Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

[ISNorden]

Yep, I saw the LSD claim dismissed (and John Lennon's explanation about the drawing) on snopes.com; if only I remembered the direct link to that particular "debunking"! The page even has a reproduction of the drawing Lennon was talking about, if I remember correctly.

 

[CensoredAlso]

It was actually his first son Julian, but yes that's the story. Julian had a friend named Lucy at school and he drew this weird looking picture. When John asked what it was, Julian was supposed to have said, "It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds." John thought that was "beautiful" and wrote a song around it.

We'll probably never know for sure, but again, John was very upfront with his choices and song inspirations. If there was a connection, he likely would have said it. And he always dismissed people looking for hidden meanings in his music. He was an excellent songwriter with a particular talent for writing poetic "nonsense" that sounded cool (such as "I Am the Walrus").

 

[ISNorden]

The Beatles definitely took drugs, but it's too simple to dismiss their more bizarre numbers as "drug songs." John was also an amateur artist and poet and always created strange and bizarre imagery, even before LSD. Plus, all that psychedelic stuff was part of the culture at that time, whether you were taking drugs or not. People can and have created such things as weird songs without being under the influence (in fact it helps to be NOT under the influence at the time!) Ringo said once "it didn't work for the Beatles to be too deranged."

Any opponent of a particular group/musical style can take lyrics apart and claim that some phrase refers to drugs, sex, racism, or whatever negative thing will help support their dislike. I've even heard that Americans could find drug references in "The Star-Spangled Banner" if they were determined enough, although some of them wouldn't make sense for the lyricist's time and place... If John Lennon insisted that the LSD initials were a coincidence, and if the Beatles were open about other songs' referring to drugs, then I'm inclined to believe him.

 

[CensoredAlso]

And it is definitely true that parents and authority figures were out to get the Beatles from day one. They were not always considered cute and harmless; people thought they'd corrupt kids just for having long hair. Which only goes to prove, btw, that these rebellious Beatles were NOT the first boy band! Lol

 

[Drtooth]

Plus, all that psychedelic stuff was part of the culture at that time, whether you were taking drugs or not. People can and have created such things as weird songs without being under the influence (in fact it helps to be NOT under the influence at the time!) Ringo said once "it didn't work for the Beatles to be too deranged."

Because we're talking about SS here, for perfect example, check out half the animated segments, especially Jazz #'s.

But yeah... I know the Beatles experimented, but in all honesty, I don't think they needed it to make their better more experimental music. The common misconception/joke is that someone who does or creates something bizzarre has to be on drugs to create something like it. But the truth is it hamper's your judgement, not inspires it. For me to give a good example of something that seems like it was really done on drugs, look at that Quizno's commercial where the guy can't seem to remember the "letter" to say "MMMMMM" (and says rrrrr and P-p-p-p). That seems like it was made without any effort, it makes no sense, and it only seems funny if you're feeling giggly anyway (so doesn't finding a penny on the floor).

 

[CensoredAlso]

Because we're talking about SS here, for perfect example, check out half the animated segments, especially Jazz #'s.

But yeah... I know the Beatles experimented, but in all honesty, I don't think they needed it to make their better more experimental music. The common misconception/joke is that someone who does or creates something bizzarre has to be on drugs to create something like it. But the truth is it hamper's your judgement, not inspires it. For me to give a good example of something that seems like it was really done on drugs, look at that Quizno's commercial where the guy can't seem to remember the "letter" to say "MMMMMM" (and says rrrrr and P-p-p-p). That seems like it was made without any effort, it makes no sense, and it only seems funny if you're feeling giggly anyway (so doesn't finding a penny on the floor).

Interestingly, I noticed many similarities between the 1968 film Yellow Submarine and the early Sesame Street graphics, particularly in the Jazzy Spy segments! And how about the scene in YS where they're showing weird looking numbers to count off a minute? Very Sesame Street!

Very true, drugs do not enhance your talent, they are more of a hinderance than anything else. And I agree with your example, lol, that commerical is so annoying (and does not make me want to eat there, which is the whole point of a commercial!)

 

[ISNorden]

Because we're talking about SS here, for perfect example, check out half the animated segments, especially Jazz #'s.

Oh heck yeah; I bet half the parents who saw those clips wondered what the animators were smoking (even if they were wrong to think that way).

For me to give a good example of something that seems like it was really done on drugs, look at that Quizno's commercial where the guy can't seem to remember the "letter" to say "MMMMMM" (and says rrrrr and P-p-p-p). That seems like it was made without any effort, it makes no sense, and it only seems funny if you're feeling giggly anyway (so doesn't finding a penny on the floor).

*groan* That sounds like a bad parody of Sesame Street there; I'm glad I never saw that ad myself! Besides...if someone's food inspires you to say "mmmmm", the last thing on your mind is how to spell it!

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah I mean it's fun to make jokes like "wonder what they were smoking", but you just can't take it too seriously, hehe.

 

[minor muppetz]

Bumping this old thread because.... The clip is actually finally on YouTube!

 

[Katzi428]

Bumping this old thread because.... The clip is actually finally on YouTube!

I never saw this clip before. But with the flashing background (before the fireworks) I understand why they didn't show it much. It's enough to trigger seizures! I watched it for about a minute & had to turn it off.