The World is What?
I first heard Rubber Soul when I was about six. That album has always been one of my favorites, which I think has something to do with the sound of something, some element in there, but I don’t know what. However, for years after I first heard it, I would often wonder what the heck “The Word” was supposed to be about. This is because, well, I had no clue what the words really were.
You are all familiar with the actual lyrics, yes? Well, this is what I was hearing:
Save the world and you’ll be free
Save the world and be like me
Save the world and think it out
Have you heard the world is love?
It’s so fine
It’s sunshine
It’s the world love
I know what you’re all thinking: “What the hell?” And that’s what I was thinking, but keep in mind I was six. I assumed that “the world is love” must mean something important to be in a song. Here’s the sad part: I went around with this misconception for several years. Recently I got back into the Beatles; then, and only then, did I realize what the real words were.
Which makes “the world is love” even weirder, in my opinion.
when i was a kid, i sang row row row your boat just like every other kid.
then one day my dad was trying to keep me occupied while we were at the laundromat by having me write down lyrics to songs in a blank book. i did london bridges, no problem. twinkle twinkle, no problem. then i got to row your boat.
“row row row your boat, gently down the stream.
merrily merrily merrily merrily
life a spot a dream”
no one knew i had learned it wrong till i wrote it down for them. and i had never thought to question what the hell “a spot” had to do with life or a dream. it just was what it was to me.
personally, i think “the world is love” makes a LOT more sense. it’s very mystical.