Abbey Road is a rock album that incorporates genres such as blues, pop, and progressive rock, and it makes prominent use of the Moog synthesizer and the Leslie speaker. Side two contains a medley of song fragments edited together to form a single piece. The album was recorded amid a more enjoyable atmosphere than the "Get Back/Let It Be" sessions earlier in the year, but there were still frequent disagreements within the band. John Lennon had privately left the group by the time the album was released and McCartney publicly quit the following year.
Abbey Road is widely regarded as one of The Beatles' most tightly constructed albums, although the band was barely operating as a functioning unit at the time. Despite the tensions within the band, Abbey Road was released to near universal acclaim and is considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2012, Abbey Road was voted 14th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In 2009, readers of the magazine also named Abbey Road the greatest Beatles album.
Although Abbey Road was an immediate commercial success and reached No. 1 in the UK and US, it initially received mixed reviews, some critics describing its music as inauthentic and bemoaning the production's artificial effects. Over time, the album became viewed as among the Beatles' best and many critics have ranked it as one of the greatest albums of all time. In particular, George Harrison's contributions, "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun", are considered to be among the best songs he wrote for the group. The album's cover, which features the four band members walking across a zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios, has become one of the most famous and imitated images in the history of popular music.
Come Together
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Here come old flat top
He come groovin' up slowly
He got ju-ju eyeball
He one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker
He just do what he please
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
He wear no shoeshine
He got toe jam football
He got monkey finger
He shoot Coca-Cola
He say I know you, you know me
One thing I can tell you is
You got to be free
Come together, right now
Over me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
He bag production
He got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard
He one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair
You can feel his disease
Come together, right now
Over me
Shoot me
Right
Come, come, come, come, come
He roller coaster
He got early warning
He got muddy water
He one mojo filter
He say one and one and one is three
Got to be good looking
'Cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now
Over me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Uh
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Uh
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
The lyrics of The Beatles' song "Come Together" are an example of John Lennon's eclectic and eccentric style. The song starts with the lines "Here come old flat top / He come groovin' up slowly" which refer to a man's appearance - with his flattened hair, low-cut shirt, and generally unkempt look. The reference to "ju-ju eyeball" could represent his eccentricities or idiosyncrasies. The redundant and almost comical line, "Shoot me," appears throughout the song and is believed to be an intentional throwaway line to 'shoot down' any negativity within the song or person it was written about.
The lyrics progress through various unusual images, such as "He wear no shoeshine / He got toe jam football / He got monkey finger." The theme of the song appears to be about an individual who is unique, different, and offbeat but has a critical message to share: "One thing I can tell you is / You got to be free." There's a hint of a suggestion about coming together to create a new world, with Lennon urging listeners to "Come together, right now, over me" and an invitation to a dance filled with unity, freedom, and equality. One last line, "Got to be good-lookin,' 'cause he's so hard to see," perhaps hints at the idea that people who might not fit society's traditional mold are often overlooked or invisible.
Line by Line Meaning
Shoot me
Repetitive phrase used throughout the song as a command or request to be shot
Here come old flat top
Referring to a man with a unique appearance
He come groovin' up slowly
Describing the man's relaxed and rhythmic gait
He got ju-ju eyeball
Highlighting the man's unusual or mystical perception of the world
He one holy roller
Suggesting this man is a devout or zealous individual
He got hair down to his knee
Describing the man's long hair as a distinguishing physical characteristic
Got to be a joker
Implying this man is not to be taken too seriously and has a fun, carefree personality
He just do what he please
Emphasizing his independence and self-determination
He wear no shoeshine
Highlighting this man's preference for being barefoot and casual
He got toe jam football
Describing this man's dirty and unclean feet
He got monkey finger
Highlighting the man's dexterity and nimble hands
He shoot Coca-Cola
Suggesting this man has a rebellious nature or is living life to the fullest
He say I know you, you know me
Emphasizing the man's easy-going and friendly nature
One thing I can tell you is
A preface to a wise observation or piece of advice
You got to be free
Encouraging the listener to be independent and true to themselves
Come together, right now
A call to unite and work together in harmony and peace
Over me
Emphasizing the importance of the cause or goal being worked towards in the collaboration
He bag production
Suggesting this man is ambitious and successful in his work
He got walrus gumboot
Describing this man's eccentric fashion choices
He got Ono sideboard
Alluding to Yoko Ono, a notable figure of the era, perhaps suggesting a willingness to embrace new and unconventional ideas
He one spinal cracker
Highlighting the man's ability to solve problems or innovate
He got feet down below his knee
Describing the man as being very tall or having very long legs
Hold you in his armchair
Suggesting a sense of safety or comfort from this man's presence
You can feel his disease
Perhaps a metaphorical way of saying that his charisma or mindset can be contagious
He roller coaster
Highlighting the man's dynamic and unpredictable nature
He got early warning
Suggesting this man has foresight or intuition
He got muddy water
Describing this man's rough and imperfect life or personality
He one mojo filter
Alluding to African American spiritual practices and suggesting this man has a mystical aura
He say one and one and one is three
Repeating a mathematical inconsistency to suggest that things are more complex or mysterious than they might seem
Got to be good looking
Emphasizing the importance of outward appearance
'Cause he's so hard to see
Suggesting that this man is more than meets the eye and not easily understood or judged
Come, come, come, come, come
A repetitious call to action and togetherness
Come together, yeah
Repeating the main message of the song, urging unity and cooperation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Mother Nature's Son
A really great Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Night Before
A really splendid Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on P.S. I Love You
Now this is a really great Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on There's a Place
A seriously underrated Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Do You Want to Know a Secret
A fantastic song by The Beatles.
Philip Kassabian
on When I'm Sixty-Four
A very tuneful Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
An excellent Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on I'm Looking Through You
A beautiful Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Honestly The Beatles can't stop producing good songs.
Philip Kassabian
on Michelle
A fantastic Beatles song and absolutely beautiful.