Wednesday 25 June 2008

More than just an ordinary strawberry field



"I must be crazy or a genius".

One of the favourite quotes of John Lennon's. And he revealed his insecurity about being constantly on different wavelenghts with others in his song...

"No one I think is in my tree,I mean it must be high or low".

Strawberry Fields Forever... nothing close to the strawberries that we all know. Strawberry Field was in fact an orphanage in Liverpool ran by the Salvation Army, near the home where Lennon used to stay with his Aunt Mimi during his childhood days.

John Lennon loved the garden parties held there during the summer months and often spent too much time on other days playing in Strawberry Field with his friends. Much to the dismay of his Aunt, which he reciprocated with nothing but crude reply, "They can't hang you for it" (this inspired another verse of the lyrics "nothing to get hung about")

My favourite thing about this song is how I can relate with his attitude about life:

"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out.
It doesn't matter much to me."


The fact is it is so easy to live a life, if living means conforming without questions and drifting along as time slips by. Do not be bothered with right or wrong and don't expect to be somebody. Of course life will work out, if you do not care what it means.

I haven't found my Strawberry Field, a place where dreams seem real, where you truly feel belonged and attuned. But I certainly hope you have one too.

At the ending of the song, John Lennon said "Cranberry Sauce" a few times (probably most obvious when he said it for the very last time), which was mistaken as "I buried Paul" (fellow band mate Paul McCartney). This led to rumours that Paul had died! That was in 1967.


* Strawberry Fields Forever *

Let me take you down,
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.

Living is easy with eyes closed,
Misunderstanding all you see.
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out.
It doesn't matter much to me.

Let me take you down,
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.

No one I think is in my tree, I mean it must be high or low.
That is you can't you know tune in but it's all right.
That is I think it's not too bad.

Let me take you down,
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.

Always no sometimes think it's me,
But you know I know when it's a dream.
I think I know I mean "Yes," but it's all wrong.
That is I think I disagree.

Let me take you down,
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.
Strawberry Fields forever.
Strawberry Fields forever.

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