Glass Onion

"Glass Onion"^[1] is a song by The Beatles from their 1968 double-album The Beatles (commonly referred to as The White Album) primarily written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. This is the first track on the White Album to feature Ringo Starr on drums. Starr briefly left the group during recording sessions for the album and was replaced on drums by Paul McCartney on both "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Dear Prudence."

Lyrics

The song refers to several earlier Beatles' songs, including "Strawberry Fields Forever", "I Am the Walrus", "Lady Madonna", "The Fool on the Hill" and "Fixing a Hole". There are also subtle, passing references to "There's a Place", "I'm Looking Through You" and "Within You Without You".^[2] The song also refers to the "Cast Iron Shore," a coastal area of south Liverpool known to local people as "The Cazzy".^[3]

The song's "The Walrus was Paul" lyric is both a reference to "I Am the Walrus" and Lennon saying "something nice to Paul" in response to changes in their relationship at that time.^[4] Later, the line was interpreted as a "clue" in the "Paul is dead" urban legend that alleged McCartney died in 1966 during the recording of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and was replaced by a look-alike and sound-alike. The line is preceded with "Well, here's another clue for you all".

Lennon himself dismissed any deep meaning to the mysterious lyrics:

Personnel

• John Lennon – double-tracked vocal, acoustic guitar
• Paul McCartney – bass, piano, recorder
• George Harrison – lead guitar
• Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine
• George Martin – string arrangement
• Henry Datyner – violin
• Eric Bowie – violin
• Norman Lederman – violin
• Ronald Thomas – violin
• John Underwood – viola
• Keith Cummings – viola
• Eldon Fox – cello
• Reginald Kilby – cello

Personnel per Ian MacDonald^[6]

Notes

References