Inspiration for the song came to Lennon from a television commercial for Kellogg's Corn Flakes. The jingle went: "Good morning, good morning, The best to you each morning, Sunshine Breakfast, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Crisp and full of fun".
The line "It's time for tea and Meet the Wife" refers to a BBC sitcom, Meet the Wife
The song, which is played at 117 beats per minute, has an unusual time signature in that 5/4 alternates with 4/4. For transition between 5/4 and 4/4 beat, 3/4 is used.
Good Morning Good Morning
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing to say but what a day how's your boy been
Nothing to do it's up to you
I've got nothing to say but it's okay
Good morning, good morning
Going to work don't want to go feeling low down
Heading for home you start to roam then you're in town
Everybody knows there's nothing doing
Everything is closed it's like a ruin
Everyone you see is half asleep
And you're on your own you're in the street
Good morning, good morning
After a while you start to smile now you feel cool
Then you decide to take a walk by the old school
Nothing has changed it's still the same
I've got nothing to say but it's okay
Good morning, good morning
People running round it's five o'clock
Everywhere in town is getting dark
Everyone you see is full of life
It's time for tea and meet the wife
Somebody needs to know the time, glad that I'm here
Watching the skirts you start to flirt now you're in gear
Go to a show you hope she goes
I've got nothing to say but it's okay
Good morning, good morning
The Beatles’ hit “Good Morning Good Morning” reflects the daily struggles that people face in their lives through its lyrics. The song emphasizes the mundane things that one has to do as a routine, such as going to work and coming back home. The opening line “Nothing to do to save his life call his wife in” captures the idea of having a mundane and uneventful life. The line that follows “Nothing to say but what a day how’s your boy been” shows how people can trade meaningless conversations, even with their loved ones, just to fill the silence. This idea is further emphasized by the lines “Nothing to do it's up to you, I've got nothing to say but it's okay,” highlighting that it's okay to embrace moments of silence.
The second verse continues, creating a picture of a monotonous routine that people follow every day. The line “Going to work don't want to go feeling low down” portrays the reluctance that people feel as they hit the same old routine. It is followed by the line “Heading for home, you start to roam, then you're in town,” showing that one can get lost in the routine and become apathetic towards their direction in life. The last verse highlights the idea of breaking the routine and embracing life. It speaks about people coming out of their shell and getting involved in their local community. The chorus ends with the line “Good morning, good morning,” reminding listeners of the mundane routine that awaits them in the morning.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing to do to save his life call his wife in
A person is in trouble and has no solution. They call their spouse for help.
Nothing to say but what a day how's your boy been
The person has nothing interesting to talk about, so they ask about their friend's son.
Nothing to do it's up to you
There's no clear plan or goal, the person has to decide what to do next.
I've got nothing to say but it's okay
The person is comfortable with silence and not having anything to say.
Good morning, good morning
A greeting to start the day, no matter how mundane it may be.
Going to work don't want to go feeling low down
The person is not enthusiastic about going to work and feels down about it.
Heading for home you start to roam then you're in town
Upon leaving work, the person walks around aimlessly before arriving in town.
Everybody knows there's nothing doing
There's nothing happening and nobody has any plans.
Everything is closed it's like a ruin
All the businesses are closed, making the town look like a ghost town.
Everyone you see is half asleep
People seem tired and uninterested in their surroundings.
And you're on your own you're in the street
The person is alone in the middle of the empty streets.
After a while you start to smile now you feel cool
After spending some time in the town, the person starts to feel more relaxed and content.
Then you decide to take a walk by the old school
The person decides to take a walk near their old school.
Nothing has changed it's still the same
Despite the passage of time, the old school remains unchanged.
People running round it's five o'clock
As the day progresses, people start to become more active and energized.
Everywhere in town is getting dark
As it gets late, the town becomes darker and more deserted.
Everyone you see is full of life
Even though it's getting late, people are still lively and energetic.
It's time for tea and meet the wife
It's time for a break and to go home and see the spouse.
Somebody needs to know the time, glad that I'm here
The person is happy that they can help someone by telling them the time.
Watching the skirts you start to flirt now you're in gear
The person becomes attracted to someone they see and starts to flirt with them.
Go to a show you hope she goes
The person plans to go to a show and hopes that the person they like will also be there.
I've got nothing to say but it's okay
The person is content with not having anything to say or talk about.
Good morning, good morning
A final greeting before the day ends.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
A very catchy Beatles tune.