The Beatles recorded 26 takes of "You Never Give Me Your Money" on 6 May 1969, with McCartney on piano and vocals, Lennon and Harrison on guitar and Starr on drums. At this early stage the song ended abruptly prior to the "One two three four five six seven" refrain.
On 1 July McCartney overdubbed lead vocals onto take 30, and added more vocals and chimes on 15 July.
"You Never Give Me Your Money" was originally to segue into "Sun King" with a long organ note. This was recorded along with more vocals on 30 July. They were scrapped the following day, when McCartney completed the song by adding bass guitar and piano. The "Sun King" crossfade was completed on 5 August with a series of tape loops containing the sounds of bells, birds, bubbles and insects.
You Never Give Me Your Money
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You only give me your funny paper
And in the middle of negotiations
You break down
I never give you my number
I only give you my situation
And in the middle of investigation
Out of college, money spent
See no future, pay no rent
All the money's gone, nowhere to go
Any jobber got the sack
Monday morning, turning back
Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go
But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go
Oh, that magic feeling
Nowhere to go, nowhere to go
One sweet dream
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine
Soon we'll be away from here
Step on the gas and wipe that tear away
One sweet dream came true today
Came true today
Came true today (yes, it did)
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
All good children go to Heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
All good children go to Heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
All good children go to Heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
All good children go to Heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
All good children go to Heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
All good children go to Heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
All good children go to Heaven
The Beatles’ “You Never Give Me Your Money” is a song that tells the story of the band and their financial problems. The lyrics describe how the band members would often use funny paper (fake money) instead of real currency when paying each other. This reflects the group’s struggle to receive payment for their music and the exploitation they faced from their management. The line “You only give me your funny paper” is directed towards their business manager, who would often pay them in dodgy ways instead of actual wages.
The lyrics also detail how the negotiations between the Beatles and their business manager would often break down, leading to more problems for the already struggling band. Lines such as “And in the middle of negotiations, you break down” and “And in the middle of investigation, I break down” reflect the strained relationship between the band and their management.
The song also talks about the band’s financial woes after coming out of college. Despite the band's great success, they had a sense of hopelessness and uncertainty about their future. Lines like “See no future, pay no rent. All the money’s gone, nowhere to go” illustrate the band’s frustration at their financial situation in spite of their success. However, the song also touches on the sense of freedom that came with their music, and how it offered an escape from their financial struggles.
Overall, “You Never Give Me Your Money” is a powerful and insightful song that reflects on the Beatles’ experience with the music industry and their financial problems. The song tackles themes of exploitation, uncertainty and the power dynamics between artists and managers.
Line by Line Meaning
You never give me your money
You don't provide me with money
You only give me your funny paper
You only give me worthless paper currency
And in the middle of negotiations
During the process of making agreements
You break down
You suddenly experience problems or fail
I never give you my number
I don't let you have my contact information
I only give you my situation
I only share my current state or circumstances with you
And in the middle of investigation
While being examined or looked into
I break down
I fall apart or lose my composure
Out of college, money spent
After graduating from college with no money
See no future, pay no rent
Having no prospects and no money
All the money's gone, nowhere to go
Money is all depleted and there's nowhere to turn
Any jobber got the sack
Random workers are getting fired or laid off
Monday morning, turning back
Starting another week of working and returning to a monotonous routine
Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go
A yellow truck on the road, not getting anywhere
But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go
Despite the hopeless situation, there's something special and intangible present
Oh, that magic feeling
The unexplainable, positive sensation that is felt
Nowhere to go, nowhere to go
A repetition of being stuck with no options
One sweet dream
A lovely dream or wish
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine
Get ready to leave in a luxurious vehicle
Soon we'll be away from here
Leaving the current location or situation soon
Step on the gas and wipe that tear away
Speed up and leave the sadness or emotion behind
One sweet dream came true today
One lovely thought or desire has been fulfilled today
Came true today
It finally happened today
All good children go to Heaven
Everyone who is living a good and virtuous life will go to Heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
Counting up in a sequential order
All good children go to Heaven
Reiterating the idea that those who are good will end up in Heaven
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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