Getting Better
★The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to get mad at my school
The teacher's that taught me weren't cool
You're holding me down
Filling me up with your rules
I've got to admit it's getting better
A little better all the time
It's getting better since you've been mine
Me used to be angry young man
Me hiding me head in the sand
You gave me the word
I finally heard
I'm doing the best that I can
I've got to admit it's getting better
I used to be cruel to my woman
I beat her and kept apart from the things that she loved
Man I was mean but I'm changing my scene
And I'm doing the best that I can
I admit it's getting better
A little better all the time
Yes I admit it's getting better
It's getting better since you've been mine...
In "Getting Better," The Beatles show their growth and maturity by reflecting on their past behavior and attitudes. The opening lines reveal the singer's former resentment towards their educational experience, with lyrics expressing hostility and frustration towards schoolteachers. The second verse presents a shift in the singer's personal identity, as they acknowledge their past as an "angry young man" who previously hid from reality but now attempts to be proactive and engaged in life. The third verse discusses the singer's previous abusive behavior towards women, and their newfound commitment to rectify their actions.
The song's chorus, "I've got to admit it's getting better / A little better all the time," suggests the theme of personal and collective progress. “Getting Better” showcases The Beatles' musical diversity with its catchy melody, upbeat tempo, and tight harmonies that are capped off by a coda that features Indian instruments, sitar and tambura, transition to a slower tempo and the line “couldn’t get no worse.”
Overall, the song presents a message of redemption and growth, exploring the theme of personal development, and it illustrates the evolution of The Beatles as they continued to mature in their music and lyric compositions.
Line by Line Meaning
It's getting better all the time
I am experiencing positive growth and change in my life that is showing improvement continuously.
I used to get mad at my school
In the past, I used to feel annoyed and frustrated by the environment and teachings of my school.
The teacher's that taught me weren't cool
The educators who instructed me were not interesting or appealing to me.
You're holding me down
You are restricting me from pursuing my own path and self-expression.
Filling me up with your rules
You are forcing me to conform to your set of guidelines and expectations.
I've got to admit it's getting better
I must recognize that I am experiencing growth and improvement in my life.
A little better all the time
My situation is improving bit by bit with each passing moment.
I have to admit it's getting better
I am obligated to acknowledge that my circumstances are improving and showing progress.
It's getting better since you've been mine
Since you have come into my life, my situation has improved distinctly and significantly.
Me used to be angry young man
I used to be an irritable and unhappy young person.
Me hiding me head in the sand
I used to avoid facing my problems and pretending they weren't there.
You gave me the word
You enlightened me with knowledge and understanding.
I finally heard
I eventually became receptive and open-minded to what you were saying.
I'm doing the best that I can
I am putting forth my best effort to make positive changes and progress in my life.
I used to be cruel to my woman
In the past, I mistreated and abused my romantic partner.
I beat her and kept apart from the things that she loved
I physically harmed her and prevented her from experiencing the things that brought her happiness.
Man I was mean but I'm changing my scene
I was a terrible person, but I am changing my ways and improving my life.
And I'm doing the best that I can
I am trying my hardest to make amends for my past actions and be a better person.
Yes I admit it's getting better
I acknowledge that my circumstances are showing improvement and growth.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, JOHN WINSTON LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikeberg5003
@sterioapple No you didn't because he never said it. This was a joke from a British comedian named Jasper Carrott and anyone who knows anything about the Beatles knows this.
IF you really want to know what John thought of Ringo, here is what John said in his famous Playboy interview:
“Ringo was a star in his own right in Liverpool before we even met. He was a professional drummer who sang and performed and had Ringo Starr-time, and he was in one of the top groups in Britain but especially in Liverpool before we even had a drummer. So Ringo’s talent would have come out one way or the other as something or other. I don’t know what he would have ended up as, but whatever that spark is in Ringo that we all know but can’t put our finger on … whether it is acting, drumming or singing, I don’t know … there is something in him that is projectable and he would have surfaced with or without the Beatles. Ringo is a damn good drummer."
Aaaaand since you still won't buy it, here's one of the best Beatles Youtubers.
https://youtu.be/jDXaq6c_UWY
So just put a lid on this bullshit internet trope that YOU NEVER HEARD LENNON SAY.
@moodyrick8503
It always blows my mind at how George came perilously close to being knifed to death, and how the public at large, generally ignores that tragic event.
@terryyakcm3705
I agree.
Even though he did not die, it reminds me of the Kennedy brothers murders.
One can somewhat grasp the reasons why people kill politicians, but two famous "rock stars", from the same band, I can't think of any similar tragedy.
@FuturCrayon
And Olivia is such a badass !
@moodyrick8503
@G B You know it.
I've seen his arrest photo & she wailed on him real good.
@PatsyClinesDaughter
What happened?
@moodyrick8503
@Patsy Marie A dude suffering from schizophrenia threw a statue through the window & came in with a knife, George tried to stop him and got stabbed & Olivia beat the guy off with a golf club.
He suffered a collapsed lung & other injuries.
I'm sure if you googled it you could get more info.
I'm shocked at how small the public reaction was & is to such a rare & violent event.
@timothydillow3160
"In less than 10 years The Beatles created a library that forever will remain unsurpassed." td
@greydinimagicman
NOTHING IS FOREVER
@simonconnell7256
@Greydini Magic Man if nothing is forever,then something is forever.
@Cool-Edit-5000
I'm just an average person, of course. But George is literally the only white, Western man I have ever heard who could sing Hindi, spiritual music with a technique that is faithful to the art, and faithful to the religion, and do it justice. People often give him a bad rap for his vocal abilities. Listen to him sing a traditional, Indian, Hindi song. It's breathtaking. What a truly loving, and wonderful soul.