John Lennon Said a No. 1 Beatles Song Was Very Similar to ‘Day Tripper’
TL;DR:
- John Lennon revealed the meaning of The Beatles’ “Day Tripper.”
- John said “Day Tripper” inspired another Beatles song which became an even bigger hit.
- Paul McCartney said the latter tune wouldn’t exist without marijuana.
John Lennon once explained the meaning of The Beatles‘ “Day Tripper.” Subsequently, he said “Day Tripper” was the template for another Fab Four song. The song in question was more popular than “Day Tripper” in the United States.
John Lennon said The Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’ was about a part-time hippie
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono includes an interview from 1980. During the interview, John explained the lyrics of “Day Tripper.” “Day trippers are people who go on a day trip, right?” he said. “Usually on a ferryboat or something. But it was kind of — you know, you’re just a weekend hippie. Get it?”
John was also asked about “Paperback Writer.” “‘Paperback Writer’ is son of ‘Day Tripper,’ but it is Paul’s song,” he said. John was asked to explain what he meant by “son of ‘Day Tripper.'” “Meaning a rock ‘n’ roll song with a guitar lick on a fuzzy, loud guitar,” he replied.
Paul McCartney explained how marijuana inspired The Beatles’ ‘Paperback Writer’
In his 2021 book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul discussed the origin of “Paperback Writer.” “The truth of it is that we discovered pot, and — just as had been promised on the label — it expanded our minds,” he recalled. “Things opened up. We realized that it didn’t just have to be ‘thank you girl, from me to you, she loves you … ‘ It didn’t have to be that simple anymore.
“We were on the lookout for the kind of subject that hadn’t really been the stuff of popular song,” he added. “This realization coincided with the fact that I was now bumping into writers on the cocktail circuit. Kingsley Amis, John Mortimer, Penelope Mortimer, Harold Pinter, to name a few.”
How ‘Day Tripper’ and ‘Paperback Writer’ performed on the pop charts in the United States
“Day Tripper” reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for a total of 10 weeks. “Paperback Writer” was more popular in the United States. The tune topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, remaining on the chart for 10 weeks altogether.
Both “Day Tripper” and “Paperback Writer” were originally non-album singles. The tunes later appeared on the compilation album 1962-1966. The album hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 175 weeks.
“Paperback Writer” was a huge hit and it might not exist without “Day Tripper.”
