The original title of the song was "Honey Pie", perhaps comparing the pleasures of love to eating sweets, penned by the group after eating an especially large desert. Perhaps initially concerned after a friend suggested it might be mistaken for a Beatles cover, the group listened to the White Album to hear if there were any musical similarities to their work in progress. They would have discovered another song on the album, "Savoy Truffle" was more similar and decided changes had to be made. George Harrison's line about needing "to have them all pulled out" referring to the dentistry consequences after indulging in sweets would lead to numerous conversations and the group eventually learning that in Napoleonic times, dentures were made from real human teeth, a particularly large number of such teeth being obtained from dead soldiers at the Battle of Waterloo. After further rewriting, the group would have decided to rewrite the song from the point of view of a dead Napoleonic soldier's tooth, singing to the new mouth that it would be a denture in. Although their record company's A&R people would have found this highly original, they would express concern over what the public's reaction would be, and after many listeners in focus groups express alarm and leave the listening booth grimacing and massaging their jaws, it would have been suggested the lyrics be made more subtle. With very few changes (reportedly only 5 words were altered), the final lyrics were ambiguous enough that most people interpreted the song as mainly one about a relationship, and not a philosophical question of whether a living being's body parts have their own soul and will. With no one the wiser, the song is a hit, and history is made!
@madscijr I feel I ought to add a disclaimer that this is a "fringe theory" pieces together from various clues, in order to explain how this song came to be. It has not been verified as fact, or corroborated by the group or their record company. We would not wish to disparage the good people of ABBA, their management, or the poor soldiers who lost their lives (and teeth!) at Waterloo, or their families! This certainly is not a condoning of body snatching or desecration of deceased people for the purpose of dentistry and profit, of any sort! It's just...
@madscijr I feel I ought to add a disclaimer that this is a "fringe theory" pieces together from various clues, in order to explain how this song came to be. It has not been verified as fact, or corroborated by the group or their record company. We would not wish to disparage the good people of ABBA, their management, or the poor soldiers who lost their lives (and teeth!) at Waterloo, or their families! This certainly is not a condoning of body snatching or desecration of deceased people for the purpose of dentistry and profit, of any sort! It's just that if you listen to the lyrics, and put two and two together, you might come to some conclusions, especially if you are at a wedding and have eaten one too many magic mushrooms. This is not a condoning of eating magic mushrooms! Those things are very easy to confuse with a poisonous variety, and they will mess up your mind, so it is advised that you avoid those outside of the care of a doctor or trained shaman! Good day, sirs and madams!
The original title of the song was "Honey Pie", perhaps comparing the pleasures of love to eating sweets, penned by the group after eating an especially large desert. Perhaps initially concerned after a friend suggested it might be mistaken for a Beatles cover, the group listened to the White Album to hear if there were any musical similarities to their work in progress. They would have discovered another song on the album, "Savoy Truffle" was more similar and decided changes had to be made. George Harrison's line about needing "to have them all pulled out" referring to the dentistry consequences after indulging in sweets would lead to numerous conversations and the group eventually learning that in Napoleonic times, dentures were made from real human teeth, a particularly large number of such teeth being obtained from dead soldiers at the Battle of Waterloo. After further rewriting, the group would have decided to rewrite the song from the point of view of a dead Napoleonic soldier's tooth, singing to the new mouth that it would be a denture in. Although their record company's A&R people would have found this highly original, they would express concern over what the public's reaction would be, and after many listeners in focus groups express alarm and leave the listening booth grimacing and massaging their jaws, it would have been suggested the lyrics be made more subtle. With very few changes (reportedly only 5 words were altered), the final lyrics were ambiguous enough that most people interpreted the song as mainly one about a relationship, and not a philosophical question of whether a living being's body parts have their own soul and will. With no one the wiser, the song is a hit, and history is made!
@madscijr I feel I ought to add a disclaimer that this is a "fringe theory" pieces together from various clues, in order to explain how this song came to be. It has not been verified as fact, or corroborated by the group or their record company. We would not wish to disparage the good people of ABBA, their management, or the poor soldiers who lost their lives (and teeth!) at Waterloo, or their families! This certainly is not a condoning of body snatching or desecration of deceased people for the purpose of dentistry and profit, of any sort! It's just...
@madscijr I feel I ought to add a disclaimer that this is a "fringe theory" pieces together from various clues, in order to explain how this song came to be. It has not been verified as fact, or corroborated by the group or their record company. We would not wish to disparage the good people of ABBA, their management, or the poor soldiers who lost their lives (and teeth!) at Waterloo, or their families! This certainly is not a condoning of body snatching or desecration of deceased people for the purpose of dentistry and profit, of any sort! It's just that if you listen to the lyrics, and put two and two together, you might come to some conclusions, especially if you are at a wedding and have eaten one too many magic mushrooms. This is not a condoning of eating magic mushrooms! Those things are very easy to confuse with a poisonous variety, and they will mess up your mind, so it is advised that you avoid those outside of the care of a doctor or trained shaman! Good day, sirs and madams!