Brian Auger, born on July 18, 1939 in London, is a jazz and rock keyboardis… Read Full Bio ↴Brian Auger, born on July 18, 1939 in London, is a jazz and rock keyboardist, who has specialised in playing the Hammond Organ. His mentor was famous organist Jimmy Smith.
A jazz pianist, bandleader, session man, Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon and other legends. He has incorporated jazz, early British pop, R&B, soul and rock, and he has been nominated for a Grammy, Keyboard Magazine Organ Player of the Year, 3 million record sales.

Day in the Life
Brian Auger Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh
I saw the photograph.
He blew his mind out in a car
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
A crowd of people stood and stared

They'd seen his face before
Nobody was really sure
If he was from the House of Lords.

I saw a film today oh boy
The English Army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
but I just had to look
Having read the book.
I'd love to turn you on

Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
And looking up I noticed I was late.
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream

I read the news today oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all

Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
I'd love to turn you on

Overall Meaning

The song "A Day in the Life" by Brian Auger & The Trinity is a musical narrative of seemingly unrelated events that culminate in a final phrase that seeks to "turn on" the listener. The song starts with the singer reading the news and coming across a headline about a lucky man who made the grade. The news is bittersweet as the same man blew his mind out in a car. The lyrics are a commentary on the fleeting nature of fame and the tragedy that often accompanies it. The crowds gathering around the accident scene are reminiscent of the singer's feeling that the individual may have come from the House of Lords, but no one is really sure.

The next verse takes the narrative to a different angle, and the singer watches a film about the English Army winning the war. He mentions that the crowd turned away, but he had to look, having read the book. This can be interpreted as a commentary on the way people respond to war, and how we often look away from the grisly details. The final verse begins with the singer waking up late and rushing to make it to work. This mundane detail is brought to life, which then leads into the final chorus about the holes in Blackburn, Lancashire. The phrase "I'd love to turn you on" is repeated throughout the song, symbolizing the desire to awaken and connect with the listener on a deeper level.

Line by Line Meaning

I read the news today oh boy
I saw the newspaper headlines for the day and decided to read them.

About a lucky man who made the grade
I came across an article about a fortunate fellow who achieved success.

And though the news was rather sad
Despite the unfortunate news that prevailed the headlines,

Well I just had to laugh
I couldn't help but chuckle.

I saw the photograph.
I also came across a picture that accompanied the article.

He blew his mind out in a car
The successful man met a tragic end by losing his sanity in a vehicle.

He didn't notice that the lights had changed
He failed to realize the traffic signal had turned red.

A crowd of people stood and stared
A group of bystanders watched the unfortunate incident unfold.

They'd seen his face before
They knew who he was beforehand.

Nobody was really sure
People weren't entirely certain.

If he was from the House of Lords.
If he held a prestigious position in British politics.

I saw a film today oh boy
I also watched a movie earlier.

The English Army had just won the war
The British military emerged victorious in a recent conflict.

A crowd of people turned away
Some spectators didn't look at the news with enthusiasm.

but I just had to look
I, nevertheless, decided to pay attention.

Having read the book.
I had an idea of what to expect after reading the novel version.

Woke up, fell out of bed,
I woke up abruptly and clumsily from my slumber.

Dragged a comb across my head
I ran a comb through my hair.

Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
I went downstairs and had a drink.

And looking up I noticed I was late.
Looking at the time, I realized I was running behind schedule.

Found my coat and grabbed my hat
I located my coat and picked up my hat.

Made the bus in seconds flat
I managed to catch the bus in no time at all.

Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
I reached my destination and took a puff of my cigarette.

Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
Someone said something, and I drifted off into a fantasy.

Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
A large number of potholes were counted in Blackburn, Lancashire.

And though the holes were rather small
Even though the potholes are tiny in size,

They had to count them all
All of them had to be tallied.

Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
The cumulative number of potholes estimated was in millions and could fill the famous concert hall.

I'd love to turn you on
I would be delighted to have an opportunity to impress or help you.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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