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The Beatles – Julia (1:56)

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About This Track

“Julia” is a song by The Beatles. It is the final song on side two (and disc one, in the CD era) of the band’s 1968 album, The Beatles (The White Album). It was written by John Lennon, and features Lennon on vocals and acoustic guitar. It was written during the Beatles’ 1968 visit to India, where they were studying under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It was here Lennon learned the song’s finger-picking guitar style (known as ‘Travis-picking’) from the Scottish musician Donovan. No other Beatle sings or plays on the recording. While Paul McCartney made several “solo” compositions attributed to the group, dating back to his famous song “Yesterday”, this is the only time that Lennon played and sang unaccompanied on a Beatles track.

“Julia” was written for John’s mother Julia Lennon (1914-1958), who was knocked down and killed by a car driven by an off-duty police officer when John was still only 17 years old. It was also written for his future wife Yoko Ono, whose first name, which literally means “child of the sea” in Japanese, is echoed in lyrics such as “Oceanchild, calls me.” An alternative theory suggests that the song was written for Julian Lennon, John’s son.

The first two lines of the song – “Half of what I say is meaningless/ But I say it just to reach you, Julia” – were adapted from the poem “Sand and Foam,” by the Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran. The original line is: “Half of what I say is meaningless; but I say it so that the other half may reach you.
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Albums featuring this track

  • The Beatles (The White Album)
    The Beatles Play
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  • The White Album
    The Beatles Play
    Buy
  • The Beatles
    The Beatles Play
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  • Anthology 3 (disc 1)
    The Beatles Play
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See all 19 albums

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  • Chiliburger801

    Such a beautiful song.

    14 days ago

  • itsjulia_

    <3

    last month

  • pnihill2000

    Favorite Beatles song :)

    last month

  • Distron

    "Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you"

    last month

  • SayonaraKansas

    My English teacher used to call my name in roll all sing songy like this since my name is indeed Julia. Good memories.

    March 2012

  • yellowcloud

    so so lovely and pretty and sad

    February 2012

  • crawlpalmetto

    The most beautifully sad song ever...

    February 2012

  • JaneCaulfield8

    The most underrated Beatles song ever. Pure beauty.

    February 2012

  • patricksean123

    One of my favorite Beatles songs from John. Absolutely beautiful.

    February 2012

  • QuiveringGroove

    This version is from the great Anthology Cd's not the White Album, but it's the Beatles, so it's all good.

    January 2012

  • ThalitaCarroll

    This is soooo nostalgic.

    January 2012

  • oldiesfanjohn

    Aw.....makes me wish her name was Julia.....

    January 2012

  • kemp678

    Aw.....makes me wish my name was Julia.......

    January 2012

  • yurmomeatspants

    my dad sings this to me. <3

    December 2011

  • theseasonisours

    :'(

    December 2011

  • tihsymtae

    http://8tracks.com/tihsymtae/blue

    November 2011

  • innerspeaker

    How did he write these songs that are so full of beauty and meaning yet seem so effortless? Might be the best acoustic ballad I've ever heard.

    October 2011

  • uncare

    so sad ;-;

    August 2011

  • frontierr

    my name :3

    July 2011

  • davidbowiegirl

    Great song

    July 2011
See all 169 shouts

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