Tomorrow Never Knows

The Beatles

Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream
It is not dying
It is not dying
Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void
It is shining
It is shining
That you may see the meaning of within
It is being
It is being

That love is all and love is everyone
It is knowing
It is knowing
That ignorance and hate may mourn the dead
It is believing
It is believing
But listen to the color of your dreams
It is not living
It is not living

Or play the game "Existence" to the end
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning
Of the beginning


Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by eptakyrios

Tomorrow Never Knows Lyrics as written by Paul Mccartney John Lennon

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Tomorrow Never Knows song meanings
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69 Comments

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  • +8
    General CommentMad Men turned me on (to use a 60's term) to this song - played at the end of last episode. Was 5 years old when Revolver came out but always heard Beatles from my older brothers - BUT - never heard this song! What a masterpiece! Seems like a deep cut to me, but I see others here saying it is considered the greatest song ever. How did I miss this one? Have to ask my brothers. Lennon was a genius and what they all created together was trail blazing for generations to come.
    tsma120on May 16, 2012   Link
  • +6
    General Commentyou dont have to take acid to understand how it works

    its called transcedence
    we have our whole lives (50-80+ years) to accomplish this

    it just takes a while to build momentum
    moghead1on May 22, 2008   Link
  • +3
    General CommentThis is the greatest song ever made... for the beatles, it is so briliantly put together i mean they sped up violins and cello's in the backround and distorted and played guitars backwards. its amazing but the song itself is about meditating and the tao rituals to achive benvolence... and maybe some acid, but i think im gonna go drop lsd and listen to it, and float down stream...
    Vast334on July 04, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General CommentI'm surprised there are no comments, this is an incredible song, a great closer for Revolver
    infidelon April 10, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Commentthis song is sooooo wicked.infidel is right, its a brilliant ender to the revolver album!this song shows how the beatles music grew and changed!
    John and George R.I.P :( (Forever in our hearts.thank you)
    angelicon May 07, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General CommentThe lyrics were inspired by The Tibetan Book Of The Dead. Originally, John wanted his voice to sound like he was singing from the top of the Himalayas, and he wanted a bunch of Buddhist monks chanting in the background. Of course, they didn't have the money to do such a thing, and what you got is what you hear, which is spectacular anyway. And it was actually Macca who made and suggested that random loops be put into the song.
    GuitarJeezuson June 07, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Commentwhat the hell is that sweet ass 'ah ah ah ah ah ah' seagul bird sounding thing in the background?
    meursaultsrevolveron September 29, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment"turn off your mind, relax and float downstream"...i try to do that every day of my life.
    TheMoonTellsMEaSecreton July 28, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Commentyes, but by the same token, you must appreciate the truly god-like reverse guitaring efforts at the end of i'm only sleeping, or was that a different song? i forget, but you get the idea...
    meursaultsrevolveron February 02, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentYea but its not the "real" tibetan book of the dead...its timothy leary's (the LSD guru) version of it...therefore it is about acid. Really cool song though, different than the rest of the album.
    JuliaDreameron October 30, 2005   Link

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