The song was co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. According to Lennon, it was written together but it was "mainly mine". They wrote it after smoking marijuana, something they hadn't done before in a composing session, which from McCartney's perspective (opposite to Lennon's), "got in the way of songwriting". Paul on the subject:
“We smoked a bit of pot, then we wrote out a multicolored lyric sheet, the first time we'd ever done that. We normally didn't smoke when we were working. It got in the way of songwriting because it would just cloud your mind up — "Oh, shit, what are we doing?" It's better to be straight. But we did this multicolor thing.
Musically, the song is based upon a driving rhythm with few chord changes and a simple melody in the key of D major.Paul McCartney said of this song, "John and I would like to do songs with just one note like 'Long Tall Sally'. We get near it in 'The Word'"
George Martin plays the harmonium solo in the track. McCartney, Lennon, and Harrison sing the song in three-part harmony. Lennon sings the middle eight by himself.
Samples from this song are also included on Love released in November 2006, in the track "Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing".
The Word
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say the word and be like me
Say the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love
But now I've got it, the word is good
Spread the word and you'll be free
Spread the word and be like me
Spread the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love
Every where I go I hear it said
In the good and bad books that I have read
Say the word and you'll be free
Say the word and be like me
Say the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love
Now that I know what I feel must be right
I'm here to show everybody the light
Give the word a chance to say
That the word is just the way
It's the word I'm thinking of
And the only word is love
It's so fine, it's sunshine
It's the word, love
Say the word love
Say the word love
Say the word love
Say the word love
"The Word" by The Beatles is a song about love, but not just romantic love. It's about the power of love to transcend barriers and bring people together. The lyrics "Say the word and you'll be free" and "Spread the word and you'll be free" speak to the idea that love can release us from the things that hold us back and make us feel trapped. The line "In the beginning I misunderstood / But now I've got it, the word is good" suggests that the singer has had a change of heart and now sees the value in love.
The repeated phrase "it's the word, love" reinforces the idea that love is the key to freedom and happiness. The final lines of the song - "Give the word a chance to say / That the word is just the way / It's the word I'm thinking of / And the only word is love" - drive home the message that love is not just important, it's essential.
Overall, "The Word" is a song about the redemptive power of love. It's a call to action to spread love wherever we go, to give it a chance to take root and change the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Say the word and you'll be free
The word referred to as 'love' has the power to set you free from any constraints holding you back.
Say the word and be like me
The use of the word love and ensuing emotional attachment will make you more like the singer who has had the same experience.
Say the word I'm thinking of
The singer is thinking of a particular word which is inferred to be 'love.'
Have you heard the word is love?
The artist is posing a question to their audience as to whether they have heard that the word in mention is 'love.'
It's so fine, it's sunshine
Use of the word love is so invigorating and positive, it has an effect akin to basking in the sun (i.e., positive and rejuvenating).
It's the word, love
The singer emphasizes that the word in mention is 'love.'
In the beginning I misunderstood
The singer initially had a wrong interpretation of the word 'love.'
But now I've got it, the word is good
The artist has a new understanding of the word 'love' and that it's good and beneficial.
Spread the word and you'll be free
Sharing the word 'love' with others will have the same liberating effect on them as it originally had on the artist.
Spread the word and be like me
Sharing the word 'love' with others will also help them become more like the artist.
Every where I go I hear it said
The positive and beneficial effects of using the word 'love' is something the singer hears everywhere they go.
In the good and bad books that I have read
The word 'love' is featured in literature that the artist has encountered, regardless of the context or overall tone.
Now that I know what I feel must be right
Having incorporated the word 'love' into their own life, the singer has come to feel that it is right and beneficial for everyone.
I'm here to show everybody the light
The singer has taken it upon themselves to share what they know about the beneficial effects of using the word 'love' with all those who will listen.
Give the word a chance to say
The singer is urging their audience to give the word 'love' a try in their own life.
That the word is just the way
The artist believes that the word 'love' represents a way of life that is beneficial for all.
It's the word I'm thinking of
The artist is still thinking of the word 'love.'
And the only word is love
The singer is firmly convinced that the only word one needs to live a good and fulfilling life is 'love.'
Say the word love
The singer is stressing the importance of using the word 'love'.
Say the word love
The artist is again stressing the importance of using the word 'love'.
Say the word love
The artist is emphasizing once more the importance of using the word 'love'.
Say the word love
The artist is ending the song with a final plea to their audience to use the word 'love' in their own life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Winston Lennon, Paul James McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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