that the "CD bonus tracks" covers of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and "You've Got a Friend" are pretty close to being the most shameless representations of reggae to ever be released under the banner.”
  7. ^ Beatles classic voted worst song from The BBC (November 10, 2004)
  8. ^ 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. 

[edit] External links

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
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