The song is followed by a brief segment, written by Paul McCartney often referred to as "Can You Take Me Back".
When asked about "Cry Baby Cry" in 1980, Lennon replied, "Not me. A piece of rubbish." The "Not me" part is either a mistake in Lennon's memory, an error in the transcription of the interviewer's audio tape of the interview, or Lennon sarcastically disowning the song. Paul McCartney said, "Cry Baby Cry was another of John's songs from India,"although demos of the song indicate it was written in late 1967. The original lyrics were "Cry baby cry, make your mother buy." Lennon describes to biographer Hunter Davies how he got the words from an advertisement. The "Duchess of Kirkcaldy" mentioned in the song was a creation of Lennon's, possibly inspired by the Beatles' gig in the town of the same name in 1963.[citation needed]
George Martin plays harmonium on this track (introduced after the first statement of "make your mother sigh"). This was the same harmonium Lennon used on "We Can Work It Out" and that Martin had previously used on "The Word".
This was the song the Beatles were working on when engineer Geoff Emerick quit, though his departure was precipitated by Lennon and McCartney's obsessions over the recordings of "Revolution" and "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da", respectively, and the overall tensions of the White Album sessions.
Cry Baby Cry
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.
The King of Marigold was in the kitchen
Cooking breakfast for the Queen
The Queen was in the parlor
Playing piano for the children of the King.
Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.
So cry baby cry.
The King was in the garden
Picking flowers for a friend who came to play
The Queen was in the playroom
Painting pictures for the children's holiday.
Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.
So cry baby cry.
The Dutchess of Kircaldy always smiling
And arriving late for tea
The Duke was having problems
With a message at the local Bird and Bee.
Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.
So cry baby cry.
At twelve o'clock a meeting round the table
For a seance in the dark
With voices out of nowhere
Put on specially by the children for a lark.
Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.
So cry baby cry cry cry cry baby
Make your mother sigh.
She's old enough to know better
Cry baby cry
Cry cry cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.
So cry baby cry.
The song "Cry Baby Cry" by The Beatles is a creative and somewhat surrealistic piece that invites the listener to visualize a series of events happening within the walls of a royal palace. The lyrics describe different members of the royal household engaged in various mundane activities such as cooking, playing piano, picking flowers, and painting pictures. The opening stanza seems to address the baby of the family, encouraging them to cry and make their mother sigh. The repeated refrain "She's old enough to know better" suggests that the mother is aware of the futility of the baby's crying and is perhaps growing impatient.
The rest of the verses present a series of images that are not directly connected but seem to suggest a dreamlike sequence of events. The King and Queen are depicted as engaging in separate activities, with the Queen playing music for the children while the King picks flowers for a friend. The Duchess of Kircaldy is described as always smiling and arriving late for tea, while the Duke is struggling with a message. The final stanza introduces a new element, a seance held by the children around a table at midnight. The voices heard during the seance are "put on specially" by the children, indicating a sense of playfulness and make-believe.
Overall, the lyrics of "Cry Baby Cry" paint a vivid picture of a royal household where various individuals are engaged in their own pursuits. The use of repetition with the refrain "Cry baby cry" and the admonition "She's old enough to know better" creates a sense of playful teasing directed at the baby, while the surrealistic imagery suggests a dreamlike quality to the whole scene.
Line by Line Meaning
Cry baby cry
Express your sadness and desperation
Make your mother sigh
Cause your mother to be upset and worried about you
She's old enough to know better.
Your mother has more experience and should have wisdom to guide you
The King of Marigold was in the kitchen
Cooking breakfast for the Queen
The Queen was in the parlor
Playing piano for the children of the King.
A scene of domestic bliss, portraying a harmonious relationship between the King and Queen.
The King was in the garden
Picking flowers for a friend who came to play
The Queen was in the playroom
Painting pictures for the children's holiday.
Another idyllic scene, with the King and Queen each engaged in wholesome activities for the benefit of others.
The Dutchess of Kircaldy always smiling
And arriving late for tea
The Duke was having problems
With a message at the local Bird and Bee.
The contrast between the contented couple and the Duchess and Duke, who are preoccupied with trivial concerns.
At twelve o'clock a meeting round the table
For a seance in the dark
With voices out of nowhere
Put on specially by the children for a lark.
A spooky and playful event, possibly illustrating the influence of childhood imagination on adult fears and anxieties.
Cry cry cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.
Reiterating the advice to express emotions, but acknowledging that your mother may be better equipped to handle them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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