OTHER ACTS' ANALYSES

I Am the Walrus

(John Lennon / The Beatles)

Freddie Mercury celebrated his 21st birthday at the family flat in Feltham on 5th September 1967. That same day, about 40 miles away, The Beatles recorded this extraordinary song, one of the most influential of popular music. Walrus is part of Lennon's epic trilogy (the others being Strawberry Fields Forever and A Day in the Life, the latter having contributions from McCartney in the middle-eight) and strongly contributed to what later on they'd label "progressive rock".

General Info:

Music & Lyrics by: John Lennon
Arranged by: John Lennon & George Martin
Written: 1967
Length: 4:34
Released on: 24th November 1967

Produced by: George Martin
Recorded: 5th September 1967 at Abbey Road Studios, London

Keys: A
Metre: 4/4
Form: Cyclic

Drums: Ringo Starr
Bass: Paul McCartney
Guitar: George Harrison
Piano: John Lennon

Lead Vocal: John Lennon
Backing Vocals: The Mike Sammes Singers

Violins, Cellos, Horns Clarinet & Choir Conducted by: George Martin

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The Composer:

John Lennon was the greatest composer of popular music. Born on 9th October 1940 in Liverpool, murdered on 8th December 1980 in New York, he played guitar, piano and other instruments and sang. He was, numerically, The Beatles' chief composer and he penned six of the band's British #1 hits: A Hard Day's Night, I Feel Fine, Help!, Day Tripper, All You Need Is Love and Ballad of John and Yoko, as well as co-writing From Me to You, She Loves You and I Want to Hold Your Hand and some more.

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Form

Intro
Verse
Verse'
Refrain
Verse"
Verse'
Refrain
Break
Intro'
Intro'
Refrain'
Verse
Verse'
Refrain"
Intro"...

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Harmony:

Only seven major chords: A, B, C, D, E, F and G (I, V/V, bIII, IV, V, bVI, IV/IV).

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