One night in 1967, the phrase "words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup" came to Lennon after hearing his then-wife Cynthia, according to Lennon, "going on and on about something." Later, after "she'd gone to sleep—and I kept hearing these words over and over, flowing like an endless stream," Lennon went downstairs and turned it into a song. He began to write the rest of the lyrics and when he was done, he went to bed and forgot about them.
"I was lying next to my first wife in bed, you know, and I was irritated. and I was thinking. She must have been going on and on about something and she'd gone to sleep and I kept hearing these words over and over, flowing like an endless stream. I went downstairs and it turned into a sort of cosmic song rather than an irritated song, rather than a 'Why are you always mouthing off at me?... [The words] were purely inspirational and were given to me as boom!. I don't own it you know; it came through like that."
The flavour of the song was heavily influenced by Lennon's and the Beatles' interest in Transcendental Meditation in late 1967 – early 1968, when the song was composed. Based on this he added the mantra "Jai guru deva om" (Sanskrit: जय गुरुदेव ॐ) to the piece, which became the link to the chorus. The Sanskrit phrase is a sentence fragment whose words could have many meanings. Literally it approximates as "glory to the shining remover of darkness,"[3] and can be paraphrased as "Victory to God divine", "Hail to the divine guru", or the phrase commonly invoked by the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in referring to his spiritual teacher "All Glory to Guru Dev."[4]
The song's lyrical structure is straightforward: three repetitions of a unit consisting of a verse, the line "Jai guru deva om" and the line "Nothing's gonna change my world" repeated four times. The lyrics are highly image-based, with abstract concepts reified with phrases like thoughts "meandering", words "slithering", and undying love "shining". The title phrase "across the universe" appears at intervals to finish lines, although it never cadences, always appearing as a rising figure, melodically unresolved. It finishes on the leading note; to the Western musical ear, the next musical note would be the tonic and would therefore sound complete.
In his 1970 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon referred to the song as perhaps the best, most poetic lyric he ever wrote: "It's one of the best lyrics I've written. In fact, it could be the best. It's good poetry, or whatever you call it, without chewin' it. See, the ones I like are the ones that stand as words, without melody. They don't have to have any melody, like a poem, you can read them."
Across the Universe
The Beatles Lyrics
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Like endless rain into a paper cup
They slither wildly as
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy
Are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Images of broken light
Which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe
Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Sounds of laughter, shades of life
Are ringing through my opened ears
Inciting and inviting me
Limitless, undying love
Which shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe
Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
The song "Across the Universe" by The Beatles was written by John Lennon during a period of deep introspection and meditation in the late 1960s. The lyrics flow out like endless rain into a paper cup, reflecting the fleeting nature of thoughts and ideas that come and go in our minds. Lennon describes how these thoughts slip away across the universe, creating pools of sorrow and waves of joy that drift through his opened mind, possessing and caressing him.
The chorus, "Jai Guru Deva, Om" is a Sanskrit phrase meaning "I give thanks to the guru who brings me from darkness to light." It expresses Lennon's gratitude for the spiritual guidance and illumination he found through his practice of transcendental meditation.
As the song progresses, Lennon's thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box, tumbling blindly as they make their way across the universe. He envisions images of broken light, which dance before him like a million eyes, calling him on and on. Sounds of laughter and shades of life ring through his opened ears, inciting and inviting him. And through it all, he feels limitless, undying love, which shines around him like a million suns, calling him on and on across the universe.
In essence, "Across the Universe" is a lyrical expression of John Lennon's spiritual journey, reflecting his belief in the power of meditation and transcendental consciousness to bring light and enlightenment to the world.
Some interesting facts about the song "Across the Universe" are:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
Words are flowing out
The songwriter is expressing that ideas and thoughts are coming to them naturally.
Like endless rain into a paper cup
These thoughts and ideas are continuous and abundant, like a never-ending downpour filling a small container to the brim.
They slither wildly as
The thoughts and ideas come without order or structure, making them hard to grasp and contain.
They slip away across the universe
The ideas and thoughts are fleeting and intangible, passing through the songwriter's mind and disappearing into the vastness of the universe.
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy
The songwriter is feeling a range of emotions which come and go like waves and pools.
Are drifting through my opened mind
The songwriter is letting their emotions and thoughts flow through them, allowing themselves to be vulnerable and exposed.
Possessing and caressing me
The emotions and thoughts are taking hold of the songwriter and comforting them.
Jai Guru Deva, Om
A spiritual declaration of devotion and reverence to a higher power.
Nothing's gonna change my world
Despite the ups and downs of life, the songwriter feels a sense of stability and assurance that their world cannot be disrupted.
Images of broken light
The songwriter is seeing fragmented and distorted images, which are perhaps a reflection of their fractured emotional state.
Which dance before me like a million eyes
These images are constantly present and watching the songwriter, giving them a sense of unease and discomfort.
They call me on and on across the universe
The images continue to haunt and plague the songwriter, persistently pulling them away from the reality of their surroundings.
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
The songwriter's thoughts are wandering aimlessly, uncontained and unrestrained like a strong wind shaking the contents of a mailbox.
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe
The songwriter's thoughts are directionless and haphazard, following no set path as they roam across the vast expanse of the universe.
Sounds of laughter, shades of life
The songwriter hears a range of sounds and experiences the diversity of life, including joyous laughter and the darker shades of existence.
Are ringing through my opened ears
The songwriter is receptive to these sounds and experiences, which are filling them up and enriching their life.
Inciting and inviting me
The experiences and sounds are provoking and attracting the songwriter, encouraging them to explore and discover more.
Limitless, undying love
The songwriter is describing a feeling of love which is infinite and never-ending, boundless and all-encompassing.
Which shines around me like a million suns
This love is radiant and intense, illuminating the songwriter's surroundings and filling them with warmth and light.
It calls me on and on across the universe
The songwriter feels compelled to follow this love, letting it guide them on their cosmic journey through life.
Jai Guru Deva
This phrase is repeated again as a reminder of the songwriter's devotion and connection to a higher power.
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Jai Guru Deva
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
A fantastic song by The Beatles.