Fab Four Frolics & Follies

Sometime in 1964, like everyone else I knew, I became acquainted with the Beatles. John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Railroad cars of narrative and literature are extant, within reach, right there under your noses. Besides the harmonies, the creativity, the uniqueness of the super group, short-lived together, and immortal in its pieces and survivors –what really sticks with me are the poetic lyrics of many of their songs. Following are just a few that I found, and want to share:

Can't Buy Me Love

Can't buy me love, love,
Can't buy me love.
I'll buy you a diamond ring my friend,
If it makes you feel alright,
I'll get you anything my friend,
If it makes you feel alright,
'Cause I don't care too much for money,
Money can't buy me love.

I'll give you all I've got to give,
If you say you love me too,
I may not have a lot to give,
But what I've got I'll give to you,
I don't care too much for money.
Money can't buy me love.

Can't buy me love, ev'rybody tells me so,
Can't buy me love, no, no, no, no.

Say you don't need no diamond rings,
And I'll be satisfied,
Tell me that you want the kind of things,
That money just can't buy,
I don't care too much for money.
Money can't buy me love.

Can't buy me love, ev'rybody tells me so,
Can't buy me love, no, no, no, no.
Say you don't need no diamond rings,
And I'll be satisfied,
Tell me that you want the kind of things,
That money just can't buy,
I don't care too much for money.
Money can't buy me love.
Can't buy me love, love,
Can't buy me love.



Paperback Writer

Paperback writer, paperback writer.
Dear Sir or Madam will you read my book,
It took me years to write will you take a look,
Based on a novel by a man named Lear,
And I need a job,
So I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer. I

t's a dirty story of a dirty man,
And his clinging wife doesn't understand.
His son is working for the Daily Mail,
It's a steady job,
But he wants to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

It's a thousand pages give or take a few,
I'll be writing more in a week or two,
I can make it longer if you like the style,
I can change it round,
And I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

If you really like it you can have the rights,
It could make a million for you overnight,
If you must return it you can send it here,
But I need a break,
And I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.



Lady Madonna

Lady Madonna children at your feet
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet.
Who finds the money when you pay the rent?
Did you think that money was heaven sent?

Friday night arrives without a suitcase
Sunday morning creeping like nun
Monday's child has learned ot tie his bootlace.
See how they'll run.

Lady Madonna baby at your breast
Wonder how you manage to feed the rest.
See how they'll run.

Lady Madonna lying on the bed
Listen to the music playing in your head.
Tuesday afternoon is never ending
Wedn'sday morning papers didn't come
Thursday night your stockings needed mending.
See how they'll run.

Lady Madonna children at your feet
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet



Revolution

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world.

You tell me that it's evolution,
Well, you know
We all want to change the world.

But when you talk about destruction,
Don't you know that you can count me out. In.
Don't you know it's going to be alright,
Alright, alright.

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan.

You ask me for a contribution,
Well, you know
We all do what we can.

If you want money for people with minds that hate,
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait.
Don't you know it's going to be alright,
Alright, alright.

You say you'll change a constitution
Well, you know
We'd all love to change your head.

You tell me it's the institution,
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead.

But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao,
You ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow.
Don't you know it's going to be alright,
Alright, alright.


Hey Jude


Hey Jude don't make it bad,
Take a sad song and make it better,
Remember, to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

Hey Jude don't be afraid,
You were made to go out and get her,
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.

And anytime you feel the pain,
Hey Jude refrain,
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool,
Who plays it cool,
By making his world a little colder.

Hey Jude don't let me down,
You have found her now go and get her,
Remember (Hey Jude) to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

So let it out and let it in
Hey Jude begin,
You're waiting for someone to perform with.
And don't you know that it's just you.
Hey Jude, you'll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.

Hey Jude, don't make it bad,
Take a sad song and make it better,
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then you'll begin to make it all better,
better, better, better, better, better, better, ah!
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Hey Jude, Jude , Jude, Jude, Jude, yeah, yeah!
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Hey Jude.



Old Brown Shoe

I want a love that's right but right is only half of what's wrong,
I want a short haired girl who sometimes wears it twice as long.
I'm stepping out this old brown shoe,
Baby I'm in love with you,
I'm so glad you came here it won't be the same now I'm telling you.

You know you pick me up from where some try to drag me down,
And when I see your smile replacing ev'ry thoughtless frown,
Got me escaping from this zoo,
Baby I'm in love with you,
I'm so glad you came here it won't be the same now I'm telling you.

If I grow up I'll be a singer,
Wearing rings on every finger,
Not worrying what they or you say.
I'll live and love and maybe some day,
Who knows baby,
You may comfort me.

I may appear to be imperfect,
My love is something you can't reject,
I'm changing faster than the weather,
If you and me should get together,
Who knows baby
You may comfort me.

I want that love of yours
To miss that love is something I'd hate,
I'll make an early start I'm making sure that I'm not late,
For your sweet top lip I'm in the queue,
Baby I'm in love with you,
I'm so glad you came here it won't be the same now when I'm with you.
I'm so glad you came here it won't be the same now when I'm with you.



Yellow Submarine

In the town where I was born,
Lived a man who sailed the sea,
And he told us of his life,
In the land of submarines.

So we sailed on to the sun,
Till we found the sea of green,
And we lived beneath the waves,
In our yellow submarine.

We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine,

And our friends are all aboard,
Many more of them live next door,
And the band begins to play.

We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine,

As we live a life of ease,
Everyone of us has all we need,
Sky of blue and sea of green,
In our yellow submarine.

We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine.



Hey Bulldog

Sheep dog standing in the rain.
Bull frog doing it again.
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles.
What makes you think you're something special when you smile.

Child-like yeah, no one understands.
Jack-knife in your sweaty hands.
Some kind of innocence is measured out in years.
You don't know what it's like to listen to your fears.

You can talk to me,
You can talk to me,
You can talk to me,
If you're lonely you can talk to me (yeah!)

Big man walking in the park
Wigwam frightened of the dark
Some kind of solitude measured out in you.
You think you know it but you haven't got a clue.

You can talk to me,
You can talk to me,
You can talk to me,
If you're lonely you can talk to me (yeah!)

Hey bulldog, hey bulldog, hey bulldog
Hey, bulldog,
Woof!
Wha'd'ya say?
I said woof!
D'y'know any more?
Wowu-wa Ah!



Come Together


Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please
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

Come together right now over me
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 arms so you can feel his disease
Come together right now over me

He roller-coaster he got early warning
He got muddy water he one mojo filter
He say "One and one and one is three"
Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now over me



Maxwell's Silver Hammer

Joan was quizzical studied pataphysical science in the home
Late night all alone with a test-tube,
Oh oh, oh oh.

Maxwell Edison majoring in medicine calls her on the phone,
Can I take you to the pictures Joan.
But as she's getting ready to go, a knock come on the door.

Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head,
Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that she was dead.

Back in school again,
Maxwell plays the fool again, teacher gets annoyed,
Wishing to avoid an unpleasant scene,
She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away,
So he waits behind,
Writing fifty times I must not be so

But when she turns her back on the boy, he creeps up from behind,
Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head,
Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that she was dead.

P.C. thirty-one said, we've caught a dirty one,
Maxwell stands alone
Painting testimonial pictures oh oh oh oh.

Rose and Valerie screaming from the gallery say he must go free.
The judge does not agree and he tells them so oh oh.

But as the words are leaving his lips, a noise comes from behind,
Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon his head,
Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that he was dead.
Silver hammer man.



You Never Give Me Your Money

You never give me your money
You only give me your funny paper
And in the middle of negotiations you break down

I never give you my number
I only give you my situation
And in the middle of investigation I break down.

Out of college money spent
See no future pay no rent.
All the money's gone, nowhere to go.

Any Jobber got the sack,
Monday morning turning back.
Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go.
But oh all that magic feeling nowhere to go.

One sweet dream
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine.
Soon we'll be away from here.
Step on the gas and wipe that tear away,
One sweet dream came true today, came true today.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
All good children go to heaven



Mean Mr. Mustard

Mean Mister Mustard sleeps in the park,
Shaves in the dark
Trying to save paper.
Sleeps in a hole in the road
Saving up to buy some clothes.
Keeps a ten bob note up his nose,
Such a mean old man, such a mean old man.

His sister Pam works in a shop,
She never stops, she's a go getter.
Takes him out to look at the Queen,
Only place that he's ever been.
Always shouts out something obscene,
Such a dirty old man, dirty old man.



She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

Oh look out
She came in through the bathroom window,
Protected by a silver spoon
But now she sucks her thumb and wonders
By the banks of her own lagoon

Didn't anybody tell her
Didn't anybody see
Sundays on the phone to Monday
Tuesdays on the phone to me.

She said she'd always been a dancer
She worked at fifteen clubs a day
And though she thought I knew the answer
Well I knew
I could not say.

And so I quit the police department
And got myself a steady job
And though she tried her best to help me
She could steal but she could not rob.