Happiness Is a Warm Gun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Song by The Beatles | ||
| from the album The Beatles | ||
| Released | 22 November 1968 | |
| Recorded | 24 and 25 September 1968 | |
| Genre | Rock and Roll Rock |
|
| Length | 2:43 | |
| Label | Apple Records | |
| Writer(s) | Lennon-McCartney | |
| Producer(s) | George Martin | |
| The Beatles track listing | ||
| While My Guitar Gently Weeps (7 of disc 1) |
"Happiness Is a Warm Gun" (8 of disc 1) |
Martha My Dear (9 of disc 1) |
"Happiness Is a Warm Gun" is a Beatles song on the double-disc album The Beatles (also known as The White Album). It is primarily a John Lennon composition, credited to Lennon/McCartney. The original, working title of the song was "Happiness is a Warm Gun in Your Hand", which was inspired by a magazine cover containing the phrase. Derek Taylor, the press officer for the Beatles, contributed some of the lyrics[citation needed]. Some people think that the song title refers to a needle for injecting heroin. Lennon denied this.[1]
Lennon once claimed the song was "sort of a history of rock and roll," as it features five different sections but is less than three minutes long. The song begins with a brief lilting section. The drums, bass and distorted guitar are introduced in the next section. The surreal imagery from this section is allegedly taken from an acid trip that Lennon experienced. After this, the song becomes more ominous and the next couple of sections are based on repeated verses. The final section is a doo-wop send up, with the back-up of vocals of "bang, bang, shoot shoot". The song's multiple sections would inspire Radiohead's three part epic Paranoid Android on OK Computer.[1]
One of the most radical musical accomplishments of the song is its frequent shifts in rhythm. Beginning in 4/4 time, the song shifts to a 3/4 time for the guitar solo and the "I need a fix..." section. This gives way to 6/8, 3/4, and 4/4 measures in the "Mother Superior..." section before returning to 4/4 for the doo wop style ending. During Lennon's spoken-word interlude, the instruments return to 3/4 except for the drums which remain in 4/4. This is one of the few instances of polyrhythm in a Beatles song.
[edit] Cover versions
- Tori Amos, on the album Strange Little Girls
- The Breeders, on the album Pod
- Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, on the album Tomorrow We'll Know Today
- Anders Osborne, on the album The blues White album
- Phish, on the album Live Phish Volume 13
- Marc Ribot, on the album Saints
- U2, as a B-side of the single "Last Night on Earth"
- Jay-Z and Danger Mouse, as a mashup on The Grey Album.
- Alanis Morissette, during the 1995-1996 Can't Not Tour.
- Hajime Chitose, of the single Kataritsugu Koto.
[edit] Cultural references
- The song was used in Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine
