Cry Baby Cry

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“Cry Baby Cry”
“Cry Baby Cry” cover
Song by The Beatles
Album The Beatles
Released 22 November 1968
Recorded Abbey Road Studios
16 July 1968
Genre Rock
Length 3:03
Label Apple Records
Writer Lennon-McCartney
Producer George Martin
The Beatles track listing

Side one

  1. "Back in the U.S.S.R."
  2. "Dear Prudence"
  3. "Glass Onion"
  4. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
  5. "Wild Honey Pie"
  6. "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill"
  7. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
  8. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun"

Side two

  1. "Martha My Dear"
  2. "I'm So Tired"
  3. "Blackbird"
  4. "Piggies"
  5. "Rocky Raccoon"
  6. "Don't Pass Me By"
  7. "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?"
  8. "I Will"
  9. "Julia"

Side three

  1. "Birthday"
  2. "Yer Blues"
  3. "Mother Nature's Son"
  4. "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"
  5. "Sexy Sadie"
  6. "Helter Skelter"
  7. "Long, Long, Long"

Side four

  1. "Revolution 1"
  2. "Honey Pie"
  3. "Savoy Truffle"
  4. "Cry Baby Cry"
  5. "Revolution 9"
  6. "Good Night"
This article is about The Beatles song. For the Santana song, see Cry Baby Cry (Santana song).

"Cry Baby Cry" is a song by The Beatles from their self titled album, more commonly known as The White Album. "Cry Baby Cry" is the final song on the album featuring the group's instrumental presence. It is about an old fairy tale that John Lennon remembered from his youth.[citation needed]

The song features a brief segment often referred to as "Can You Take Me Back".

Contents

[edit] History

When asked about "Cry Baby Cry" in 1980, Lennon replied, "Not mine. A piece of rubbish."[1] The "Not mine" part is either a mistake in Lennon's memory, an error in the transcription of the interviewer's audio tape of the interview, or Lennon sarcastically disowning the song. Paul McCartney said, "Cry Baby Cry was another of John's songs from India,"[2], although demos of the song indicate it was written in late 1967, before the Beatles went to India.[citation needed]

The original lyrics were "Cry baby cry, make your mother buy." Lennon said he got the words from an advertisement.[citation needed] The "Duchess of Kirkcaldy" mentioned in the song was a creation of Lennon's, possibly inspired by the Beatles' gig in the town of the same name in 1963.[3]

George Martin plays harmonium on this track (introduced after the first statement of "make your mother sigh". This was the same harmonium Lennon used on "We Can Work It Out" and that Martin had previously used on "The Word".

[edit] Can You Take Me Back

"Cry Baby Cry" includes a very short unrelated song performed by McCartney, whose most prominent line is "Can you take me back?" appearing directly before "Revolution 9". This portion of the song does not appear in the lyrics included with the album. Immediately following, a short and barely audible conversation takes place between producer George Martin and Alistair Taylor, Brian Epstein’s personal assistant. Taylor is apologising to Martin, apparently for neglecting to bring a bottle of wine for him to the session. While this was included as part of the track for "Cry Baby Cry" on some CD releases, it is considered the beginning of "Revolution 9."[4][5]Also, at the end of "Come Together" on the Love soundtrack, the song segues into "Can You Take Me Back".

The whole version of the song is featured on several bootlegs.

[edit] Cultural references

[edit] Cover versions

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. New York: St. Martin's Press, 200. ISBN 0-312-25464-4. 
  2. ^ Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt & Company, 487. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6. 
  3. ^ A Lady Godiva for Scotland?. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
  4. ^ Revolution 9 (1) Section 1.1. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
  5. ^ Steve's Beatle Page - Songs - Revolution 9. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.

[edit] External links