Beatles: Only A Northern Song Meaning

Only A Northern Song Lyrics

If you're listening to this song
You may think the chords are going wrong
But they're not;
He just wrote it like that.
When you're listening late at night
You may think the band are not quite right
But they are, they just play it like...

1. anonymous

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   Apr 15th 2016 !⃝

   I am dying at some of these interpretations lol look i am a composer of 20+ years i say that because in those 20 years ive had to write thousands of songs and what he meat by this as a writer you are forced to use select group of chords that sounds familiar together for radio or anything commercial also topics are cut down to new found love, lasting love, or where is the love, or break up, party etc... So with this he is saying you may think its wrong because it sounds weird to you cause its in a different progression than you are used to but its not we made like that! Same with clothes and words.. You make think it's weird i dress this way or have my hair this way but its not i just chose to make it this way... Its just a northern song means basically its just a song i can write how i want to... Its my hair i can wear it how i want to my clothes etc..!
2. anonymous

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   Sep 30th 2008 !⃝

   Actually George Harrison was part of Northern Songs. However his share of the writing royalties was only a pittance compared to both Paul and John's. So this is sort of a "stick this into your pipe and smoke it" sort of thing.
3. anonymous

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   Mar 27th 2008 !⃝

   This song may have also been Harrison mocking the fact he was poorly regarded as a songwriter. Though they were famous enough, they could've gotten away with a random cacophony for nine minutes. In fact, they did...
4. anonymous

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   Jul 24th 2007 !⃝

   It sounds to me like this song is about how famous they are and they can do whatever they want (musically) and everyone would still like it.
5. anonymous

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   May 27th 2007 !⃝

   I heard they were 1 track short for the Yellow Sub soundtrack, so George went off and wrote a quick knock off.
   
   He considered it a throw away so gave it the name mocking Northern Songs publishing which he had no contractual obligation.

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

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   Aug 24th 2006 !⃝

   Northern songs was John Lennon and Paul McCartney's publishing company. George Harrison was not involved, except for just being a writer (I don't think he liked that...). He was essentially making fun of the company for not sounding good and messing up his songs.
   
   "if you're listening to this song
   you may think the chords are going wrong
   but they're not;
   he just wrote it like that.
   When you're listening late at night
   you may think the band are not quite right
   but they are, they just play it like that
   it doesn't really matter what chords I play
   what words I say or time of day it is
   as it's only a northern song."
   
   ciao!

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