Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out
John Lennon Lyrics


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I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine
Wonderful, wonderful
Do the other way, two, three, four

Nobody loves you when you're down and out
Nobody sees you when you're on cloud nine
Everybody's hustlin' for a buck and a dime
I'll scratch your back and you scratch mine

I've been across to the other side
I've shown you everything, I got nothing to hide
But still you ask me, do I love you, what it is, what it is

All I can tell you is it's all show biz
All I can tell you is it's all show biz
What it is, what it is, what it is, what it is

Nobody loves you when you're down and out
Nobody knows you when you're on cloud nine
Everybody's hustlin' for a buck and a dime
I'll scratch your back and you knife mine

I've been across the water now so many times
I've seen the one-eyed witch doctor leading the blind
But still you ask me, do I love you, what you say, what you say

Every time I put my finger on it, it slips away
Every time I put my finger on it, it slips away
What you say, what you say, what you say, what you say

Well, I get up in the morning
And I'm looking in the mirror to see, ooh, ooh, yeah
Then I'm lying in the darkness
And I know, I can't get to sleep, ooh, ooh, yeah

One, two, three, four

Nobody loves you when you're old and gray
Nobody needs you when you're upside down




Everybody's hollerin' 'bout their own birthday
Everybody loves you when you're six foot in the ground

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out" by John Lennon speaks about the cruel reality of show business and fame. The song conveys the message that when someone is successful, they are showered with love and appreciation, but the same people will leave them behind when they fall from grace. The opening lines, "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. Wonderful, wonderful. Do the other way, two, three, four," depicts the opportunistic nature of people, where they are ready to help each other only for their benefit. The verse "Nobody loves you when you're down and out, nobody sees you when you're on cloud nine," implies that the people around you are capable of keeping you aside when you're struggling and lift you to the highest pedestal when you're successful.


The lyrics further describe Lennon's personal experiences, revealing that although he has seen everything and has nothing to hide, people still question him about his love and loyalty. Lennon talks about showbiz being a facade, where appearances and materialistic things matter. He then concludes the song with "Nobody loves you when you're old and gray, nobody needs you when you're upside down. Everybody's hollerin' 'bout their own birthday, everybody loves you when you're six foot in the ground," which shows how the world perceives and treats individual success, love, and fame. It highlights how fake and hollow our life becomes when materialism takes over compassion and relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine
We'll do each other favors and expect something in return


Wonderful, wonderful
Great, excellent


Do the other way, two, three, four
Let's do the same thing but with someone else


Nobody loves you when you're down and out
When you're poor and struggling, no one cares about you


Nobody sees you when you're on cloud nine
When you're successful and happy, people ignore you


Everybody's hustlin' for a buck and a dime
Everyone is trying to make money


I'll scratch your back and you scratch mine
We'll help each other out for mutual benefit


I've been across to the other side
I've been through tough times before


I've shown you everything, I got nothing to hide
I've been honest and open with you


But still you ask me, do I love you, what it is, what it is
You keep questioning my feelings despite my actions


All I can tell you is it's all show biz
Life is all entertainment and appearances


What it is, what it is, what it is, what it is
This is just how things are


Nobody knows you when you're on cloud nine
When you're successful and happy, people don't really understand you


Everybody's hustlin' for a buck and a dime
Everyone is trying to make money


I'll scratch your back and you knife mine
Let's help each other, but one of us will eventually betray the other


I've been across the water now so many times
I've been through many difficult situations


I've seen the one-eyed witch doctor leading the blind
I've seen people blindly following false leaders


But still you ask me, do I love you, what you say, what you say
You keep questioning my feelings despite my efforts


Every time I put my finger on it, it slips away
Every time I try to understand something, it becomes unclear


What you say, what you say, what you say, what you say
Why do you keep asking me the same thing?


Well, I get up in the morning
When I wake up


And I'm looking in the mirror to see, ooh, ooh, yeah
I look at myself in the mirror


Then I'm lying in the darkness
Later, when it's dark


And I know, I can't get to sleep, ooh, ooh, yeah
I can't fall asleep


Nobody loves you when you're old and gray
When you're old and past your prime, no one cares about you


Nobody needs you when you're upside down
When you're in a bad situation, no one wants to be around you


Everybody's hollerin' 'bout their own birthday
Everyone is self-centered and only cares about themselves


Everybody loves you when you're six foot in the ground
People only truly appreciate you when you're gone




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