Why The Beatles’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ Confused John Lennon

John Lennon said he didn’t understand The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” when he wrote it. Subsequently, he said it was up to others to analyze The Beatles’ songs. John put “Tomorrow Never Knows” in the same category as another Fab Four song which is very different.

During a 1968 interview with Rolling Stone, was asked about analyses of his songs. “Well, they can take them apart,” he replied. “They can take anything apart. I mean I hit it on all levels, you know. We write lyrics, and I write lyrics that you don’t realize what they mean till after. Especially some of the better songs or some of the more flowing ones, like ‘[I Am the] Walrus.’ The whole first verse was written without any knowledge.”

He then talked about another avant-garde Beatles song. “And ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ — I didn’t know what I was saying, and you just find out later, that’s why these people are good on them,” he said.

John further discussed his approach to writing lyrics. “I know that when there are some lyrics I dig I know that somewhere people will be looking at them, and with the rest of the songs it doesn’t matter cause they work on all levels,” he said.

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