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I Am the Walrus Lyric Dissection
11 December 2018
6.51pm
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silverhammerYT
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I know that some fans have been dissecting the lyrics to I Am The Walrus , trying to figure out a deeper meaning to the song. So here’s what I know: The song is based off of a poem called “The Walrus and the Carpenter” which was written by Lewis Carroll. The poem’s meaning is not entirely confirmed but there are many theories. Some people believe that the song I Am The Walrus was intended to have symbolized the same things that the poem by Lewis Carroll does. In a 1980 interview, John stated that there was no political or religious meaning behind the song’s lyrics at all. So I am interested to hear other people’s thoughts on this.

Reporter: Beethoven figures in one of your songs. What do you think of Beethoven?
Ringo Starr: He’s great. Especially his poetry.

11 December 2018
6.59pm
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50yearslate
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silverhammerYT said
I know that some fans have been dissecting the lyrics to I Am The Walrus , trying to figure out a deeper meaning to the song. So here’s what I know: The song is based off of a poem called “The Walrus and the Carpenter” which was written by Lewis Carroll. The poem’s meaning is not entirely confirmed but there are many theories. Some people believe that the song I Am The Walrus was intended to have symbolized the same things that the poem by Lewis Carroll does. In a 1980 interview, John stated that there was no political or religious meaning behind the song’s lyrics at all. So I am interested to hear other people’s thoughts on this.  

If I had to guess John’s writing process, I would assume that he made up random and fun sounding phrases, some just because they sounded cool and some based on real life, possibly to get some subtle jabs in at people. I believe John– I don’t think it’s political or religious.

Also, apparently John later found out that the Walrus is actually the villain in the poem, so really the song should have been called I Am The Carpenter… doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

I remember when I was little I asked about the lyrics (because to my 5 or 6 year old self it was the craziest thing ever) and my dad told me John didn’t like the fact that Beatles songs were having to be analyzed by schoolkids, so he purposely wrote a song that made no sense so the teachers couldn’t assign it. No idea if it’s true or not but it’s a nice story.

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11 December 2018
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50yearslate
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Also welcome, @silverhammerYT ! 

Love one another.

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(I'm Fiddy, not Walrian)

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11 December 2018
7.32pm
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silverhammerYT
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50yearslate said
Also welcome, @silverhammerYT !   

Thanks, mate! I can’t believe I didn’t know that this forum existed until very recently.

Reporter: Beethoven figures in one of your songs. What do you think of Beethoven?
Ringo Starr: He’s great. Especially his poetry.

11 December 2018
7.36pm
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silverhammerYT said

Thanks, mate! I can’t believe I didn’t know that this forum existed until very recently.  

That was me a month ago. a-hard-days-night-george-10 

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11 December 2018
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silverhammerYT
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50yearslate said

If I had to guess John’s writing process, I would assume that he made up random and fun sounding phrases, some just because they sounded cool and some based on real life, possibly to get some subtle jabs in at people. I believe John– I don’t think it’s political or religious.

Also, apparently John later found out that the Walrus is actually the villain in the poem, so really the song should have been called I Am The Carpenter… doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

I remember when I was little I asked about the lyrics (because to my 5 or 6 year old self it was the craziest thing ever) and my dad told me John didn’t like the fact that Beatles songs were having to be analyzed by schoolkids, so he purposely wrote a song that made no sense so the teachers couldn’t assign it. No idea if it’s true or not but it’s a nice story.  

I definitely agree with you. I think I remember reading about the Walrus being a villain and the alternative title that would have been more fitting, but I also very much agree that I Am The Walrus is much more catchy and the song is a wonderful classic for us fans. 

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Reporter: Beethoven figures in one of your songs. What do you think of Beethoven?
Ringo Starr: He’s great. Especially his poetry.

11 December 2018
8.11pm
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sir walter raleigh
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Donovan has a song called The Walrus and the Carpenter that he played for Paul in a one on one studio session. Lewis Carroll was popular among psychedelic songwriters because they liked the way his lyrics sounded wacky and outlandish, and they could often interpret their own meanings from then. Lennon loved The Jabberwocky especially. I believe that I Am The Walrus was written mainly to create lyrical flow and psychedelic imagery. Any deeper meaning can be thought up by the listener, but I do not think John had anything special in mind. 

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-Brian Wilson, Surfer Girl

11 December 2018
8.12pm
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50yearslate said

That was me a month ago. a-hard-days-night-george-10   

Haha yeah. I know it’s not generally accepted to chat off topic, but I was wondering who your favorite Beatle is. My favorite is definitely Ringo.

Reporter: Beethoven figures in one of your songs. What do you think of Beethoven?
Ringo Starr: He’s great. Especially his poetry.

11 December 2018
8.16pm
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silverhammerYT
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sir walter raleigh said
Donovan has a song called The Walrus and the Carpenter that he played for Paul in a one on one studio session. Lewis Carroll was popular among psychedelic songwriters because they liked the way his lyrics sounded wacky and outlandish, and they could often interpret their own meanings from then. Lennon loved The Jabberwocky especially. I believe that I Am The Walrus was written mainly to create lyrical flow and psychedelic imagery. Any deeper meaning can be thought up by the listener, but I do not think John had anything special in mind.   

I agree that it is up to the listener to decide a deeper meaning, and I definitely do appreciate the psychedelic imagery of it.

Reporter: Beethoven figures in one of your songs. What do you think of Beethoven?
Ringo Starr: He’s great. Especially his poetry.

11 December 2018
8.21pm
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Ahhh Girl
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Joe expounds on several of the points you all are kicking around a-hard-days-night-george-10 here. Be sure to read his page for the song (click on the blue-link title in the posts above).

And welcome to the forum, @silverhammerYT. Glad you found us. Have fun being a Beatlemaniac with us.

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11 December 2018
8.33pm
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silverhammerYT
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Ahhh Girl said
Joe expounds on several of the points you all are kicking around a-hard-days-night-george-10 here. Be sure to read his page for the song (click on the blue-link title in the posts above).

And welcome to the forum, @silverhammerYT. Glad you found us. Have fun being a Beatlemaniac with us.  

Thanks, man. I read the page about the song and found it pretty interesting, especially the fact that the lyrics were indeed randomly written in a somewhat organized way that is catchy and fun to listen to.

Reporter: Beethoven figures in one of your songs. What do you think of Beethoven?
Ringo Starr: He’s great. Especially his poetry.

11 December 2018
8.57pm
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I’d like to point out this post that is related. https://www.beatlesbible.com/f…..3/#p291833

I like this dissection of the lyrics to this song…

3899914005_db94873d3b.jpgImage Enlarger

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11 December 2018
10.47pm
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TheWalrusWasBrian
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50yearslate said

…John didn’t like the fact that Beatles songs were having to be analyzed by schoolkids, so he purposely wrote a song that made no sense so the teachers couldn’t assign it. No idea if it’s true or not but it’s a nice story.  

If that’s true he’s somewhere muttering about how “They’re doing it again”

Also, to add my opinion, it sounds like a bunch of cool sounding stuff thrown together to sound like it might mean something. Really, it’s a bunch of random phrases, but maybe if you look hard enough you’ll find the meaning of life. 

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12 December 2018
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The Walrus was Paul.  Did I need to say that??? paul-mccartney-facepalm_gif

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12 December 2018
9.54am
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50yearslate
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How can you say that when @TheWalrusWasBrian is right here?!? a-hard-days-night-ringo-8

Just kidding, of course he was. I wonder if John meant it as an insult or a compliment… or maybe he was just trying to confuse the PID people. 

silverhammerYT said

Haha yeah. I know it’s not generally accepted to chat off topic, but I was wondering who your favorite Beatle is. My favorite is definitely Ringo.  

George. I love this question because there is literally no such thing as a wrong answer. (But George is my favorite. a-hard-days-night-george-10heart)

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20 August 2019
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Tony Japanese
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I am he (I am Paul (or George or Ringo)) as you are he (you are one of the other two) as you are me (actually, you’re John)
And we are all together (we’re all in the same boat though)
See how they run like pigs from a gun (imagine crows in a cornfield)
See how they fly (again, crows)
I’m crying (I’m sad about the birds)
Sitting on a corn flake (I’ve been too sad to clean recently – I eat my breakfast on the couch)
Waiting for the van to come (I’m expecting a delivery of some bird feed)
Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday (at least you know a) what I’m wearing and b) what day it is)
Man you’ve been a naughty boy
You let your face grow long (I should really stop being sad about the birds)
I am the egg man (I’ve forgotten what male hens are called)
They are the egg men 
I Am The Walrus
Goo goo g’joob (Well do you know what sound they make?)
 
 

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21 August 2019
12.50am
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William Shears Campbell
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I’ve thought maybe the Walrus represented the leader of the Beatles, which John kinda was.  Then later when he left the band, there’s the song “God ” that goes “I was the walrus but now I am John”

 

As for the line in “Glass Onion ” I remember hearing John in an interview saying something along the lines of he didn’t really know what “The Walrus” was, but that Paul could have the title.  It could represent John becoming less interested in the band.

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21 August 2019
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Ahhh Girl
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I am he as you are he as you are me (which means all of them are the walrus as well as being egg men)

21 August 2019
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Ahhh Girl said
I am he as you are he as you are me (which means all of them are the walrus as well as being egg men)

  

Makes sense, the walrus can’t be John and Paul – unless it’s all of them (and the Beatles did often speak of themselves as one). Presumably, some discarded lines from Glass Onion were ‘and here’s another clue for you, Dingo’ and ‘here’s another clue to engorge’.

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21 August 2019
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I know that quote by John talking about giving Paul the title of the walrus in Glass Onion exists somewhere though.  I heard it with me own two ears.  Or maybe I read it.  But I feel like heard it. 

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