It’s hard to imagine anyone was particularly serious while recording “I Am the Walrus.” This seemingly nonsensical Beatles track is typically regarded as such–nonsensical. It’s beloved for its weirdness. Nevertheless, the vibe in the studio the day they committed this song to tape was solemn. Find out why the Beatles were so down while creating this upbeat track, below.
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Why “I Am the Walrus” Was One of the Beatles’ Saddest Moments as a Group
I am he as you are he, as you are me and we are all together
See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly
I’m crying
Beatles engineer, Geoff Emerick, recounted the experience of watching the Beatles record “I Am the Walrus.” He explained the situation in great detail, keying fans into the aftermath of a not-so-great moment for the Fab Four: the death of their longtime manager, Brian Epstein.
“I Am the Walrus” certainly doesn’t seem like the best song to grieve to. Nevertheless, there was a job to do–no matter the extenuating circumstances.
“There was a pallor across the session that day – we were all distracted, thinking about Brian – but there was a song to be recorded, too,” Emerick once said. “Everyone seemed bewildered. The melody [to ‘I Am the Walrus’] consisted largely of just two notes, and the lyrics were pretty much just nonsense – for some reason John appeared to be singing about a walrus and an eggman. There was a moment of silence when he finished, then Lennon looked up at George Martin expectantly.”
Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come
Corporation tee-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday
Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long
Unsurprisingly, Martin had issues with this off-kilter track the first time he heard it.
“That one was called ‘I Am The Walrus,’ John said,” Emerick continued. “‘So…what do you think?’ George looked flummoxed; for once he was at a loss for words. ‘Well, John, to be honest, I have only one question: What the hell do you expect me to do with that?’”
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen
I am the walrus, goo-goo g’joob
Despite his reservations, the song was completed and added to the tracklist for Magical Mystery Tour. But, it wasn’t an easy ride getting to that point. As Emerick recalled, the band found it hard to cope in the wake of Epstein’s death.
“I distinctly remember the look of emptiness on all their faces while they were playing ‘I Am The Walrus,’” Emerick added. “It’s one of the saddest memories I have of my time with The Beatles.”
Revisit this track, below.
Mister City policeman sitting pretty little policemen in a row
See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky, see how they run
I’m crying, I’m crying
I’m crying, I’m crying
(Photo by Sevenoaks Chronicle/The Sevenoaks Chronicle/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)
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