Why The Beatles’ Song ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’ Was Banned by the BBC
“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” is a song by The Beatles that causes debate amongst fans on what the meaning is. Many believe the title is alluding to drugs, leading the song to receive backlash from organizations like the BBC. However, John Lennon expressed that the song wasn’t about drugs and has a more wholesome backstory.
‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’ by The Beatles was banned by the BBC
“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” was released in 1967 on The Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song is best known for its booming chorus and fantastical imagery. While the song wasn’t a massive hit upon its initial release, a 1974 cover by Elton John featuring Lennon became a number one hit in the US and Canada.
In the UK, the track didn’t get much help from the radio as the song was banned by the BBC. According to The Guardian, the album was influenced by drugs, but it was hard to locate any direct drug references. “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” was interpreted by some as a reference to the hallucinogenic drug LSD. While the BBC didn’t have any exact proof, they still decided to ban the song.
John Lennon says the song is based on a drawing by his son
While The Beatles were known for experimenting with psychedelic drugs, Lennon claims “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” has no connection to LSD. In a 1971 interview on The Dick Cavett Show, Lennon explained that he was inspired to write the song after his son brought him a drawing he made in nursery school.
“It never was [about LSD] and nobody believes me,” Lennon said. “This is the truth: My son came home with a drawing and showed me this strange-looking woman flying around. I said, ‘What is it?’ and he said, ‘It’s Lucy in the sky with diamonds,’ and I thought, ‘That’s beautiful.’ I immediately wrote a song about it. The song had gone out, the whole album had been published and somebody noticed that the letters spelled out LSD, and I had no idea about it. … It wasn’t about [LSD] at all.”
Lennon also said he checked lyrics in other songs to ensure they would not be misinterpreted as allusions to drugs.
The Beatles have many songs that contain apparent drug references
While The Beatles’ lyrics are tame compared to modern music, a few songs stirred up controversy as many believed they contained references to drugs. Several of these songs include “A Day in the Life,” “With a Little Help from My Friends,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “Magical Mystery Tour.”
Paul McCartney openly admitted that the song “Got to Get You Into My Life” was not a love ballad, but an ode to pot. Not every song by The Beatles containing drug references was banned by the BBC, but several were, including “A Day in the Life” and “I Am the Walrus.” Many still believe “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” is about LSD, no matter how many times Lennon denied it.
