Jet Lyrics
To echo another poster, I'm sure this song is about John, and losing him to Yoko. Maybe not consciously, but even just that hard "J" sound at the beginning must've been a reminder to Paul of the millions of times he called John's name. But not just that...
Jet I can almost remember their funny faces That time you told them you were going to marrying soon And Jet I thought the only lonely place was the moon
[How it freaked EVERYONE out that John was with Yoko, and going to marry her soon. Paul never knew real lonliness until John left him/the Beatles]
Jet was your father as bold as the sergeant major How come he told you that you were hardly old enough yet And Jet I thought the major was a lady suffragette
[John's dad was a merchant seaman - but he was nowhere near as bold as a sergeant major... & in this song the Major is a "lady suffragette - i.e. a feminist, a liberated woman - Yoko]
Ah Mater want Jet to always love me Ah Mater want Jet to always love me Ah Mater, much later
[Both John and Paul lost their mothers (maters)... they bonded on that in their early days, and Paul wanted John to love him always - but now it's later]
And Jet I thought the major was a lady suffragette
[John, Yoko is a feminist]
Jet with the wind in your hair Of a thousand laces Climb on the back and we'll go for a ride in the sky
[if the Beatles got back together/if we performed together again/if you loved me again, we would be free, and it would be beautiful]
@dostoyb - I agree with you one hundred percent. To make it even more clear? Mater was the nickname of John's aunt who gave him 100 pounds for his 21st birthday. John used the money to take himself and Paul on a trip to Paris, a trip they remembered lovingly for years afterward. I know people are sooo hung up on sexual orientation, but from everything I've read, there was love between John and Paul waay beyond the "we're good mates" level. There were documented jealous hissy fits on both their parts aimed at the other's female...
@dostoyb - I agree with you one hundred percent. To make it even more clear? Mater was the nickname of John's aunt who gave him 100 pounds for his 21st birthday. John used the money to take himself and Paul on a trip to Paris, a trip they remembered lovingly for years afterward. I know people are sooo hung up on sexual orientation, but from everything I've read, there was love between John and Paul waay beyond the "we're good mates" level. There were documented jealous hissy fits on both their parts aimed at the other's female partners and wives. You tell me! The two may well not have acted on their feelings given the times. But deep emotional intimacy seems clearly to have been there. Jet seems to be all about the painful severing of that bond, its meaning hiding in plain sight.
isn't he saying "ah mater"? as in the british variation of mother? that's what it sounds like and it would make more sense.
@glamorous*sunrise mater is also 'mother' in ancient greek ;) maybe the most ancient type, "μάτερ" (also 'μήτερ', 'μήτηρ' and 'μητέρα' in modern greek)
@glamorous*sunrise mater is also 'mother' in ancient greek ;) maybe the most ancient type, "μάτερ" (also 'μήτερ', 'μήτηρ' and 'μητέρα' in modern greek)
"Suffragette" is a nod to David Bowie's "Suffragette City" a year earlier.
"Mater" is latin for mother. Basically, he's saying "Mom, I want Jet to always love me." Huh, I didn't know Jet was his dog...ya' learn something new everyday.
And Jet... All these years I assumed he was singing And yet... and it was a play on words. Some English speakers say “and yet” so it sounds a bit like “andjyet”. But I guess I was wrong anyway.
This song has never made any sense to me, but once you hear it live, you have to love it.
the songs about pauls dog, but also makes references to david bowie. "And Jet, I Thought The Major Was A Lady Suffragette." that part refers to Paul thinking david bowie looked like a girl, then saying suffragette as in bowies popular song "suffragette city". David bowie made a song back saying something about "Put back on your red sciffle shoes or something making fun of pauls music. theres also some background vocals in Bowies song that sound alot like john lennon, which could be since they were good friends. John sings on Bowies "Fame" which he is credited then hes uncredited on "Chanes" and a few more.
A couple fixes here in the lyrics: "Matter" should indeed be changed to "Mater" (meaning 'Mother') and "with the wind in your hair of a thousand laces" should be "with the wind in your hair of a thousand mesas," meaning that Jet is a big traveler.
Mesas?! Yes! Thank you, that makes so much more sense!!!!
Mesas?! Yes! Thank you, that makes so much more sense!!!!
i always thought that this song was about a girl that he couldnt keep up with, and he had assumed that she loved him, when really she was too immature to have a real relationship, and ends up leaving him alone. maybe? regardless of meaning, this song is awesome.
I always heard it as "I thought the only lonely FACE was on the moon"