"Julia" was written for John's mother Julia Lennon (1914-1958), who was knocked down and killed by a car driven by an off-duty police officer when John was still only 17 years old. It was also written for his future wife Yoko Ono, whose first name, which literally means "child of the sea" in Japanese, is echoed in lyrics such as "Oceanchild, calls me." An alternative theory suggests that the song was written for Julian Lennon, John's son.
The first two lines of the song – "Half of what I say is meaningless/ But I say it just to reach you, Julia" – were adapted from the poem "Sand and Foam," by the Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran. The original line is: "Half of what I say is meaningless; but I say it so that the other half may reach you." The line, "When I cannot sing my heart/I can only speak my mind" is taken from the line, "When life does not find a singer to sing her heart she produces a philosopher to speak her mind," from the same work.
Other versions
"Julia" has been covered by Ramsey Lewis, Bongwater, Chocolate Genius, Baptiste Trotignon, Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood, and John's and Yoko's son, Sean Lennon. Sean performed the song live on October 2, 2001 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, as part of the Come Together – A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music concert special.
On the Love album, "Julia" is mixed with Eleanor Rigby, sounds of children playing from what sounds like the World Wildlife Foundation album version of "Across the Universe", the cello from "A Day In The Life", and the screaming ambulance from "Revolution 9", as well as the radio tuning from "I Am the Walrus."
According to record producer Butch Vig, "Julia" was sometimes played by Kurt Cobain at Nirvana recording sessions in 1991.
Julia
Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I say it just to reach you, Julia
Julia, Julia, oceanchild, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
In the sun
Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
When I cannot sing my heart
I can only speak my mind, Julia
Julia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
Hum hum hum hum, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia, Julia, Julia
The song "Julia" is a beautiful tribute written by John Lennon for his late mother, Julia Lennon, who died tragically and suddenly when John was only 17 years old. The song is a wistful and reflective piece about his feelings of loss and longing for his mother.
In the first verse, Lennon acknowledges that some of what he says may not have much meaning, but he says it anyway in the hope of reaching his mother. He then goes on to sing directly to her, using her name and referring to her as an ocean child, possibly due to her love of the sea. The repetition of her name throughout the song highlights the deep connection Lennon felt with his mother.
The second verse describes Julia's physical features, specifically her eyes and smile, which are compared to a seashell and the wind, respectively. The image of her hair floating in the sky is also used, emphasizing her ethereal and otherworldly nature.
The third verse is perhaps the most poignant, as Lennon acknowledges the inability to fully express the depth of his feelings through music. He resigns himself to merely speaking his mind when he cannot find the words to sing. The last line of the verse, "touch me," is a plea to feel his mother's presence, even if only in memory.
The fourth and final verse continues this theme of desire for connection, as Lennon refers to his mother as "sleeping sand" and "silent cloud." He once again turns to music as a means of expressing his emotions, singing "so I sing a song of love, Julia" twice before the song fades to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
Half of what I say is meaningless
While I realize that I can often be nonsensical, I still speak in the hope that it will reach you, Julia.
But I say it just to reach you, Julia
My words might not make sense, but they are all for the purpose of trying to connect and communicate with you, Julia.
Julia, Julia, oceanchild, calls me
You are like the sea to me, Julia, and I am drawn to you like a child drawn to the ocean.
So I sing a song of love, Julia
My love for you is so great that I can't help but express it through music and song, Julia.
Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me
Just as the seashells and the wind are both elements of the sea, your eyes and smile are both elements of you, and they both draw me to you, Julia.
Her hair of floating sky is shimmering, glimmering
Your hair is as beautiful and radiant as the sky, with each strand seeming to float and shimmer in the sunlight, Julia.
In the sun
You are illuminated and radiant like the sun, Julia.
Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me
Just as the moon gently touches the earth, you touch me with your presence, Julia.
When I cannot sing my heart
Sometimes my emotions are too overwhelming for me to sing about, Julia,
I can only speak my mind, Julia
so I have to express my feelings plainly with words, even if they don't sound as poetic as a song, Julia.
Julia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me
Your touch is as gentle and soft as the texture of sleeping sand and the silence of the clouds, which is why I long for it, Julia.
So I sing a song of love, Julia
Despite my inability to express my feelings in words, my love for you is so strong that I must sing about it, Julia.
Hum hum hum hum, calls me
The simple sound of humming reminds me of your name and your essence, Julia.
Julia, Julia, Julia
You are the center of my world, Julia.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind