The song shows the influence of the American singer Bob Dylan. The song "is just basically John doing Dylan", McCartney later said. Lennon seems to mimic Dylan's gruff vocal style: the song is in a folkish strophic form and uses a Dylanesque acoustic guitar figure in compound time, chiefly acoustic accompaniment, no backing voices and light percussion from brushed snare, tambourine and maraca. The lyrics of Dylan's 1964 song "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Have Never Met)" open with a strikingly similar image: "I can't understand, she let go of my hand, and left me here facing the wall", as compared with Lennon's "Here I stand head in hand, turn my face to the wall".
"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" was the first Beatles song to feature an outside musician (apart from "Love Me Do", the group's first EMI recording, in which producer George Martin had engaged a session drummer to substitute for the then-untried Ringo Starr). The basic rhythm track was recorded first, followed by Harrison's guitar and some extra percussion. John Scott recorded a tenor flute in the spaces in Lennon's vocal track and an additional alto flute part, in harmony with the first, on the last available track of the four-track machine.
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn my face to the wall
If she's gone I can't go on
Feeling two foot small
Everywhere people stare
Each and every day
I can see them laugh at me
And I hear them say
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
How can I even try?
I can never win
Hearing them, seeing them
In the state I'm in
How could she say to me
"Love will find a way?"
Gather round all you clowns
Let me hear you say
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
The Beatles' song "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is thought to have been written by John Lennon about his feelings of isolation and despair. The lyrics speak of a man who is hiding his feelings for a woman because he is scared of being judged or rejected by others, saying that "if she's gone I can't go on feeling two-foot small". The person in the song feels like everyone is judging him and that he can never win, so he questions how his lover could say that "Love will find a way". The song is full of despair and sadness as the person feels hopeless and lost, leading the listener to feel sympathetic towards the singer.
The song was written during a time when the band was moving away from their early pop style and experimenting with different musical genres such as folk, rock, and Indian music. This song reflects this change, with its use of acoustic guitar and rolling melodies. Despite its melancholy tone, the song's melody is catchy and memorable, typical of Lennon's songwriting abilities. Interestingly, the song's melody was heavily influenced by Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," which the Beatles were introduced to during a visit to Dylan's home in 1964.
Another layer to the song's interpretation comes from John Lennon's personal life at the time. The Beatles were becoming global superstars, but Lennon was hiding a secret: his bisexuality. The lyrics of the song could be interpreted as Lennon's fears about revealing his true self to the world, and how he feels like he has to hide his love away.
Overall, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is a deeply emotional song that showcases the Beatles' ability to convey complex emotions through simple words and catchy melodies.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I stand head in hand
I am standing here alone, feeling helpless and lost.
Turn my face to the wall
I am avoiding reality and shutting myself off from the world.
If she's gone I can't go on
Without the person I love, I feel like I cannot continue my life.
Feeling two foot small
My self-esteem has been shattered, and I feel insignificant and unworthy.
Everywhere people stare
I feel like everyone is watching me and judging me.
Each and every day
This feeling is constant and inescapable, it's a part of my everyday life.
I can see them laugh at me
I feel like people are mocking me and humiliating me.
And I hear them say
I can hear them talking and making fun of me even when they are not around me.
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Society is judging and shaming me for loving someone who may not be deemed acceptable.
How can I even try?
I feel helpless and defeated in pursuing love because of the societal standards in place.
I can never win
I feel hopeless in pursuing love because of the societal standards in place, making my pursuit feel futile.
Hearing them, seeing them
I am constantly bombarded with societal norms and beliefs that make me question my own feelings and love.
In the state I'm in
I am feeling weak and vulnerable because of the judgment from society and their norms.
How could she say to me
I feel betrayed and confused by the person I love, for telling me to love freely while the societal norms prohibit me from doing so.
"Love will find a way?"
The person I love is encouraging me to follow my heart and that love will find a way to survive despite societal norms.
Gather round all you clowns
I am calling on anyone who feels judged and different to unite and stand up to societal norms.
Let me hear you say
I am looking for support and validation from others who have felt the same way I do.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, JOHN WINSTON LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind