The psychologist Timothy Leary gained notoriety in the 1960s for his controversial experiments with lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD. Leary believed that, when used properly, this psychedelic substance could enhance social interactions and expand consciousness. He conducted numerous trials, involving both volunteers and himself, to explore the drug’s potential benefits.
However, Leary’s research came to an abrupt halt when the government began to crack down on LSD use. As a result of his work with the substance, he found himself facing legal troubles and was ultimately arrested on drug-related charges.
In 1969, Leary made an unexpected foray into politics by announcing his candidacy for the governorship of California. As part of his campaign strategy, he reached out to John Lennon of The Beatles, requesting a campaign song. Leary’s slogan, “Come Together, Join The Party,” was a thinly veiled reference to the drug culture he advocated. While Leary’s political aspirations never gained significant traction, his slogan sparked Lennon’s creative process, leading to the inception of the now-famous song “Come Together.”
Although Lennon initially composed the song for Leary’s campaign, it ultimately took a different direction. When Leary decided against using the track, Lennon reworked it by adding some whimsical, nonsensical lyrics. He then brought this revised version to the Abbey Road recording sessions.
Paul McCartney, in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, recounted his contribution to shaping the song’s distinctive sound. He suggested slowing down the tempo and incorporating a swampy, rhythm-heavy feel. McCartney developed a memorable bass line that became the song’s foundation, guiding its overall direction.
John Lennon later reflected on the song’s evolution in a 1980 Playboy magazine interview. He admitted that “Come Together” was largely a studio creation, describing the lyrics as “gobbledygook.” Lennon explained that despite his efforts to craft a campaign song for Leary, he couldn’t produce anything suitable. Instead, he ended up with “Come Together,” which he acknowledged wouldn’t have served well as a political anthem.
Returning to “Come Together,” the song contains several interesting details:
- The whispered lyric that sounds like “shoot” is actually Lennon saying “shoot me,” followed by a handclap. The prominent bass line obscures the word “me.”
- The recording session for “Come Together” on July 21, 1969, marked Lennon’s first active participation following a car accident three weeks earlier. Notably, Lennon insisted on Yoko’s presence in the studio, even having a hospital bed set up for her as she was more severely injured in the accident.
- The line “Ono sideboard” is a reference to Yoko Ono.
“Come Together” faced some unexpected challenges upon its release. The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) banned the song due to a perceived reference to Coca-Cola, which they considered unauthorized advertising. This decision highlights the strict broadcasting standards of the time.
The song is also known for one of the most commonly misheard lyrics in popular music history. Many listeners hear the line as “Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease,” when the actual lyric is “Hold you in his arms, yeah, you can feel his disease.” Interestingly, published sheet music, including the inner sleeve of the 1967-1970 compilation, perpetuated this error. When Lennon learned of the mistake, he reportedly decided he preferred the “armchair” version and chose to keep it.
“Come Together” was released as a double A-side single along with “Something,” another Beatles classic. The song’s innovative sound was recognized in 1969 when it won a Grammy for best engineered recording.
During the height of the “Paul is dead” conspiracy theory, some fans interpreted certain lyrics of “Come Together” as evidence supporting their beliefs. For instance, “One and one and one is three” was thought to imply that only George, John, and Ringo remained in the band. Similarly, the line “Got to be good lookin’ cuz he’s so hard to see” was construed as a reference to Paul’s spirit.
A unique aspect of the song’s production was the use of a rotary phone to create a distinctive sound heard before each verse and after the chorus. This effect was complemented by Paul’s bass playing, adding to the song’s innovative soundscape.
“Come Together” has had a significant impact beyond its original release, inspiring numerous covers and appearances in various media:
Aerosmith recorded a version for the 1978 film “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Despite the movie’s poor reception, Aerosmith’s cover reached #23 on the US charts. The band’s guitarist, Brad Whitford, noted that their version often receives more radio airplay than the original.
Other notable covers include versions by Ike & Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Meat Loaf, Guns N’ Roses, Soundgarden, Marilyn Manson, Nazareth, and Oasis. The Arctic Monkeys performed the song during the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony, with their rendition reaching #21 on the UK singles chart.
This comprehensive history of “Come Together” demonstrates its enduring impact on popular music and culture, from its origins in Timothy Leary’s political campaign to its continued relevance through covers and cultural references decades after its initial release.
[Intro]
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
[Verse 1]
Here come old flat-top, he come grooving up slowly
He got ju-ju eyeball, he one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker, he just do what he please
[Interlude]
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
[Verse 2]
He wear no shoeshine, he got toe-jam football
He got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola
He say, “I know you, you know me”
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
[Chorus]
Come together, right now
Over me
[Interlude]
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
[Verse 3]
He bag production, he got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard, he one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease
[Chorus]
Come together, right now
Over me
[Interlude]
Shoot me
Right
Come, come, come, come, come
[Verse 4]
He roller-coaster, he got early warnin’
He got muddy water, he one mojo filter
He say, “One and one and one is three”
Got to be good-lookin’, ’cause he’s so hard to see
[Chorus]
Come together, right now
Over me
[Interlude]
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Oh
[Outro]
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Oh
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
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