Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Standing in the dock at Southampton
Trying to get to Holland or France
The man in the mac said
You've got to go back
You know they didn't even give us a chance
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Finally made the plane into Paris
Honeymooning down by the Seine
Peter Brown call to say
You can make it O.K.
You can get married in Gibraltar near Spain
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton
Talking in our beds for a week
The newspapers said
Say what're you doing in bed
I said we're only trying to get us some peace
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Saving up your money for a rainy day
Giving all your clothes to charity
Last night the wife said
Oh boy when you're dead
You don't take nothing with you but your soul, think
Made a lightning trip to Vienna
Eating chocolate cake in a bag
The newspapers said
She's gone to his head
They look just like two gurus in drag
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Caught the early plane back to London
Fifty acorns tied in a sack
The men from the press
Said we wish you success
It's good to have the both of you back
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Trying to get to Holland or France
The man in the mac said
You've got to go back
You know they didn't even give us a chance
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Finally made the plane into Paris
Honeymooning down by the Seine
Peter Brown call to say
You can make it O.K.
You can get married in Gibraltar near Spain
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton
Talking in our beds for a week
The newspapers said
Say what're you doing in bed
I said we're only trying to get us some peace
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Saving up your money for a rainy day
Giving all your clothes to charity
Last night the wife said
Oh boy when you're dead
You don't take nothing with you but your soul, think
Made a lightning trip to Vienna
Eating chocolate cake in a bag
The newspapers said
She's gone to his head
They look just like two gurus in drag
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Caught the early plane back to London
Fifty acorns tied in a sack
The men from the press
Said we wish you success
It's good to have the both of you back
Christ you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
The way things are going
They're going to crucify me
Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by Mellow_Harsher
The Ballad of John and Yoko Lyrics as written by Paul Mccartney John Lennon
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
I view this (lyrically and stylistically) as a cynical re-write of Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell", which the Beatles would have known well. Musically it has the same "New Orleans" feel, especially the bass and piano parts. Instead of a "teenage wedding" when "the old folks wished them well", we have an exhausted rock star and his unpopular bride trying to escape (and then court) the attentions of the world's press. Instead of "C'est la vie... it goes to show you never can tell" we have a chorus of "Christ... theyre gonna crucify me!"
By the way, only John (guitars, vocals, tambourine) and Paul (bass, drums, piano, vocals) played on this session. Now, why would Paul help John with a song specifically about Yoko unless he approved?