Pop Song 361 of 500 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' The Beatles 1968

Pop Song 361 of 500 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' The Beatles 1968

Paul McCartney began writing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" during the Beatles' stay in Rishikesh, India, in early 1968. Prudence Farrow, one of their fellow Transcendental Meditation students there, recalled McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison playing it to her in an attempt to lure her out of her room, where she had become immersed in intense meditation. McCartney wrote the song when reggae was becoming popular in Britain; author Ian MacDonald describes it as "McCartney's rather approximate tribute to the Jamaican ska idiom". The character of Desmond in the lyrics, from the opening line "Desmond has a barrow in the market-place", was a reference to reggae singer Desmond Dekker, who had recently toured the UK. The tag line "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah" was an expression used by Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor, an acquaintance of McCartney. According to Scott's widow, as part of his stage act with his band Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, Scott would call out "Ob la di", to which the audience would respond "Ob la da", and he would then conclude: "Life goes on."

Desmond has a barrow in the marketplace
Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly, "Girl, I like your face"
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, how the life goes on
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, how the life goes on
Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler's store
Buys a 20 carat golden ring (ring)
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
And as he gives it to her, she begins to sing (sing)
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da (la, la, la, la, la, la)
Life goes on, brah (la, la, la, la, la, la)
La, la, how the life goes on
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da (la, la, la, la, la, la)
Life goes on, brah (la, la, la, la, la, la)
La, la, how the life goes on (yeah)
In a couple of years
They have built a home, sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones (ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha)
Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond lets the children lend a hand (arm, leg)
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
And in the evening, she still sings it with the band (yes)
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, how the life goes on (hey)
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, how the life goes on
In a couple of years
They have built a home, sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones (hey)
Happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening, she's a singer with the band (yeah)
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, how the life goes on (hey)
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, how the life goes on
And if you want some fun
Take Ob-la-di-bla-da
Thank you