Beatles: I am the Walrus Meaning

Song Released: 1967

I am the Walrus Lyrics

i am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together!
see how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly …
i'm cryin’

sittin on a corn flake, waitin on the van to come.
corporation tee-shirt,stupid bloody tuesday man you been a...

1. anonymous

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   Feb 15th 2011 !⃝

   Well no matter what you think it's brilliantly poetic so stop slagging john off saying he was on a drug trip. He may have been but like I said it is poetry I mean the lyrics are amusingly complex.
2. anonymous

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   Jan 29th 2011 !⃝

   'I am the Walrus' is a mixture of 3 songs that John was working on,he tried to make it as confusing as possible because he heard that at Quarry High his old high school they were analysing Beatles songs, so he made 'I am the Walrus' to confuse people. This was quoted in an interview with him and it ends up with him saying 'what's that fucking mean then?' as he himself didn't know. The line 'yellow matter custard dripping from a dead dogs eye' was taken from a nursery rhyme kids used to sing on the play ground, also the line 'sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come' used to be in fact 'sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the man to come' but he changed it after a suggestion from the same person he rang to remember the nursery rhyme as it would be more confusing and could mean even less.
3. anonymous

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   Jan 12th 2011 !⃝

   This has got to be my favorite song to read reviews on, and listen to as well. This song is so complicated that we'll probably never really know the real meaning to it. Getting a spot on interpetation on this song is like interpretating Revolution nine, it just isn't going to happen. It could literally mean ANYTHING, or as John once said, it means whatever you want it to mean. Take his everlasting word for it! People for the last forty years have been searching for this meaning.
4. anonymous

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   Jan 11th 2011 !⃝

   This song is about unity.
   coming together in a world of imagination and free spirit. Straight up acid trip too no doubt.
5. anonymous

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   Jan 11th 2011 !⃝

   This song is about unity.
   coming together in a world of imagination and free spirit. Straight up acid trip too no doubt.
6. anonymous

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   Jan 8th 2011 !⃝

   Like most songs on this album, "Walrus" has a very specific meaning that is meant to only be understood through the lens of an LSD trip. Listen to the album on LSD and you will understand what I mean. If you think that the idea that you have to take LSD to understand something is bogus, you have obviously not taken LSD.
   
   You have to be careful when looking at Lennon's interviews and recorded statements about this song. What the Beatles said about the meaning of this song, I believe, is not exactly false but mainly a red herring. They did not want to explain the message they were trying to impart, because they wanted people to LISTEN to the damn music and, just as importantly, TAKE LSD and listen to it. Explaining the message outiside of the music would defeat the purpose - people would be tempted to think they understood when they didn't, and would dismiss it all as "Hippie garbage". The truth is, the message of this song is very simple and obvious, and if you take LSD and listen to it careful I am sure you will come to the same conclusions I have.
   
   The Beatles a)had a great mastery of careful song- and lyric-craft; b)were taking lots of acid; c)were very interested in putting hidden messages in their songs (this is undoubtable; the Paul-is-dead stuff has not just been invented by fans, the Beatles clearly placed clues. But Paul-is-dead is a red herring for the non-tripping squares to scratch their heads over) the true "secret message" isn't some conspiracy, it's simply the idea that everything is interconnected and that the meaning of life is to make the world a better place.
   
   Here are the main points the song is trying to make, though there are obviously other 'background thoughts' (to use the Freudian term) going on here, such as a wink at critics who over-analyze Beatles lyrics. I once again stress that this entire album was designed form beginning to end to be enjoyed and understood while on LSD, so explaining the geist of the meaning here is necessarily highly reductive.
   
   1) "I am he... we are all together" - Pretty self-evident. We're all in this together. 'This' being life and this wonderful world which is only made up of you and me and the things we do, nothing more or less. This is one of the main insights that LSD is made to give you (if you 'do it right').
   
   2) "See how they run..." - See how the squares run from this LSD thing. They don't understand it and are frightened of it. If they woud only try it they would see that there is nothing to be afraid of. (word association: Pigs-Capitalism-Bourgeouis-Police-Materialism-Greed-Ego). Another level here is that the pigs - the capitalists, the squares, the establishment, what-have-you - vaguely realize that LSD poses a significant threat ("a gun") to their way of life.
   
   3) "I'm crying" (First time) It's sad to know that these people will never experience this wonderful insight and happiness of taking LSD and seeing the world in a new light.
   
   4)"Sitting on a cornflake..." Some of this is just general psychedelic playfulness, funny images that are highly amusing. Mostly, though, like all of the Paul-is-dead crap and other 'secret messages' that the Beatles DID purposely put in, this is a red herring. It is meant to confuse people who over-analyze the lyrics, looking for some conspiracy. The whole point with this song and much of the Beatles post-LSD work is that none of this is about highly-encrypted secret messages or codes; the message is as simple as "All you need is love".
   
   5) Chorus, "I am the Walrus" - Ditto. I'm not saying there's no symbolism here or reason that Lennon chose these images, and I'm not denying the Alice-in-Wonderland stuff. It's just that all this opaque psychedlia is just icing on the cake. The real message is elsewhere in the song. The Beatles LOVED red herrings when it came to meaning in their music (in the psychedelic period).
   
   6)"Mr City Policeman Sitting..." The State/Establishment/Capitalist system (Mr. City) is very happy the way it is. To them, everything is going splendidly, materialism is lining their pockets and the "policemen in a row" are there to make sure everything stays in order.
   
   7)"See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky" It just takes a little Lucy (LSD) to shatter materialism's, and thus establishment's, hold on your life.
   
   8) "I'm crying" (second time). These are tears of joy over what happened in the previous line. Listen to the music! Does it sound like Lennon is sad when he's singing this line? Any good acid trip will include some tears of joy: "Life is beautiful! I'm beautiful! I don't need money or status to be happy" etc.
   
   I'm not gonna go through every last line and do this thing to death. You should get the point. What's important to realize with this song, and all of the Beatles music during this time period (Sgt. Pepper's, MMT, Abbey Road) is that the lyrics are FULL of 'red herrings': opque psuedo-psychedelic mumbo-jumbo, suggestions of non-existant conspiracies, fake subliminal messages. This goes hand-in-hand with the things the Beatles say about the songs in interviews: they're either not saying anything or else throwing you off-track. It's because they want you to understand the song, not by intellectualizing it and analyzing it to death, but by LISTENING to the music, removing your inhibitions and preconceptions and really LISTENING, preferably on LSD if you want it to be a lot easier.
   
   Also note that the "Expert textpert" verse is aimed at a different set of people: those who have used LSD but over-intellectualize the experience, ignoring what's truly important.
   
   Finally, remember that the final end of any Beatles song is to ENTERTAIN you. The message is important, but secondary. LSD is a form of entertainment. Music is entertainment. Like life, it is meant to be enjoyed completely.
   
7. anonymous

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   Jun 13th 2010 !⃝

   you know, not EVERYTHING has a deeper meaning to it. Some things were just for fun. To tell you the, truth john was sick of everyone picking apart his songs until they could some how relate it to drugs or murder. He decided to just write a non-sense song and laugh at what crazy things people get out of it.
8. anonymous

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   May 18th 2010 !⃝

   This song is basically about sexual activity.
   Yellow matter custard is seminal fluid, even if it was based on a rhyme from John's school days.
   Dead dog's eye is the meatus (pee hole) of the penis, after copulation.
   Semolina Pilchards (sperm) running up the Eiffel Tower (Penis). The Eiffel Tower is the Penis of Paris after all. Reference to the Paris & Helen of Troy Myth, and Aphrodite (virgo).
   Eggman, Eggmen? = sperm-egg or Gonads.
   I am the Walrus = I am the muff diving sex god/demon. The Walrus from Lewis carrol's "The Walrus & the Carpenter". The walrus ate most of the Oysters. Oysters are an age old approdisiac and synominous with cunilingus (due to the taste. Oysters are linked to Aphrodite.
   Ompah Lumpah, stick it up your jumper = Hide that tell-tale lump in your trousers. Willy Wonka's Ompah Lumpahs worked in the chocolate (poo)factory. Sounds like sodomy in this case - poor Charlie.
   Preety policemen in a row are basically female breasts. Based on a common UK police helmet joke.
   Lucy in the sky = Sun in Virgo (it never was LSD). Lucy means light. Diamonds are the constellations stars. Virgo is opposite Pisces. Pices = fish... need I say more. Pagan cosmic copulation theme.
   fishwife = non-virgin.
   Crab-a-locker = loose women, probably prone to pubic lice.
   
   You'll never see this song the same way again! lol.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
9. anonymous

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   Feb 18th 2010 !⃝

   I went to a lyrics site,this is what came up:I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly. I'm crying. Sitting on a bench, waiting for the bus to come. Corporation t-shirts, stupid bloody Tuesday. You've been a naughty boy, you let your hair grow long. I am eatting eggs, they are eatting eggs, I'm John Lennon, Goo goo ga joob. Mister City P'liceman sitting Pretty little girls in a row. See how they fly like a plane in the Sky, see how they fly. I'm crying. I'm cry, I'm crying, I'm cry. Yellow custard, dripping from a large black pot. Fisherman with his fishwife, You've been a naughty boy and you let your face get dirty. I am eatting eggs (woo), they are eatting eggs (woo), I am John Lennon, Goo goo ga joob. Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun. If the sun don't come, you get wet from Sitting in the English rain. I am eatting eggs, they are eatting eggs, I am John Lennon, goo goo gajoob ga goo goo gajoob. Expert singers, choking smokers Don't you think the joker laughs at you? (ho ho ho, he he he, ha ha ha) See how they snort like pigs in a sty, see how they snide. I'm crying. Eleanor Rigby, climbing up the stairs. Expert singers singing Hare Krishna. Man, you should have seen them reading Edgar Allan Poe. I am eatting eggs, they are eatting eggs, I John Lennon, Goo goo gajoob ga goo goo ga joob (everybody ho ha everybody ho ha!)
10. anonymous

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    Feb 18th 2010 !⃝

    I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
    See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly.
    I'm crying.
    
    Sitting on a bench, waiting for the bus to come.
    Corporation t-shirts, stupid bloody Tuesday.
    You've been a naughty boy, you let your hair grow long.
    I am eatting eggs, they are eatting eggs, I'm John Lennon,
    Goo goo ga joob.
    
    Mister City P'liceman sitting
    Pretty little girls in a row.
    See how they fly like a plane in the Sky, see how they fly.
    I'm crying.
    I'm cry, I'm crying, I'm cry.
    
    Yellow custard, dripping from a large black pot.
    Fisherman with his fishwife,
    You've been a naughty boy and you let your face get dirty.
    I am eatting eggs (woo), they are eatting eggs (woo), I am John Lennon,
    Goo goo ga joob.
    
    Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun.
    If the sun don't come, you get wet from
    Sitting in the English rain.
    I am eatting eggs, they are eatting eggs, I am John Lennon,
    goo goo gajoob ga goo goo gajoob.
    
    Expert singers, choking smokers
    Don't you think the joker laughs at you? (ho ho ho, he he he, ha ha ha)
    See how they snort like pigs in a sty, see how they snide.
    I'm crying.
    
    Eleanor Rigby, climbing up the stairs.
    Expert singers singing Hare Krishna.
    Man, you should have seen them reading Edgar Allan Poe.
    I am eatting eggs, they are eatting eggs, I John Lennon,
    Goo goo gajoob ga goo goo ga joob
    (everybody ho ha everybody ho ha!)
11. cgoodson

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    Jan 15th 2010 !⃝

    i am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together!
    see how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly …
    i'm cryin’
    
    To me this verse is saying that we are all one with god and that it saddens him that most people won't accept this idea.
    
    yellow matter custard, drippin’ from a dead dog's eye!
    crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess -
    boy, you been a naughty girl, you let’cha knickers down!
    
    This verse makes sense to me if you consider the dead dog to be a penis. I know sperm isn't yellow, but I've heard that some peoples can be yellowish.
    
    semolina pilchard … climbin’ up the eiffel tower!
    elementary penguin, singin’ hare krishna -
    man, you should’ve seen them kickin’ edgar allan poe!
    
    I think this could possibly be about someone trying to reach an enlightened state or trying to find god and he believes that there are better ways to use you brain than repeating mantras.
    
    That's about all I can come up with for this song.
    
    
    
    
12. anonymous

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    Dec 13th 2009 !⃝

    This song was made because John had received a letter from a man in college that had been interpreting his songs. So John decided to make a song that had no meaning whatsoever. Now that I read about it, this does seem to have some ties with the movie "Alice in Wonderland". But I have read and heard on multiple occasions that this song was written by Paul that wrote down what John was saying during an acid trip. Im not saying that John was all about the drugs, but this was probably one of the occasions where he decided to use drugs to make a song. Classic song. Just classic.
13. anonymous

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    Dec 4th 2009 !⃝

    I think that John Lennon wanted the viewers to believe it was just a 'lsd song'
    there are a lot of beautiful references throughout and if you take time to think about it the song is obviously about war and finding your identity
    great work johnny =)
14. anonymous

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    Nov 28th 2009 !⃝

    FIRST VERSE-
    "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together." - would this not go to show that no matter what differences people think they have from race to race, that they are actually all the part of the "human Race"... Hence- "we are all together"?
    the part "see how they fly" could be metaphorically speaking of seeing people with a neuse around their necks, hanging from trees? At the end of this verse when he says "i'm crying" This probably meaning that these acts make him sad.
    SECOND VERSE-
    I think this whole verse refers to the men who wear suit&tie to work. "sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come" to me, interprets, trying to sit in a crowded bus stand (a cornflake is tiny, much like the amount of room they have to sit on) and the "van" would be a bus (metaphorically called van because the busses are crowded, and feel quite a bit smaller than what you would picture, if you had never been on a city bus)-- "Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long." I think this means ... They have let themselves into their unhappy job, and are doing nothing to make themselves happy in life... Hence "you've let you face grow long" also used in the common saying "why such a long face?"
    THIRD VERSE-
    I'm pretty sure that this might be about protesting. "Mister City P'liceman sitting...Pretty little policemen in a row" would refer to the people that run the city, including the policemen that sit in offices, sending "pretty little policemen" (swat) to the scene of a large protest, where they stand in a row, facing the protestors.
    "See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky, see how they run." would then refer to when gunshots are fired, the pretty policemen don't think twice about doing so, hence- "see how they fly like lucy in the sky". Leaving the part part saying "see how they run", would be when the protestors run from the gunshots.
    FOURTH VERSE-
    I believe this verse is about dirty whores, women who will open their legs for anyone.
    "yellow matter custard... dripping from a dead dog's eye"- Picture a grubby, dirty man, with diseases (metaphorically called a dog)- this being said, to show the kind of people whore do end up sleeping with. "crabalocker fishwife" means a sexually dirty wife, who has a lot of crabs(crab-a-locker), and smells like fish. "Pornographic Priestess" probably means that even those who are thought to be "pure" are not always that, and they too engage in sexually explicit acts that are done for the wrong reasons, and overall wrong in Gods eyes.
    "Boy, you been a naughty girl and you let your knickers down."- pretty self-explanatory! haha
    ____________________________
    Thats all I've got so far!
    Hope you liked it!!
15. anonymous

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    Nov 20th 2009 !⃝

    This song is a mixture of physcadelic images and nonsense singing, in the vein of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and Strawberry Fields Forever. It doesn't have a real meaning.
    
    And here's another clue for you all: The walrus was Paul.

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