Ooh! My Arms
The Beatles Lyrics


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Rodney Burke: That was a, a Little Richard number that the boys rather like and hope you liked it, "Ooh! My Soul." And, ooh, my arms! We've, we've just flown in to Manchester here from London to record this show. Ha, ha. Well, it's, ha, ha, it's good to see you again, fellers, in these, er, foreign parts. How are you?
John: Oh, great!
George: Very well, thank you.
Ringo: Oh, great, yeah, it's just fine.
Paul: Yeah.
Rodney: Well, what are you doing at the moment, by the way?
George: Ah, we're playing in Liverpool at the moment and we've never been there months, you see, so it's--
Ringo: It's good to be back.
Paul Yeah, it's great!
Rodney: Anybody over there like a request that you can do right now?
George: Well, we'll do a request for everybody.
Paul: Yeah.




Rodney: Good, what do you suggest?
George: Er, "Don't Ever Change," one of the oldies.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Beatles' song "Ooh! My Arms" can be interpreted as a blend of Little Richard's hit "Ooh! My Soul" and the boys' own experiences while recording the show away from their hometown. The introduction given by Rodney Burke at the beginning of the track highlights the intertextual reference to Little Richard's number, which the Beatles loved, and "Ooh! My Arms" is a play on words that uses the phrase "Ooh! My Soul" to express the physical exertion and excitement of the band members while performing.


The verse "We’ve just flown in to Manchester here from London to record this show" is an instance of the band's travel experiences, and their greetings to the audience show their enthusiasm for performing in unfamiliar places. The chorus "Ooh! My arms / They're longing to hold you / Ooh! My heart / It's burning with love" is a plea to their loved ones, expressing the joy and passion they felt for their significant others. The verse "Anybody over there like a request that you can do right now?" followed by the track "Don't Ever Change" reflects the band's commitment to pleasing their fans and their willingness to play even requests made on a whim.


Line by Line Meaning

That was a, a Little Richard number that the boys rather like and hope you liked it, "Ooh! My Soul."
We just played a Little Richard song that we enjoy and hope you did too, called "Ooh! My Soul."


And, ooh, my arms!
I'm feeling some fatigue or strain in my arms.


We've, we've just flown in to Manchester here from London to record this show. Ha, ha.
We just arrived in Manchester from London, and are recording this show. (Laughs)


Well, it's, ha, ha, it's good to see you again, fellers, in these, er, foreign parts.
It's good to see you again, fellas, even though we're in a different location than usual. (Laughs)


How are you?
How are you doing?


Oh, great!
I'm doing very well!


Very well, thank you.
I'm doing very well, thanks.


Oh, great, yeah, it's just fine.
Yeah, I'm doing great, everything is just fine.


Yeah.
I'm doing okay.


Well, what are you doing at the moment, by the way?
What are you guys up to right now?


Ah, we're playing in Liverpool at the moment and we've never been there months, you see, so it's--
We're currently performing in Liverpool, and haven't been there in a few months, so it's nice to be back.


It's good to be back.
I'm happy to be back here in Liverpool.


Yeah, it's great!
I'm doing really well, it's great to be here.


Anybody over there like a request that you can do right now?
Does anyone have a song request that we can play for you right now?


Well, we'll do a request for everybody.
We'll play a song that everyone can enjoy.


Yeah.
Sure.


Good, what do you suggest?
Alright, what song would you like us to play?


Er, "Don't Ever Change," one of the oldies.
How about we play "Don't Ever Change," which is one of our older songs?




Contributed by David D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@billyangus

I remember watching this when I was 4,
when I was still residing on Oakland, CA
and my parents let me stay up to watch
the show, 'cause The Beatles were on.

I even remember seeing The Beatles
on the local news when they arrived in the states.

It became a huge sensation, lifting the spirits of
our nation from deep mourning after we lost JFK
back in November 1963.



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@aliamuldawer4768

So my grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease, however, she still always remembers that the Beatles are her favorite band. So I decided to play this song for her, and she immediately started to sing along. It was one of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever witnessed.

Edit: She died October 17th, 2023 due to lung cancer :')

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That’s amazing

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