This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Here come old flat top
He come groovin' up slowly
He got ju-ju eyeball
He one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker
He just do what he please
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
He wear no shoeshine
He got toe jam football
He got monkey finger
He shoot Coca-Cola
He say I know you, you know me
One thing I can tell you is
You got to be free
Come together, right now
Over me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
He bag production
He got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard
He one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair
You can feel his disease
Come together, right now
Over me
Shoot me
Right
Come, come, come, come, come
He roller coaster
He got early warning
He got muddy water
He one mojo filter
He say one and one and one is three
Got to be good looking
'Cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now
Over me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Uh
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Uh
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Here come old flat top
He come groovin' up slowly
He got ju-ju eyeball
He one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker
He just do what he please
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
He wear no shoeshine
He got toe jam football
He got monkey finger
He shoot Coca-Cola
He say I know you, you know me
One thing I can tell you is
You got to be free
Come together, right now
Over me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
He bag production
He got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard
He one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair
You can feel his disease
Come together, right now
Over me
Shoot me
Right
Come, come, come, come, come
He roller coaster
He got early warning
He got muddy water
He one mojo filter
He say one and one and one is three
Got to be good looking
'Cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now
Over me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Shoot me
Uh
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Uh
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
The song is about the Beatles feeling towards eachother. during a weak time, George brought up the Yogi and the phrase "Come Together right now over me" is an excerpt from the script telling them to use this song to build their bonds again and unite as one.
Each verse is dedicated to a Beatle:
Verse 1: "Here come old flattop, he come grooving up slowly He got joo-joo eyeball, he one holy roller He got hair down to his knee Got to be a joker he just do what he please"
This verse is obviously Ringo. Ringo's old school drum beats ("Flat top" refering to the old hair cut in the mid 1900's) were off at first with the rest of the band, but in time he got better and better ("Groovin' up slowly"). "he got hair down to his knee," is a joke about his shaggy look when he first joined the group and since he's sitting down playing the drums his hair wouldnt quite reach his knees but you get the riff. "Got to be a joker he just do what he please," Refers to him being the goof of the quad-squad.
Verse 2: "He wear no shoeshine, he got toe-jam football He got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola He say, "I know you, you know me" One thing I can tell you is you got to be free Come together right now over me"
Did someone say George? "He wear no shoeshine," well lets face it, George wasnt fancy and liked the bare foot thing. "He got toe-jam foot ball," Soccor was a sport usually practiced outside the temples where the Yogi was practiced. "He got monkey finger," George was extreeeeeemly dextrous and learned many stringed instruments with ease. "He say,' i know you, you know me'etc..." another refrence to the Yogi.
Verse 3: "He bag production, he got walrus gumboot He got Ono sideboard, he one spinal cracker He got feet down below his knee Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease Come together right now over me"
This is the most obvious one... give up? really??! It's John! Duh! "he bad production," refers to john constantly would stopthe recordings and piss off all the rest of the band. "He got walrus gumboot," John wrote 'I am the walrus" and kept making songs like that and refused to change his style, thus upsetting the rest of the band. "He got Ono sideboard," a side board is a court term refering to pulling to the side or distracting. Yoko Ono would pull John away from the band and Is believed to be the downfall of the band. "he one spinal cracker," a term related to "braking my back," John would constantly argue with the band mates adn "brake thier backs." "He got feet down below his knee," John refused to be openminded or "get on his knees" He wass stubborn and stood up, refusing to kneel to anyone. "Hold you in his arm chair you can feel his disease," Anyone who really knew John, or even got close to him, you knew something was wrong physically with him, depression, anger, etc. etc..
Verse 4:"He roller-coaster, he got early warning He got muddy water, he one mojo filter He say, "One and one and one is three" Got to be good-looking because he's so hard to see Come together right now over me "
Last but not least, Paul! "He roller-coaster," Paul was very emotional and would change all the time on everything whether it be a song or feelings. "He got early warning," Early in, the rest of the guys knew that Paul was going to be a problem so they warned him. "He got muddy water," A referance to Pauls changing facination to the band "Muddy Waters," Bluesy style. "he one mojo filter," Paul was very persuasive and would make the rest of the members bend to his will. "He say 'one and on and one is three'," Is a referance to Paul trying to constantly tell the rest of the band that even witout him, the band could survive. "Got to be good-looking because he's so hard to see," Paul was the "cute" one of the group and was also very hard to get along with and read as aperson.
WEllllll, thats my interpretation, i hopee it was helpful and clear things up. -elBajista
P.S. sorry for typos, my comp is acting weird and it's hard to type :)
Hi Bajista,<br /> <br /> Excellent post! Thats the best decription of Come Together i ever read. Well done.<br /> Got any thoughts on A Day in the Life?<br /> <br />
cant agree more with you
Ridiculous. You just copied what someone else posted on another forum. You are all copying each other's idea. In fact, Ringo had the shortest, neatest hair style of the four. Having "feet down below" one's knees means one is stubborn? I think everyone's feet are below their knees.
The line "He bag production" in the third verse is a reference to bagism.
A "sideboard" has NOTHING to do with any "court term" (whatever that mean!) but is a reference to a piece of furniture common in all UK homes at the time. You have to remember when trying to decypher Beatle lyrics, that they were BRITISH, not Yanks. <br /> And Muddy Waters isn't a "band" but an individual blues musician.
Cool! I don't know if all those references are accurate. But I never realized it could be about the band members before and will listen to this differently from now on.
@elBajista The only thing that has ever made sense! My life is complete!
@elBajista In verse 3, It's BAD production... has nothing to do with bags. For real, Yoko Ono had been in a car accident and her hospital bed was brought to the set when they were recording this so that's why the reference to "Ono sideboard" was made.
@elBajista Very interesting and entertaining and it hangs together in the main. Of course it’s poetry and John’s poetry at that so God knows what it really means, of anything!
@elBajista <br /> I know everyone interprets verse one as Ringo, but I see it different. <br /> Here come old flat top<br /> He come groovin' up slowly<br /> He got joo joo eyeballs<br /> He one holy roller<br /> He got hair down to his knee<br /> Got to be a joker<br /> He just do what he please.<br /> I see this as John.<br /> I don't get "the flat top reference but everything else says John.<br /> Joo Joo eyeballs. How could this not be john and his joo joe eye balls. His small round glasses?<br /> Holy Roller- he looked like Jesus Christ with his "hair down to his knee"<br /> Got to be a joker, he just do what he please.<br /> Again, This is total John doing and saying what he please. (telling the queen to rattle her Jewelry. The Beatles are bigger than Jesus...)<br /> <br /> Verse 2: "He wear no shoeshine, he got toe-jam football<br /> He got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola<br /> He say, "I know you, you know me"<br /> One thing I can tell you is you got to be free<br /> Come together right now over me"<br /> Ok- This is obviously George as you said.<br /> <br /> Verse 3: "He bad production, he got walrus gumboot<br /> He got Ono sideboard, he one spinal cracker<br /> He got feet down below his knee<br /> Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease<br /> Come together right now over me"<br /> This is Ringo-<br /> This is pretty mean spirited. Ringo was the least talented and least productive member- Bad Production.<br /> Ono Sideboard- I believe this to reference his big sideburns.<br /> He got feet down below his knee- Ringo, the drummer..sitting...feet down below his knees....<br /> Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease - Despite his lack of production, everyone love him.<br /> <br /> Verse 4:"He roller-coaster, he got early warning<br /> He got muddy water, he one mojo filter<br /> He say, "One and one and one is three"<br /> Got to be good-looking because he's so hard to see<br /> Come together right now over me "<br /> Yes, Paul.<br /> But I believe one and one and one is referencing 3 Beatles and Paul being dead.<br />
@elBajista Amazing!
@elBajista that’s SUPER interesting. Never would have occurred to me. I just thought it was a commentary on an immensely stoned bloke by some other even more stoned blokes. Nice slant.
Remarkably for such a druggy song, there's nothing SPECIFICALLY drugs-related in the lyrics.
It was originally meant as a campaign song for acid-guru Dr Timothy Leary when he was going to run for US President (no kidding!), but later John re-wrote it in its present form. Alongside references to blues singer Muddy Waters and Yoko's Ono's company "Bag Productions" there is an inevitable Walrus. "Spinal cracker" reportedly refers to a form of Japanese massage involving a wife (Yoko?) walking on her husband's spine! But guess why the song got banned by the BBC...
Yes, because the State-owned broadcasting corporation deemed that the mention of Coca-Cola was advertising and therefore could not be played on the BBC!
The same thing happened with "Lola" by the Kinks, but they actually changed the lyric to the more evocative "cherry cola".
Simon Beck London, UK
I think "Coca-Cola" was banned for more suggestive reasons than the beverage. Just a hunch, man.
i think the BBC also banned 'i am the walrus' too for something to do with the "pornographic priestess" part, im not too sure.
sgt1pepper, you are almost right..it was the reference to "knickers" that got the song banned. Makes me wonder how Paul got the word "breast" passed the censors in "Lady Madonna".
Simon, Thanks for knowing your stuff and posting it. You are correct, sir.
You're all wrong. It's John saying that the Beatles are his band, not Paul's. Each verse is about one of the members. Ringo, first verse. George, second verse. John, third verse, kinda making fun of himself with Ono side board and bagging production. And the last one is an attack on Paul saying one and one and one meaning John, ringo and George. And saying the only reason Paul was popular was because he was good looking and couldn't notice him any other way. John saying come together over me, not Paul. And the fact that John did all the backup vocals for this song.
Like a lot of John's lyrics (and like Dylan's), there are multiple meanings. The two didn't have their songs wrapped neatly in a bow for the listener to easily decipher. Both Dylan and Lennon (who were friends) realized they were truly lyrical geniuses and immensely popular. They probably took great glee in puzzling, provoking, intriguing and teasing their listeners. Listen to Desolation Row or Like a Rolling Stone where there are countless meanings. Same with I want you (she's so heavy)--drugs, sex?
The song is probably on one level about the four individual Beatles. It is also about taking drugs. It is also about sex. In fact it is eerily similar to Happiness is a Warm Gun which also had multiple meanings---an actual pistol, sex, shooting drugs, etc. (bang bang, shoot shoot).
The first two verses are interesting in that they both could be about George and Ringo. Lyrrics could be interchanged. Flat top. Is that an old stodgy hair style? A guitar top? Groovin up slowly. Is that the groove of the song suggesting the drummer? Or someone who was square and was slowly becoming more hip?
Shoot coca cola has a drug reference but it could be about a Coke ad Ringo was asked to be "shot" in.
The most interesting verse is the fourth which seems to be about Paul who is emotionally up and down (roller coaster), was getting guff form the other members for being too bossy (early warning), he was a buzz kill (mojo filter--filtered out other musicians creative ideas?).
The "one and one an one is three" seems to be John mocking Paul's overly simplistic song writing. He later sang in "How Do You Sleep," the only thing you did was Yesterday.
"Got to be good lookin'" refers to the fact that he was the cute Beatle but the only thing he is noticed for is his looks not his intellect...(so hard to see...empty mind, or it could simply mean "hard to read" since he was impulsive and bossy. It seems to be John mocking Paul's overly simplistic mind.
The title Come Together could be John's plea to the band members to continue making great music together and not going solo. Or it could refer to the 1960's "let's all get along" ideal. Or again it could be about sex (cum together)...it could even be about Paul's death (come together over me in my grave).
There are a lot of religious meanings as well from their time in India and George's stronger religious beliefs.
I think it is by far their coolest song. It has a Stones-like groove with dynamic drumming and and a serious danceable groove. The song has a drug-like, happy groove with soaring lead guitar lines from George. The "shoot" parts could suggest shooting up (drugs),shooting your load (sex), or even death (shoot me).
Like all these other guessers, you make John out to be overtly egotistical and arrogant, and assume that the other three want to join him in singing insults to themselves.
actually this song has many many drug refrences. im not sure what joo-joo eyeballed means, but i assume its something to do with dialated pupils after using acid or smoking pot. i know the holy roller is a refrence to rolling joints, because stores that use to sell rolling papers usually had bibles and other religous materials in them, thus producing holy roller, i even herd stories that bible pages were used to roll joints. and come on he shoot coca cola? shooting coke. bag production, weed, baggin weed. spinal cracker, acid hits go straight to the spin
Hello Cadaver,<br /> <br /> The only thing i can think of with the joo joo eyeball reference is the old black and white tarzan films with Jonny Weismuller in, there was always a part in the film where the natives carrying all the equipment would not go past a certain point because of the joo joo tribe and the camera would have close ups of them crapping there pants so maybe its a reference to there scared faces and bulging eyeballs.
I've been in many head shops, never once saw a Bible. No one I know ever used a Bible page to roll a joint. You are just making up stuff.
@sm666, I've actually seen a lot of people use Bible pages to roll a joint. It's made of rice paper. They say it burns the same as rolling papers.
I BELIEVE THIS SONG REFERS TO THE BEATLES AS A WHOLE,THE FIRST LINE IS ABOUT RINGO,THE SECOND ABOUT GEORGE-THE MAN MIGHT I ADD,THE THIRD ABOUT JOHN AND THE FOURTH ABOUT PAUL11 AND MUST I REMIND ALL OF YOU JOHN IS NOT THE ONLY BEATLE!!!
Man, I am really digging this interpretation. It really makes sense, man. Peace.
I thought the same thing as you did, that each verse was a reference to each Beatle. But I thought verse one was George, 2 = Paul, 3= John, and 4= Ringo.<br /> This is why I thought this:<br /> George was the most religious, so calling someone a holy roller was slang back then (still is for that)<br /> George usually had the longest hair and was the first to grow it out longer that the mop top.<br /> George seemed to have one eye a little more droopy than the other.<br /> Joker - I don't know what that is about.<br /> <br /> Paul - toe jam from the barefoot picture. Football is a big joint and we know how Paul would like to light it up. Coca-cola- Paul admitted to the media to using drugs other than just weed. Monkey finger might be a reference to his ability to play nearly any instrument. (monkey see monkey do) Quoting him poeticey would mean he speaks out, he has something to say as in lyrics like a song writer does. Paul wrote lyrics or poems that became songs.<br /> <br /> John - the Ono on the side comment (John had been married to someone else). He once said that he told everyone Paul was the Walrus to further confuse them. Does that mean John is really the Walrus? He wrote a song stating "I am the Walrus".<br /> Perhaps he had a scruffy armchair they all made fun of that they teased you could get a disease by sitting in it - that is just a guess because he had a funny sense of humor.<br /> <br /> Ringo - he is a roller coaster (mood swings). He got early warning -you can easily tell when his moods are switching. He got muddy water - Muddy Waters was a blues musician. Maybe he liked that music or maybe it refers back to his moods again (being blue)<br /> He say 1 + 1 + 1 is 3. Would mean that he is the drummer and he keeps time (or the count) for the<br /> band. Has to be good looking (which he is) because you can hardly see him way in the back of the band behind everyone else.<br /> <br /> <br />
agreed<3
Yeowza, that is AMAZING!!!!
holy cow. i think you're on to something
I totally agree with Yeowza. That is an amazing interpretation and it has changed my view on the song entirely.<br /> But with Ringo, how it says 'he got early warning', Ringo was initially the first Beatle to leave the group, but he did return 10 days later. Maybe its referring to the fact that he could see what was going to come (The breakup and the tension between John and Paul etc.) and he wanted to get out first to avoid any of that.
Yeowza - I am in total agreement with you. That was an incrediable interpretation. I never knew what to make of this song. I always knew it was one of my favourites, but I never had any idea what on earth he was on about. What you've said here makes an awful lot of sense. <br /> <br /> Really great interpretation and like Pshh said, it has totally changed how I listen to the song.
Also, when all these verses "Come Together," they make the Beatles. Fantastic interp. ;]
dude, yeah. you've got it. but maybe line two is Paul.. but then four doesn't seem like George..
The last verse is about Paul. John thought Paul was not deep intellectually and wrote silly songs w/ no depth (one and one and one is three, is John's mocking Paul's song writing). The telltale clue is the line "got to be good looking cuz he's so hard to see." Paul was considered the best looking Beatle, but since his songwriting was so devoid of meaning, he had to get by on his looks. It is pretty scathing. I wonder if this was John's little secret, or if the other Beatles were in on it?? If you don't believe John's disdain for Paul, listen to "How do you Sleep?" My favorite Lennon lyric of all time: "Them freaks were right when they said you were dead...the only thing you got is in your head. Oooooh, how do you sleep at night?"
Yeah, Yeowza I think you're totally right except that I think you got Paul and Ringo mixed up. Ringo is verse 2 and Paul is verse 4. But aye now it makes sense!
The lyrics refer to the 4 members of the band. At the time this song was written, the band was facing turmoil and conflict. Come together right now over me -- this is a plea by john to unite eihter under the dali lama or john lennon himself.
Here come old flattop, he come grooving up slowly He got joo-joo eyeball, he one holy roller He got hair down to his knee Got to be a joker he just do what he please
This is ringo. the joker in the band, some of this refers to his blues roots, and his groove steadily improving as the band matured.
He wear no shoeshine, he got toe-jam football He got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola He say, "I know you, you know me" One thing I can tell you is you got to be free Come together right now over me
This is harrison. George was the biggest follower of the hare krishna, he often went barefoot as was the practice of this religious movement. Also common for these followers, to play barefoot soccer referred to as toe-jam football. Monkey finger is a reference to his skill on the guitar. He shoots coca-cola was slang at that time for shooting up cocaine.
He say, "I know you, you know me" One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
the mantra of the hare krishna.
He bag production, he got walrus gumboot He got Ono sideboard, he one spinal cracker He got feet down below his knee Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease Come together right now over me
this is obviously john. bag production could either be the reference to ono's compnay, or "bad production", a reference to johns struggles making good music while addicted to drugs. Walrus is referenced. Ono is referenced as a sideboard, or something distracting john attention from the group. spinal cracker is probably the practice of Ono walking on his back. When john holds u close, u can feel his disease. John was self-doubting, self destructive, self-loathing at times.
He roller-coaster, he got early warning He got muddy water, he one mojo filter He say, "One and one and one is three" Got to be good-looking because he's so hard to see
roller coaster. paul was up and down about keeping the group together. He got early warning from hi band mates that his superiority complex and his rding them would drive them apart. "One and One and One is three" This was Paul talking about the Beatles going on without him. Got to be good looking he is so hard to see. Paul was considered the good looking one.
ultimately, i think this song was an attempt for the beatles to come together, and be more united. this obviouisly did not succeed.
another one of the examples of john's songwriting randomness. makes you wonder what he was on back then...this is a pretty cool song though, regardless.
Yours is by far the best interpretation. Bravo!
by the way, has anyone seen this really cool flash cartoon/music video of Come Together on albinoblacksheep.com. It's really cool.
I don't know for sure about this one, but the short phrase that is being mouthed quietly throughout the whole song is "shoot me". Maybe Lennon was referring to someone who... "Shoots Cocaine" has "Long Hair" and "Smelly Feet" that he dislikes. I truly don't know, maybe this will inspire someone else.
"Shoot me" means shoot cocaine? First off, I've seen two video recordings of different performances of this song, and in both, it is clear that John moves his head quickly to the mic for one syllable "shhhh" and then away, merely scat nonsense; not possible at all that he is saying "shoot me", you cannot hear shoot me, although I see that someone submitted that phrase to a lyrics website and plenty of other sites have copied it "me too" fashion, printing it as shoot me.<br /> <br /> Secondly, if he is saying "Shoot me" to mean cocaine, that would mean he is cocaine. Please dream up something more believable.
@BingoGuy how about “shoot me” being their ‘load’ as they cum over me. A great big orgy lol
@BingoGuy or could be the people in my life are driving me nuts and my life is hell. Please somebody shoot me. Unfortunately for us all, he got his wish. If that's it.