Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Encyclopedia
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is a song credited to Lennon–McCartney, but written by Paul McCartney
and released by The Beatles
on their 1968 album The Beatles
(also referred to as The White Album). It was released as a single that same year in many countries, but not in the United Kingdom, nor in the United States until 1976.
wrote the song around the time that highlife
and reggae
were beginning to become popular in Britain. The tag line "ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra" was an expression used by Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor, an acquaintance of McCartney.
The song is in the key of B flat and written in 4/4. The alternative version on Anthology 3
is in the key of A major.
's Esher
home, in Surrey
, to record demos for their upcoming project. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" was one of the twenty-seven demos recorded there. Paul performed this demo solo, with only an acoustic guitar. He had also double-tracked his vocal, which was not perfectly synchronised, creating an echoing effect.
According to studio engineer Geoff Emerick
, John Lennon
openly hated the song, calling it "Paul's granny shit". Lennon left the studio during a recording of the song (after several days and literally dozens of takes of the song, trying different tempo
s and styles), then returned while under the influence of marijuana, went immediately to the piano and played the opening chords much louder and faster than before. He claimed that was how the song should be played, and that is the version they ended up using.
When singing the vocals for the song, specifically the last verse of the song when sung the second time, McCartney made a slip and said "Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face", rather than Molly, and had Molly letting "the children lend a hand". Reportedly, this mistake was kept in because the other Beatles liked it. George Harrison
and Lennon yell "arm" and "leg" during a break in the song; between the lines "...Desmond lets the children lend a hand" and "Molly stays at home..."
The lyrics for "Savoy Truffle
", composed by Harrison and also on The Beatles, include the line "We all know ob-la-di-bla-da, but can you show me where you are."
The intro of this song is heard on the Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record.
. An alternative version, known as "Take 5", was released on Anthology 3
in which the horns are much more prominent.
The first time the song was performed live by any of The Beatles was on 2 December 2009, when McCartney played the song in Hamburg, Germany on the first night of a European tour. McCartney also performed the song in Hyde Park on 27 June 2010 as part of the Hard Rock Calling event, and the song was well received by the crowd. He also added it as a number in the Latin American Leg of the Up and Coming Tour. In 2011, the song is also performed during Paul McCartney's On The Run Tour.
Scott argued it was not a general expression, but merely an expression that was exclusively used in the Scott-Emuakpor family. Scott agreed to drop the case when McCartney agreed to pay Scott's legal expenses for an unrelated issue.
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and released by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
on their 1968 album The Beatles
The Beatles (album)
The Beatles is the ninth official album by the English rock group The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is also commonly known as "The White Album" as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed on its plain white sleeve.The album was written and recorded during a...
(also referred to as The White Album). It was released as a single that same year in many countries, but not in the United Kingdom, nor in the United States until 1976.
Writing
Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
wrote the song around the time that highlife
Highlife
Highlife is a musical genre that originated in Ghana in the 1900s and spread to Sierra Leone, Nigeria and other West African countries by 1920...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
were beginning to become popular in Britain. The tag line "ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra" was an expression used by Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor, an acquaintance of McCartney.
The song is in the key of B flat and written in 4/4. The alternative version on Anthology 3
Anthology 3
Anthology 3 is a compilation album by The Beatles released in October 1996 by Apple Records as part of The Beatles Anthology series. The album includes rarities and alternative tracks from the final two years of the band's career, ranging from the initial sessions for The Beatles to the last...
is in the key of A major.
Recording
During May 1968, The Beatles gathered at George HarrisonGeorge Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
's Esher
Esher
Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the Greater London Urban Area, largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross....
home, in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, to record demos for their upcoming project. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" was one of the twenty-seven demos recorded there. Paul performed this demo solo, with only an acoustic guitar. He had also double-tracked his vocal, which was not perfectly synchronised, creating an echoing effect.
According to studio engineer Geoff Emerick
Geoff Emerick
Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
openly hated the song, calling it "Paul's granny shit". Lennon left the studio during a recording of the song (after several days and literally dozens of takes of the song, trying different tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
s and styles), then returned while under the influence of marijuana, went immediately to the piano and played the opening chords much louder and faster than before. He claimed that was how the song should be played, and that is the version they ended up using.
When singing the vocals for the song, specifically the last verse of the song when sung the second time, McCartney made a slip and said "Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face", rather than Molly, and had Molly letting "the children lend a hand". Reportedly, this mistake was kept in because the other Beatles liked it. George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and Lennon yell "arm" and "leg" during a break in the song; between the lines "...Desmond lets the children lend a hand" and "Molly stays at home..."
The lyrics for "Savoy Truffle
Savoy Truffle
"Savoy Truffle" is a song written by George Harrison and performed by The Beatles on their album The Beatles, also known as The White Album.-Origin:...
", composed by Harrison and also on The Beatles, include the line "We all know ob-la-di-bla-da, but can you show me where you are."
The intro of this song is heard on the Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record.
Releases and live performances
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-la-Da" was released on The Beatles on 22 November 1968. In the US, in 1976, it was released as a single with "Julia" as the B-sideA-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. An alternative version, known as "Take 5", was released on Anthology 3
Anthology 3
Anthology 3 is a compilation album by The Beatles released in October 1996 by Apple Records as part of The Beatles Anthology series. The album includes rarities and alternative tracks from the final two years of the band's career, ranging from the initial sessions for The Beatles to the last...
in which the horns are much more prominent.
The first time the song was performed live by any of The Beatles was on 2 December 2009, when McCartney played the song in Hamburg, Germany on the first night of a European tour. McCartney also performed the song in Hyde Park on 27 June 2010 as part of the Hard Rock Calling event, and the song was well received by the crowd. He also added it as a number in the Latin American Leg of the Up and Coming Tour. In 2011, the song is also performed during Paul McCartney's On The Run Tour.
Reception
The song was well received, going to number one in singles charts in Austria, Switzerland, Australia and Japan. In the UK and Norway (where it had not been released as a single by The Beatles), a cover version by The Marmalade also made number one.Authorship dispute
Scott later tried to claim a writer's credit for the use of his catch phrase in the song; McCartney claimed that the phrase was "just an expression".Scott argued it was not a general expression, but merely an expression that was exclusively used in the Scott-Emuakpor family. Scott agreed to drop the case when McCartney agreed to pay Scott's legal expenses for an unrelated issue.
Personnel
- Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– vocal, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, handclaps, vocal percussionVocal percussionVocal percussion is the art of creating sounds with one's mouth that approximate, imitate, or otherwise serve the same purpose as a percussion instrument, whether in a group of singers, an instrumental ensemble, or solo.-In Western music:... - John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, backing vocal, handclaps, vocal percussion - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, backing vocal, handclaps, vocal percussion - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drums, bongos, other percussion, handclaps, vocal percussion
- Personnel per Ian MacDonaldIan MacDonaldIan MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
and Mark LewisohnMark LewisohnMark Lewisohn is an English author and historian, regarded as the world's leading authority on the English rock band The Beatles.-The Beatles and related subjects:...
- Horns arranged by George MartinGeorge MartinSir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
- Horns arranged by George Martin
Cover versions
- MarmaladeMarmalade (band)Marmalade were a successful Scottish pop rock group, from the east end of Glasgow, originally formed in 1961 as "The Gaylords", later "Dean Ford and The Gaylords". In 1966, they changed the group name to 'The Marmalade'. The most successful period for the band, in terms of UK chart success, was...
, whose version reached number one in the UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1969. Their cover sold around half a million in the UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and a million copies globally by April 1969. - Amateur TransplantsAmateur TransplantsAmateur Transplants are a London based, British parody musical duo consisting of medical professionals, Dr. Adam Kay and Dr. Suman Biswas , who came to prominence in 2005 with a song about the London Underground, parodying the Jam song "Going Underground"...
, on the album Unfit to Practice as "Urology Clinic A". - Arthur ConleyArthur ConleyArthur Lee Conley was an American soul singer, best known for the 1967 hit "Sweet Soul Music".-Career:...
, on the album More Sweet Soul. - Jimmy CliffJimmy CliffJimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
, as a bonus track on the CD version of HumanitarianHumanitarian (album)-Track listing:All tracks composed by Jimmy Cliff; except where indicated#"Humanitarian" — 4:17#"Rise Up" — 3:54#"Giants" 4:43#"Come up to My Love" 3:58#"How Long" 3:59#"Let's Jam" 4:37#"Keep the Family" 4:07#"Drifters" 4:14#"The Hill" 4:59...
. - Celia CruzCelia CruzCelia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
(a version in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
), on the album Tropical Tribute to the BeatlesTropical Tribute to The BeatlesTropical Tribute to the Beatles is a tribute album of tropical artists released in 1996 by RMM Records , produced by Oscar Gomez ....
. - Cincinnati Pops OrchestraCincinnati Pops OrchestraThe Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is a pops orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, founded in 1977 out of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Its members are also the members of the Cincinnati Symphony, and the Pops is managed by the same administration...
, on the album Music of the Beatles. - Daniel O'Donnell, on his albums The Jukebox Years and Rock 'N' Roll Show.
- James LastJames LastJames Last is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition, "Happy Heart", became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark...
, on the albums Die grössten Songs von The Beatles (1983) and James Last & Friends (1998) (as a part of the "Beatles Medley"). - Maria MuldaurMaria MuldaurMaria Muldaur is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s...
, on the album The Blues White Album. - The Bedrocks, a West Indian band from LeedsLeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
(reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart in 1968). - The Spectrum (reached number 19 on the Germany singles chart in 1968).
- No DoubtNo DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
, on the albums Boom Box and Live in the Tragic KingdomLive in the Tragic Kingdom-Critical reception:Because Live in the Tragic Kingdom was not one of No Doubt's studio albums, it lacked much attention from critics. However, Tracie Cooper of Allmovie enjoyed the mix of songs between fan favorites, lesser-known songs, and covers. Allmusic gave the album three stars out of five,...
. - Dick HymanDick HymanRichard “Dick” Hyman is an American jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer, best-known for his versatility with jazz piano styles. Over a 50 year career, he has functioned as pianist, organist, arranger, music director, and, increasingly, as composer...
recorded an instrumental electronic musicElectronic musicElectronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
version of the song in the 1960s. - Patrick Zabé, recorded a French version of the song in 1969.
- Herb AlpertHerb AlpertHerbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
, released it as a single in 1969, as well as a cut on the album Warm. - Two Anything MuppetsThe MuppetsThe Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
, performed the song on an episode of The Muppet ShowThe Muppet ShowThe Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
. - Persuasions, on the album The Persuasions Sing the Beatles.
- PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
, on the album Live Phish Volume 13Live Phish Volume 13Live Phish Vol. 13 was recorded live at the Glens Falls Civic Center in Glens Falls, New York on Halloween night, 1994. It was released on October 29, 2002, along with Volume 14, Volume 15, and Volume 16....
. - ShangoShango (rock group)Shango was a rock quartet in the late 1960s, led by Tommy Reynolds, later of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, which included actor Stuart Margolin....
, on the album Shango. - The HeptonesThe HeptonesThe Heptones are a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal trio most active in the 1960s and early 1970s. They were one of the more significant trios of that era, and played a major role in the gradual transition between ska and rocksteady with their three-part harmonies.-History:Leroy Sibbles, Earl...
, on the album Mellow DubmarineMellow DubmarineMellow Dubmarine is a double album featuring reggae covers of various Beatles songs. A handful of Wings, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison solo tracks are also featured. The tracks compiled were apparently recorded between the late 1960s and 2000. Several songs are covered by more...
. - The Gas House GangGas House Gang (quartet)Gas House Gang was a barbershop quartet that won the 1993 SPEBSQSA international competition. They started singing as a group in 1987.The quartet won the International Quartet Championship of the Barbershop Harmony Society in 1993...
, on the album The Gas House Gang's 5th. - The King's Singers, on the album The Beatles Connection.
- The PunklesThe PunklesThe Punkles were a band performing songs by The Beatles in punk style. They formed in 1998 in Hamburg, Germany and it was actually a side project of Prollhead!....
did a punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
cover of this song on their fourth album. - Youssou N'DourYoussou N'DourYoussou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
, on the album 7 Seconds. - The cast of Life Goes OnLife Goes On (TV series)Life Goes On is a television series that aired on ABC from September 12, 1989 to May 23, 1993. The show centers on the Thacher family living in suburban Chicago: Drew, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Paige, Rebecca, and Charles, who is known as Corky...
during the show's opening sequenceTheme musicTheme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
. - Pato FuPato FuPato Fu is a Brazilian rock band from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The band was formed by lead singer Fernanda Takai, guitarist John Ulhoa and bassist Ricardo Koctus, in 1992. Their drummer, Xande Tamietti, joined the band in 1996, as did keyboardist Lulu Camargo in 2005...
, a Brazilian band, on the album Gol de Quem?Gol de Quem?- Personnel :* Fernanda Takai - lead vocals, rhythm guitar* John Ulhoa - lead guitar, vocals; programming* Ricardo Koctus - bass, vocals...
. - Arik EinsteinArik EinsteinArik Einstein is an Israeli singer-songwriter.Einstein was a vocalist for Batzal Yarok , Shleeshiyat Gesher Hayarkon and Hahalonot Hagvohim . His collaboration with Shalom Hanoch and the Churchills planted the seeds for the first Israeli rock albums...
(a version in HebrewHebrew languageHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
). - Vesyolye RebyataVesyolye RebyataVesyolye Rebyata is a Soviet pop rock band formed in 1966, in Moscow, by pianist and composer Pavel Slobodkin.Debut EP was sold to 15,795,000 copies....
(Весёлые Ребята), on the 1970 EP. - House of HeroesHouse of HeroesHouse of Heroes is an alternative rock band from Columbus, Ohio. They were also known by the name No Tagbacks. They are generally considered to be Christian rock, though their lyrics are not always transparently Christian...
in concerts. The song is featured on the House of Heroes Meets The BeatlesHouse of Heroes Meets The BeatlesHouse of Heroes Meets The Beatles is an EP released by the alternative rock band House of Heroes. It was released on June 9, 2009, digitally on iTunes and AmazonMp3, and includes three covers of The Beatles.- Production :...
EP that was released digitally on iTunes and Amazon MP3 in summer 2009. - A slightly changed version called "Desmond" was recorded by Happy MondaysHappy MondaysHappy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
on their debut album Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile was the first album by British band Happy Mondays. It was released in 1987 on Factory Records and was produced by John Cale....
, but the song was removed from later reprints of the album due to royalty problems. - Jetti Palletti, a Dutch performer, recorded the song for the Dutch carnival in 2011.
- MercyMeMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
, a Christian rock band, released a cover video online featuring Jars of ClayJars of ClayJars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
, Matt MaherMatt MaherMatthew "Matt" Guion Maher is a contemporary Christian music artist, songwriter, and worship leader originally from Newfoundland, Canada, who later relocated to Tempe, Arizona. He has written and produced five solo albums to date...
, Thousand Foot KrutchThousand Foot KrutchThousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...
, The AftersThe AftersThe Afters are a Christian rock band founded by Joshua Havens and Matt Fuqua. Havens and Fuqua first worked together in a Starbucks coffee shop in Mesquite, Texas, where they played for customers, before deciding to form a band. They added Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, who were also employed at the same...
, and LecraeLecraeLecrae Moore is an American Christian Hip Hop artist signed to Reach Records, the record label that he co-founded. Thus far Lecrae has released five solo studio albums, and his latest Rehab: The Overdose was released on January 11, 2011...
. - Desmond DekkerDesmond DekkerDesmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
covered the song as part of a medley with "Wise Man". - In 2011, the song was parodied by The FringemunksThe FringemunksThe Fringemunks are a music group created by Seattle musician David Wu in 2008 consisting of three "cloned" anthropomorphic chipmunks: Feebo, Notchy and Pie. They are known mostly for recapping all episodes of Fox television series Fringe with song parodies...
to recap FringeFringe (TV series)Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
episode 4.03, "Alone in the World."
The Beatles version
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| Japanese Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... Singles Chart |
7 |
| Japanese Oricon International Chart | 1 |
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
49 |
Marmalade version
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |