Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
Beatles Lyrics
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Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly, girl, I like your face
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand
Ob la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
La-la, how the life goes on
Ob-la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweller's store
Buys a twenty carat golden ring
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing
Ob la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
La-la, how the life goes on
Ob-la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
La-la, how the life goes on
In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond lets the children lend a hand
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
And in the evening she still sings it with the band
Ob la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
La-la, how the life goes on
Ob-la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
La-la, how the life goes on
In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
Happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening she's a singer with the band
Ob la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
La-la, how the life goes on
Ob-la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
La-la, how the life goes on
And if you want some fun, sing ob-la-di, bla-da
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is a song by The Beatles that was released in 1968 as part of their self-titled album (also known as the "White Album"). It tells the story of a man named Desmond who falls in love with Molly, a singer in a band. Desmond buys a golden ring for Molly and they eventually get married, have children, and live happily ever after. The chorus, "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra, la-la how the life goes on," emphasizes the idea that life goes on no matter what happens.
Many listeners have speculated about the meaning behind the "ob-la-di" refrain in the song, but Paul McCartney has explained that it was a made-up phrase. He was inspired by a saying that his Nigerian friend used to say, "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on," and decided to use it in the song. McCartney has also said that the lyrics were meant to reflect the joys of everyday life and the importance of creating a happy family.
Line by Line Meaning
Desmond has a barrow in the marketplace
Desmond is a street vendor and has a cart in the marketplace
Molly is the singer in a band
Molly is the lead vocalist of a musical group
Desmond says to Molly, girl, I like your face
Desmond expresses his liking for Molly's appearance
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand
And Molly holds Desmond's hand and responds to his compliment
Ob la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra
This phrase implies that despite obstacles in life, life continues on
La-la, how the life goes on
This is a simple, repetitive phrase that emphasizes the point that life goes on
Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweller's store
Desmond takes a streetcar to the jeweler's shop
Buys a twenty carat golden ring
He purchases a twenty carat ring made of gold
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
Desmond takes the ring back to Molly, who is waiting for him at the door
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing
As Desmond gives Molly the ring, she expresses her happiness in a song
In a couple of years they have built
After a few years, Desmond and Molly have constructed
A home sweet home
A comfortable, cozy residence where they live happily
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Their children are playing in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
This line simply references the full names of the couple
Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond and Molly are happy together in their hometown
Desmond lets the children lend a hand
Desmond allows the children to help out
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
Molly remains at home and takes care of her appearance
And in the evening she still sings it with the band
And she continues to sing with her musical group in the evenings
And if you want some fun, sing ob-la-di, bla-da
Lastly, the song invites listeners to join in the fun and sing along
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind