OB-LA-DI, OB-LA-DA

"'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da'" is a Beatles song originally released on the double-disc album ''The Beatles'' (also known as ''The White Album''), and later released as a single. It is a Paul McCartney composition (credited to Lennon/McCartney).

Contents

Musical composition

Lyrics

Controversy

Cover versions

In popular culture

References

Musical composition

The song was a conscious homage to the emerging reggae movement (lyrical reference: "life goes on, bra"), possibly related to the growing Jamaican population in Britain, although it is heavily blended with honky tonk. Aside from the syncopated beat, the song also employed metre schemes and devices not used in the Beatles' previous works and demonstrated the group's highly experimental nature at the time of its recording.
McCartney originally thought of the melody to be delivered at a much slower pace. However, John Lennon was not pleased with the song. He thought it was annoying and irrelevant. Lennon was experimenting with LSD at the time McCartney ran the song by him. Lennon, to satirise the effort, purposely sped up the tempo. McCartney was surprised at how good it sounded, and decided to stick with the faster version.
The character of Desmond is a reference to ska and reggae legend Desmond Dekker.

Lyrics

The light-hearted lyrics tell and retell the story of a couple named Desmond and Molly; the simple, upbeat lyrics are often punctuated by laughter, shouts, and sounds that accompany the lyrics in the background. The second time that the story is retold, the names are switched around in certain places. McCartney described the switch as a slip of the tongue; he decided to keep it in because none of the other Beatles wanted to run through the song again. Also, when the line is "lets the children lend a hand", it is possible to hear two Beatles in the background saying "arm" and "leg" instead of hand. Longtime Beatles associate Pete Shotton, who was present at the session, confirmed Paul's statement that the switch-up was accidental in his memoir ''The Beatles, Lennon and Me''.

Controversy

Nigerian musician/singer Jimmy Scott later claimed that the phrase "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" was originally his; Scott sued McCartney for compensation for using the phrase in the lyrics and as the title of the song. According to McCartney, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" merely was a common saying of the Yoruba tribe, and Scott had simply taught the saying to McCartney. It reportedly means "Life goes on", words which are also heard in the song. The case was settled out of court.

Cover versions

★ Arthur Conley, on the album ''More Sweet Soul''.

★ Celia Cruz (a version in Spanish), on the album ''Tropical Tribute to the Beatles''.

★ Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, on the album ''Music of the Beatles''.

★ Daniel O'Donnell, on the albums ''The Jukebox Years'', ''Rock 'n' roll show''.

★ James Last, on the albums "Die grössten Songs von The Beatles" (1983) and "James Last & Friends" (1998) (as a part of the "Beatles Medley")

★ Maria Muldaur, on the album ''The Blues White Album''.

★ Marmalade (reached number one in 1969).

★ The Bedrocks, a West Indian band from Leeds (reached number 20 in 1968).

★ No Doubt, on the albums ''Boom Box'', ''Live in the Tragic Kingdom''.

★ Persuasions, on the album ''The Persuasions sing the Beatles''.

★ Phish, on the album ''Live Phish Volume 13''.

★ Shango, on the album ''Shango''.

★ The Heptones, on the album ''Mellow Dubmarine.

★ Youssou N'Dour, on the album ''7 Seconds''.

★ The cast of ''Life Goes On'' during the show's opening sequence

In popular culture

★ The song is referenced in Savoy Truffle composed by George Harrison, which is on the same album

★ This song's lyrics were mentioned in the "Full House" episode "The Big Three-O." Jesse drives Danny's red convertible Bullet into the San Francisco Bay. Danny, attempting to not mind, states, "Hey! Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah!"

★ John Williamson, while covering The Offspring's "Why Don't You Get A Job" as a musical challenge for the Andrew Denton Breakfast Show, segued into "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" when he noticed the strong (intentional) similarity between the songs.

★ During the home games of the National Hockey League team the Vancouver Canucks, the song is always played at least once.

★ Spanish/French fusion singer Manu Chao references the phrase repeatedly at the end of his 2001 hit single, "Me Gustas Tú."

★ A cover version served as the theme song on the ABC television series ''Life Goes On'', sung by the cast with Patti LuPone on lead vocals.

★ The song came top in an online poll of the worst songs ever. ^[1]

★ An edited cover was performed by the Australian comedy duo the Scared Weird Little Guys with the words completely replaced with morse code.

★ In the show Ed, Edd, 'n' Eddy, on the episode "Rent a Ed", when Ed breaks a teeter totter and falls into the ground, he says "Ob La Di, Ob La Da".

★ In the popular play Angels in America, written by Tony Kushner, Louis tells Joe, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Di."

References

1. Beatles classic voted worst song from The BBC (November 10, 2004)