Within You Without You
Beatles Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

We were talking
About the space between us all
And the people
Who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth
Then it's far too late when they pass away

We were talking
About the love we all could share
When we find it
To try our best to hold it there, with our love, with our love
We could save the world, if they only knew

Try to realize it's all within yourself, no-one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small
And life flows on within you and without you

We were talking
About the love that's gone so cold
And the people
Who gain the world and lose their soul
They don't know, they can't see
Are you one of them?

When you've seen beyond yourself then you may find peace of mind is waiting there




And the time will come when you see we're all one
And life flows on within you and without you

Overall Meaning

The Beatles' Within You Without You is a song that echoes philosophical and spiritual themes about the interconnectedness of all things. The song is written by George Harrison, drawing from his interest in Indian culture and studying the sitar with Ravi Shankar. The lyrics describe a conversation between two people discussing the space that separates us all. They talk about people who hide behind an illusionary wall and how they will never be able to get to the truth. By the time they realize that they are wrong, it is too late for them.


The conversation continues with an optimistic tone as the two talk about the love that is present in each one of us. They agree that if everyone could find that love and hold on to it, the world would be a better place. The idea that one needs to realize that love is already present in us and that we only need to access it is touched upon. The song urges listeners to understand that everything that is within us is also present outside of us, and that all aspects of life flow on in and around us. The lyrics advocate for a change in one's perspective, one that is self-reflective and allows the individual to be a part of something greater.


In the end, the song takes a somber tone, highlighting the love that has gone cold and how some people trade their soul for material possessions. The lyrics emphasize that people need to break out of this cycle and see the bigger picture, for we are all interconnected. Only when we see beyond ourselves, we may find peace waiting for us. The song closes with the idea that we are all one, and life flows on within us and without us, urging listeners to reflect on their lives and consider what they want to be remembered for.


Line by Line Meaning

We were talking
The singer was in a discussion


About the space between us all
The distance or differences that exist among people


And the people
Referring to individuals in general


Who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
People who deceive themselves about reality and live in a fantasy world


Never glimpse the truth
They don't understand the truth


Then it's far too late when they pass away
When they die, they realize it's too late to understand the truth


We were talking
The singer was in a discussion


About the love we all could share
Sharing love between people


When we find it
After finding love


To try our best to hold it there, with our love, with our love
To do their best to keep the love they found alive


We could save the world, if they only knew
Love can change the world


Try to realize it's all within yourself, no-one else can make you change
The power to make a change lies within oneself, and not others


And to see you're really only very small
To realize that one's personal problems are actually insignificant in the grand scheme of things


And life flows on within you and without you
Life exists both internally and externally, it's all connected


We were talking
The singer was in a discussion


About the love that's gone so cold
Love that has become weak or non-existent


And the people
Referring to individuals in general


Who gain the world and lose their soul
People who gain wealth or success but lose their spiritual well-being


They don't know, they can't see
They lack understanding


Are you one of them?
Asking the listener if they are one of those people


When you've seen beyond yourself then you may find peace of mind is waiting there
Finding peace of mind after they're able to overcome their personal problems and become selfless


And the time will come when you see we're all one
Realizing that everyone is connected and equal


And life flows on within you and without you
Life exists both internally and externally, it's all connected




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE HARRISON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions