The lyrics of "Every Night" reflect the difficult situation McCartney was dealing with at the time the song was written, which was in light of the imminent breakup of the Beatles; the words do, however, convey some optimism for the future.
Paul McCartney would recall having come up with the first two lines of "Every Night" in the mid-1960s, but the song only began to develop during the January 1969 Twickenham Studios sessions for the Beatles' Get Back/Let It Be: specifically on 21 and 24 January 1969 McCartney and his bandmates jammed around McCartney's initial musical idea, giving the song a brief run through with John Lennon on slide guitar. McCartney completed the song while in the Corfiot village of Benitses where he and his wife Linda Eastman vacationed in May-June 1969, along with McCartney's stepdaughter Heather McCartney.
Every Night
Paul McCartney Lyrics
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Get out of my head
Every day, I don't wanna get up
Get out of my bed
Every night, I want to play out
And every day I wanna do, ooh, ooh, oh oh
But tonight, I just want to stay in
And be with you
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Every day, I lean on a lamp post
I'm wasting my time
Every night, I lay on a pillow
I'm resting my mind
Every morning brings a new day
And every night that day is through, ooh, ooh, oh oh
But tonight, I just wanna stay in
And be with you, ooh
And be with you
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Believe me, mama
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
In Paul McCartney's song "Every Night," the lyrics describe the feeling of restlessness and the desire to escape one's thoughts and daily routine. The song begins with the desire to go out and play, but quickly turns into a plea for comfort and companionship. McCartney sings about the struggles of daily life and the need for a break. He describes feeling trapped in his own head and the relief that comes from spending time with a loved one.
The chorus repeats the desire to stay in and be with someone, with McCartney harmonizing over the word "ooh." The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is searching for meaning and connection in their life but finds it difficult to escape the monotony of daily routine. The song is ultimately a tender love song, with McCartney expressing his love and appreciation for the person who brings him comfort and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Every night, I just wanna go out
The singer desires to leave his room every night
Get out of my head
To escape his thoughts and emotions
Every day, I don't wanna get up
The singer lacks motivation to get out of bed in the morning
Get out of my bed
To leave the comfort and safety of his bed
Every night, I want to play out
The singer desires to engage in entertaining activities every night
And every day I wanna do, ooh, ooh, oh oh
The singer wants to be productive and engaged during the day
But tonight, I just want to stay in
The singer desires to remain at home tonight
And be with you
He wants to spend time with a loved one
Every day, I lean on a lamp post
The singer spends his days idly standing by a lamp post
I'm wasting my time
The singer feels unproductive and unfulfilled during the day
Every night, I lay on a pillow
The singer rests at night, or possibly even reflects on his thoughts and emotions before falling asleep
I'm resting my mind
The singer is taking a break from his thoughts and emotions by resting
Every morning brings a new day
A new opportunity to start fresh
And every night that day is through, ooh, ooh, oh oh
At the end of the day, the singer is ready for rest and reflection
Believe me, mama
The singer is addressing a specific person, likely a loved one, asking them to trust what he is saying
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul McCartney
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