Tuesday September 21, 2021 “Strawberry Fields Forever” The Beatles

Today’s song of the day is number seven on the Rolling Stone 500 Best Songs  list.  It is by the Beatles who, as you might imagine, have quite a few songs on the list, and yes we did skip a couple of from yesterday’s number ten “Hey Ya!”  Why?  Because neither of them would have been on my list of 5,000 songs.

Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army orphanage in Liverpool where John Lennon used to go to hang out. His memories of the place are what inspired this song.  Lennon said he felt a kinship to these children as his father had left him at an early age and his mother was killed in a automobile incident leaving him effectively an orphan.

This was the first Beatles single not to be a number one song because the “B” side, remember, we are still in the record era in 1967, was “Penny Lane” and record stores reported sales for one or the other, splitting the total sales.

It was the first song cut at the Sgt. Pepper sessions, though it got left off the album so it would come out as a single in February 1967, with McCartney’s “Penny Lane” on the flip side. “Strawberry Fields” is a song full of raw pain and yet the Beatles made it feel like an irresistible invitation.

If you find yourself in NYC take a moment to stop by Strawberry Fields in Central Park.  It is just off Central Park West on 72nd Street across from the Dakota where John Lennon lived and was shot.  Usually some folks are there playing guitar and singing Beatle songs and you can take a moment to remember a legend..

Stay safe and well...and would “Strawberry Fields” be on your top ten list

One, two, three, uh

My baby don't mess around

Because she loves me so

And this I know fo sho (uh)

But does she really wanna

But can't stand to see me walk out the door? (Ah)

Don't try to fight the feeling

Because the thought alone is killin' me right now (uh)

Thank God for Mom and Dad

For sticking two together

'Cause we don't know how (c'mon)

Hey ya, hey ya

Hey ya, hey ya

Hey ya, hey ya

Hey ya, hey ya

You think you've got it

Oh, you think you've got it

But got it just don't get it 'til there's nothin' at all

We get together

Oh, we get together

But separate's always better when there's feelings involved

If what they say is

"Nothing is forever"

Then what makes, then what makes

Then what makes, then what makes (what makes, what makes)

Love the exception?

So why, oh, why, oh

Why, oh, why, oh, why, oh

Are we so in denial when we know we're not happy here

(Y'all don't want to here me, ya just want to dance) Hey ya, hey ya

Don't want to meet your daddy (oh ohh), just want you in my caddy (oh ohh)

Hey ya! (Oh, oh!) Hey ya! (Oh, oh!)

Don't want to meet your momma, just want to make you cum-a (oh,oh!)

I'm (oh,oh) I'm (oh,oh) I'm just being honest! (Oh,oh)

I'm just being honest!

Hey! Alright now! Alright now, fellas!

Yea?

Now, what cooler than being cool?

Ice cold!

I can't hear ya! I say what's, what's cooler than being cool?

Ice cold!

Alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright alright!

Okay, now ladies!

Yea?

Now we gonna break this thang down for just a few seconds

Now don't have me break this thang down for nothin'

I want to see you on your baddest behavior!

Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor!

Ah! Here we go now,

Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it

Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it

Shake it like a Polaroid picture! Hey ya!

Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it

Shake it, shake it, shake it, suga!

Shake it like a Polaroid picture!

Now all the Beyonce's, and Lucy Liu's, and baby dolls

Get on tha floor get on tha floor!

Shake it like a Polaroid picture!

Oh, you! Oh, you!

Hey ya!(Oh, oh) Hey ya!(Oh, oh)

Hey ya!(Oh, oh) Hey ya!(Oh, oh)

Hey ya!(Oh, oh) Hey ya!(Oh, oh)