#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
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From: Harlan L Thompson
GOD- John Lennon
G G#m Em Em/D C D
G G/F# Em Em/D C D G
God is a concept by which we measure our pain
G/F# Em Em/D C D
I'll say it again
G G/F# Em Em/D C D G
God is a concept by which we measure our pain yeah
G/F# C G G/#
pain yeah
Em Em/D C D (Em) (repeat chord progression)
I don't believe in magic
I don't believe in I Ching
I don't believe in Bible
I don't believe in tarot
I don't believe in Hitler
I don't believe in Jesus
I don't believe in Kennedy
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in mantra
I don't believe in gita
I don't believe in yoga
I don't believe in kings
I don't believe in Elvis
I don't believe in Zimmerman
Em Em/D C (n.c.)
I don't believe in Beatles
G G/F# Em
I just believe in me
Em/D C D
Yoko and me- and that's reality
G G/F# Em Em/D C D D7
The dream is over, what can I say?
G G/F# Em Em/D C D D7
The dream is over, yesterday
C D G G/F# Em Em/D
I was the dreamweaver but now I'm reborn
C D G G/F# Em Em/D
I was the walrus but now I'm John
C D
And so, dear friends
G G/F# Em Em/D
You'll just have to carry on
C G
The dream is over
Em/D: 0 2 0 0 0 0
(from Plastic Ono Band, 1970)
(sent by Harlan at harlant@hawaii.edu)
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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Harvey Rhythm Player |
#1 by Harvey Puentes at Sep 27, 2007 at 1:10 AM EST |
| I found this song incredibly depressing. On the last couple of lines Lennon mentions that he "was a dreamweaver, but now I'm reborn ... I was the Walrus, but now I'm John". On the last line you expect him to follow the same pattern ... but he doesn't - "the dream is over" - he never continues. There's no hope - there's no confidence anymore - everything just fades out and ends. :( 1 2 Next | |
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Connor Rhythm Player |
#2 by Connor Fowler at Sep 27, 2007 at 3:02 AM EST |
| As an atheist I probably read more into the song than may necessarily have been intended (can you blame me? :) Note how he doesn't mention anything about not believing in communism. Apparently he was becoming acquainted with it around that time, perhaps someone can shed more light on it. | |
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Ben Rhythm Player |
#3 by Ben at Sep 27, 2007 at 11:42 PM EST |
| I think he is also saying that the Beatles, hippies, the 60s lifestyle, all that is dead because he says "The dream is over" He means the dream of peace, love etc. All that isnt over though. I can feel it starting to come back slowly. This song is one of his best though. | |
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Jimmy Average |
#4 by Jimmy at Sep 28, 2007 at 4:17 AM EST |
| I agree with a lot of what you guys say. I also think that, underneath all the religious metaphors and whatnot, John was just trying to tell the world, "Hey guys, the Beatles are not coming back. They're done, forget them." | |
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SaM Lead Player |
#5 by SaM at Sep 28, 2007 at 4:22 AM EST |
| for the longest time i thought he didnt believe in cinnamon, and wondered why?? whats wrong with cinnamon, it tasts so good.. lol .. but now i know its *zimmerman*, aka bob dylan right?? and one more thing, this song is so friggn moving it makes my heart ache. | |
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Mark Average |
#6 by Mark Bianchi at Sep 28, 2007 at 8:33 PM EST |
| I think self-reliance is just a second meaning to the song, the first being the obvious literal translation of the song as Mojo pointed out. Great song! To me, he's saying, I don't believe in faith, I believe in what's real. I believe in what's happening here and now, and everyone may not like it, but it's the truth and they will just have to "carry on." | |
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Kaleb Average |
#7 by Kaleb Loyer at Sep 29, 2007 at 2:56 AM EST |
| rational and meaningful* | |
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shareef Average |
#8 by shareef turner at Sep 29, 2007 at 9:51 PM EST |
| I have heard a lot about this song (the whole walrus comment) but i haven't heard it until now... This song is amazing. He sings it with such emotion, it's uncomparable to... anything. I love it. | |
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fasterdisco Average |
#9 by fasterdisco at Oct 1, 2007 at 10:27 AM EST |
| It seem's greatly influenced by eastern mysticism, as does much of plastic Ono. | |
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Bassman_2000 Rhythm Player |
#10 by Bassman_2000 at Oct 1, 2007 at 10:39 AM EST |
| Forget about the meaning for a second and look at the structure of the song. So very interesting and it makes the listener want to hear more. It is very experimental and unique todays musicans sould take a listen and maby they'll realize how one dimentional their songs are | |
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Jonny Rhythm Player |
#11 by Jonny Rhoades at Oct 2, 2007 at 12:22 AM EST |
| At this point in his life he didn't believe in God. He just believed in the present... whatever happens... happens, not because God made it happen. After Sean was born he turned back to God and believed in peace and all that junk lol | |
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Subhash Average |
#12 by Subhash Shady at Oct 2, 2007 at 2:07 PM EST |
| wow. this song is just great. to me it seems like, not only a song about self reliance and anti-faith, it's about how john feels that he's done with the beatles musically. i mean, the line that says "I don't beleive in beatles" is like an announcement to the world that he thinks the beatles are over and all he's focusing on now is himself. that's what i've allways felt, anyway. John is going on to just thinking about HIS music and his wife yoko and not paul, ringo and george. like i said, this song is just great. it's very sad and very moving. | |
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Ben Wanna Be |
#13 by Ben Roberts at Oct 2, 2007 at 6:23 PM EST |
| The dream is over.. | |
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Nikky ♠ Average |
#14 by Nikky ♠ at Oct 3, 2007 at 10:43 AM EST |
| i agree with many of your interpretations, particularly wolfplaya. Lennon wrote god about the worship of false idols, and how most did more harm than good. He didn't agree with organized religion, but was not an atheist all of his life; he didn't necessarily argue that one should not have faith, but like many, he opposed organized religion. This song does deal with self-reliance, and as some of you mentioned, "the dream is over" is an attempt to communicate that the Beatles were NOT going to get back together. In his line: "i was the walrus, but now I am John", he reinforces this fact. The walrus was John; the John who was a free spirit member of the Beatles (contrary to the belief that paul was the walrus). By shedding his identity as the walrus, he was also shedding his life as a Beatle, and coming into his own (and thus becoming just "john"); his life at this time centred around himself and Yoko. Many of the political and religious figures, as well as popular culture icons that john states he doesn't believe in were things he held very dear to himself at some point in his life (i.e. Beatles, Elvis, Zimmerman, and Buddha to some extent). He was disappointed by many or most of these "idols" (for example he disapproved or was disappointed by Zimmerman's embrace of religion later in his life), and obviously realized that when it comes down to it, we can only truly believe in ourselves, for we can depend on no one more than ourselves (he includes yoko in this because she basically WAS him...they felt as though they were one person or one soul). | |
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daniel Wanna Be |
#15 by daniel seaward at Oct 3, 2007 at 10:52 PM EST |
| i agree with Dollerspark, i think its just a song saying he doesnt believe in everything people look up too anymore. he just belives in whats going on in the world at the time he wrote it. All he cares about is Himself and being with yoko and in the end thats really all that matters. Hes saying who cares about the beatles, or elvis, zimmerman (bob dylan) or anything ...they dont do anything for him anymore, him and yoko just need each other. | |
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katie Average |
#16 by katie focner at Oct 4, 2007 at 8:55 AM EST |
| First off, some of you were dead on, and some were merely a waste of time. If anyone doesn't think Imagine is meaningful or sensical ,they can view my comment on it. Then come to me and tell me why it isn't sensical and rational. This song is my favorite along with Imagine, although, I cannot choose which one is better: they are both great. But this particular song, to me, means what others have stated, it's anti-faith in the primitive sense, and then, it is about self-reliance. I believe it was about self-reliance because John Lennon was a natural born poet and phliosopher. I have always stated that JOhn LEnnon was a genius, just after hearing Imagine, it was evident. But, I also have come to believe Lennon would have been a philosopher easily had he applied himself in that way. So, it is totally rational to believe that he was talking about self-reliance in this song, as, it is much better to value and follow one's own thoughts, which are their own reality. Plus, Im pretty sure he read writings from Emerson and Thoreau, whom were part of the Romantic Era in American Literature. This Era put more empasis on the person. Emerson wrote an essay enitiled Self-Reliance, while Thoreau wrote a paper entiled Civil-Disobedience. These thoughts talked of non-conformism and honesty to one' self. This is what I think Lennon was trying to convey with this song. I think the Beatles line was just to show that he wasn't merely a Beatles member, he was much more on his own, aside from the talents of the rest of them. About the first verse, I think it does make sense that Lennon was saying that God is just an abstract thought within the mind, just a product of human imagination, which can sometimes be irrational and meaningless, while seeming rational and meaningless. This is the human brain and much more poeple should learn of it. God was invented by man and it is false. It's merely an illusion. Anyway, that's how I feel about this song, other than the music is pure genius on it's own. Perfect. Just like anything Lennon did. | |
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2D Average |
#17 by 2D at Oct 5, 2007 at 3:08 AM EST |
| John Lennon was a genious. I have been listening to him since I was a kid, so its good for me to read these meanings cause it may not seem true but when you're used to something, you don't stop and think about it too much. Basically, Lennon is renouncing to everything in this song. Like saying, nothing exists, nothing matters, only love. I totally agree with the opinions before me and I take them as valid. John is saying I don't need the Beatles I don't need faith in a nonexistent God, or in religion, I have found myself through love and I can take charge of my own life because I don't expect anything, only that which I see and live. and that's reality. | |
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Kyle Rhythm Player |
#18 by Kyle Wait I Aint Telling You at Oct 5, 2007 at 6:03 AM EST |
| I think it is quite clear that God is the only thing he believes in. He believes God is a concept, and through what people put forward about him you can understand their sufferings. He rejects all formal interpretation of "God" and says his is the only one he knows. And, he's going to quite putting forward a false image to the world that he believes a bunch of bunk that he doesn't, because that false self has confused him too. | |
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Jeremy Rhythm Player |
#19 by Jeremy Dosser at Oct 5, 2007 at 11:45 AM EST |
| ^^^ I liked this comment. Very nice. | |
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Benjamin Average |
#20 by Benjamin Nield at Oct 5, 2007 at 2:19 PM EST |
| This has the most ambigous effect on me! On one hand his acceptance that everything they dreamed of has died along with the 60s, and on the other the positivity he finds in what he has left - himself and his wife yoko the things he believes are not a dream and he will never wake up from. Still so sad though, its like he's just given up dreaming after being burned so badly by the destruction of his dreams. On the other hand I think this is a beautiful companion to imagine in that he goes from "the dream is over" back to imagining what could be again..... genius *sniff* | |
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pharaoh shane Rhythm Player |
#21 by pharaoh shane at Oct 5, 2007 at 6:30 PM EST |
| ahh this song is so addicting. i can listen to it for hours!! seriously. it makes me sad. just like every song. | |
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James Average |
#22 by James Kukulka at Oct 5, 2007 at 10:20 PM EST |
| This is John's best song, I think. Certainly one of the most clear-eyed statements in popular culture, anyway. Forget the sappy nonsense of Imagine, this one just burns a hole in your brain. It ssend you beyond John-worship, too. You have to appreciate that these lyrics reject just about everything in life that is not concrete, real and immediate. This song is a sword against myth. You can use it, too. | |
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isaac Average |
#23 by isaac fritsch at Oct 6, 2007 at 12:03 AM EST |
| Wow. Nice comments, guys. At first I was hurt because he said that he doesn't believe in God. Because I do. But can you remember his quote saying that The Beatles are bigger than Jesus? His explanation is that he believes in God. He's actually encouraging us not to get crazy about the Beatles and still believe in God. That's true. I mean, I realized that he wants us to focus on what's real. Just like what you guys are saying! I still believe that he believe in God, but we always disagree with anyone because we have different religions. This song and Imagine goes hand in hand. I think they have the same meaning. Well, why am I commenting anyway? You guys explained it really well! I'll take your words! You know what, John is so dedicated to his wife, but sometimes I think he is overreacting. I guess That 's how people who are in love feels. :p Peaceout! pJ ;P | |
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Julio .S.A.F. Lead Player |
#24 by Julio .S.A.F. at Oct 6, 2007 at 5:07 AM EST |
| I'm not sure if this song is anti-faith, it seems like it literally but I think the song is really about self-reliance. The only thing that you can control is yourself, and I think John is saying that he's given up on everything else except himself, because that's all important to him. | |
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Katie Wanna Be |
#25 by Katie Papeika at Oct 6, 2007 at 7:53 AM EST |
| Great song... one thing 2 say but--> NO BETH U R NOT DAMN GOD! | |
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