Beatles: Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da Meaning

Song Released: 1968

Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da Lyrics

Desmond has a barrow in the market place
Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly - girl I like your face
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand.
Chorus:
Obladi oblada life goes on bra
Lala how the life goes on
Obladi...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   purple_starr

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   Feb 17th 2009 !⃝

   the part that says "Desmond stays at home and does his pretty place" was actually meant to say MOLLY... and paul realized he messed up and wanted to redo the song recording but decided to leave it as it is to create confusion... i think this song is simple and is just about a happy couple...

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jul 14th 2008 !⃝

   I think its just about two people falling in love really.
   
   And on a side note Paul McCartney didn't want this song released because he made a mistake on it the second time it says Molly leads the children by the hand Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face its supposed to be the other way around though...just a little fun fact.

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Sep 2nd 2017 !⃝

   When you listen to the song you will hear the story that is being told in the music itself.
   First you hear the setting in the opening instrumentals and vocals.
   
   After the first chorus we begin:
   When Desmond buys the ring he takes a trolley and you can hear vocals of chugging like a trolley on its tracks.
   "Ring" is quickly repeated like the quick sparkle of a golden ring or the bell on a cash register when it opens.
   When molly begins to "Sing"
   You hear LaLaLa in the background vocals. (It's Molly Singing) as we enter the chorus
   
   When they buy a home and the kids run in the yard you will hear Moroccas "kids running" and laughter from Desmond/family
   
   In the market place you'll hear bongos and people randomly shouting. (The busy marketplace)
   
   When Molly sings in with the band we hear a band start up with saxophones and brass as we move into the chorus again.
   
   We repeat the home, yard, and kids theme in the next verse, but now they are running in the yard as older children which is when we hear a clave' descending in the background.
   
   Back in the marketplace when the kids lend a hand you will hear a piano riff played once, then again but being repeated in a higher tone. This represents masculine/feminine, older/younger, or bigger/smaller, and represents the children).
   
   Once singer in the band is mentioned again we hear the band start up for a second time and they will carry on through the end of the song.
   
   Yes I was stoned when I heard the layers of the music, and figured this out... that's the only way to listen to the Beatles!
4. anonymous

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   Feb 22nd 2019 !⃝

   I realise that "clouded" translates as oblačno
   in Croatic.
   
   Maybe there is a meaning in some Slavic language?
   
   After a dark cloud life goes on ?
5. anonymous

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   Jan 6th 2019 !⃝

   Ob la di song is about lennon not liking the songs while on drugs and paul singing the wrong words.
6. anonymous

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   Oct 12th 2017 !⃝

   They start out in love..
   But they soon get a family and never have time for each other..they just accept what ever life throws at them...
   Not a happy or sad song ..
   Just a life song...
7. anonymous

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   May 13th 2017 !⃝

   What's Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da mean?
8. anonymous

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   Nov 8th 2016 !⃝

   My interpretation of the song is about being alive and not being about transgendered. Please stop being judgmental so stop thanks.
9. anonymous

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   Nov 5th 2016 !⃝

   Desmond was obviously trans-sexual!
10. anonymous

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    Nov 19th 2014 !⃝

    These interpretations are very paradoxical, circumstantial, subjective and hence existential. I like it and am surprised it is classified as Poor.
11. anonymous

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    Apr 19th 2014 !⃝

    During my late 1940s high school days, a New York radio DJ named "Symphony Sid" who specialized in bebop music often played a different song titled "In The Land Of Obla-Di"
12. anthonyksteele

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    May 15th 2013 !⃝

    it's about circumcision
    a singer (crier) for the band (foreskin)
    life goes on
13. anonymous

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    Jun 22nd 2012 !⃝

    I read that Desmond refers to Desmond Dekker, the reggae singer most famous for singing "Israelites".
14. anonymous

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    Apr 1st 2012 !⃝

    "Life goes on" is usually expressed after a sad event, to express hope for the future. I have often wondered how the song's story relates to this expression. Also, does "ob-la-di, ob-la-da" have a precise English translation from a specific language? Perhaps French?
15. anonymous

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    Sep 19th 2011 !⃝

    they have ben a relly good band in the 50's and the 60's. If there frend was still aive today they would be still playing together and having more songs.

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

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    Feb 8th 2010 !⃝

    I realize that the "switch" was an unintentional one, but I find it very amusing to think of Desmond as a drag-queen "singing with the band" and coming out only after he was married with kids.
17. sisterpaul

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    Jan 21st 2009 !⃝

    I agree, I think it is a sad song, almost a parody how simple love can turn into strangers in the end. It is up beat and fun, and I think Paul may have made a mistake, but it was unconscious. In the end, Molly is left doing it all, while Desmond does his pretty face. (Of course, maybe I'm projecting). "Happy ever after" doesn't sound so happy... to me it is a parody on that belief.
18. anonymous

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    Jan 21st 2009 !⃝

    Even though the tune is upbeat, the song is sad. Notice that Desmond and Molly are never together at home. When one is at home the other is always out. MDL

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