Semolina Pilchard?

It was on this day Sept. 29, 1967 when The Beatles put the finishing touches on the mix for John Lennon’s “I Am The Walrus”.

John, irritated after reading in the newspaper that a teacher at his former elementary school had her students write a paper analyzing Beatles lyrics, he deliberately wrote a verse of what he called “Gibberish”;

Semolina Pilchard
Climbing up the Eiffel tower
Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna
Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allen Poe

That’ll teach ’em!

Meanwhile, YOU must surely have been baffled by some of John’s “Work”

How about “Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog’s eye” or “Rocking horse people with looking glass ties”

you got one?

Meanwhile, Here’s The Walrus In Question:

 

 

8 Comments

  1. 20+ years ago I didn’t have internet but still I took some time to investigate Semolina Pilchard’s bio and why she was climbing up the Eiffel Tower 😀

    • Hey Jess,
      First! Welcome to SMS!! Second, what did Ms. Pilchard have to say?
      Don’t be a stranger!
      Thanx Jéss,
      Rick@ SMS

  2. Thanks for the info! im a fan of the beatles since i have 10 years old, now im 17 and im rediscovering the lyrics. greetings from Argentina!

    • Hey Bruno,
      First and foremost, we’d like to welcome you to SMS and hopefullly you’ll join us regularly and be part of the ongoing conversation about Music and the 60’s!
      Additionally, you may be the first reader we’ve heard from in Argentina!
      Lastly, at 17, You are part of the third generation of Beatle fans!
      Welcome Bruno and we look forward to hearing more from you!
      Best,
      Rick / SMS

  3. INCREDIBLE….I always thought that attempting to figure out Beatle lyrics was just plane ol’ “OVER THINKING” on my part!! Now this story makes PERFECT SENSE!!!!!
    wood

    • Hey Wood,
      With regard to Beatle lyrics, we don’t believe in “Over thinking”……Nope!
      “always thinking…..YES! To this very day!
      Thanx,
      R.

  4. I believe Pilchard refers to the infamous Sgt. Pilchard of London Metro who led the drug raids against John Lennon, Mick Jagger etc. The thought was that he had planted drugs during raids. Pilchard was later convicted and sent to prison. I suppose they serve semolina there.

    • John…..”Leave it to YOU!”
      Great piece of trivia….Also, didja know that the BBC banned “I Am The Walrus” because of the lines “Pornographic Priestest” and “You let your knickers down”

      There are so many stories behind the lyrics to this particular Beatle tune!
      Didja know that Eric Burdon claims that he is in fact “The Egg Man”…
      In his biography Burdon claims that in a conversation with John Lennon he shared a story about an extraordinary sexual encounter he had that involved an EGG!…..From that moment on Lennon always referred to Eric as… “THE EGGMAN
      Goo goo ga joob…

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