First Time Hearing | The Beatles - Dear Prudence | Reaction

[@chris...9497]

As many have said already, Prudence was actress Mia Farrow's sister; she had accompanied the Beatles and friends to India to learn Transcendental Meditation (aka: 'TM') from guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This event sparked the entire Eastern Philosophy movement in the late 1960s. It also led George Harrison to Ravi Shankar, one of the top sitar players in the world, who became George's sitar teacher. Anyway, Prudence made the number one Noobie mistake in learning Eastern Philosophy and meditation in particular: don't forget to LIVE. Even the Gautama Buddha made that mistake. Too often people come to meditation not as a way of embracing life, but as a way of avoiding the unpleasant effects of living; they treat it as a kind of drug. To live a meditative life means to bring a meditative mindset into your life, not avoid life by hiding in the meditation. "Dear Prudence" is a gentle song trying to remind Prudence Farrow that she needs to live in the reality and 'Now' of daily life. Meditation is great, but not a substitute or a kind of 'safe room' to avoid life and living. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Donovan (last name Leitch, but he performed under just his first name) was a big deal in the mid-1960s and had a number of international hits: "Sunshine Superman", "Mellow Yellow", "Wear Your Love Like Heaven", "There is a Mountain", "Hurdy Gurdy Man", "Catch the Wind", and "Jennifer Juniper". He also covered "Season of the Witch", and he did a very interesting monologue-based original song "Atlantis". Donovan was a Scottish folk musician and singer who rose to prominence as an icon of the new hippie movement also arising at that time. He's worth your time to react to. Start with "Hurdy Gurdy Man", then go to "Catch the Wind", then maybe "Atlantis". The rest is all your choice. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Just want to say I love your channel. I love the realism and honesty of the reaction and the reporting of your experience of the songs you're reacting to. You should not be hard on yourself when you misunderstand or head down a false assumption. We all do that. I appreciate that you feel bad about it, but you are NOT stupid or dumb. Not knowing something is NOT stupid or dumb; it's just that circumstances have not provided you with missing information; that's not your fault. Actually, I LOVE that you take the initiative to inform yourself in real time. I'm good with the 'dead air' as you look up info. Most reactors just wing it and leave it to the viewers to fill the reactor in (and there's never any evidence they checked back and picked up the info). It's not so much you didn't know, you just didn't know YET. That 'Yet' is the difference between stupid and learning, and you have a drive to learn, which we viewers appreciate. Please appreciate the learning curve that gifts you with all this contextual info making these songs all the more meaningful. Appreciate the curiosity that pushes you to find out. Stupid and dumb people don't have that drive. You a smart man getting more sophisticated every day; it's beautiful to behold.

[@RhettAnderson]

Such a stunning song. Never gets old.

[@hopeklemann1]

The song was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership. Written in Rishikesh during the group's trip to India in early 1968, it was inspired by actress Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence Farrow, who became obsessive about meditating while practising with.

[@kentclark6420]

Prudence was the name of Mia Farrow's sister, who went with Mia, the Beatles, and a bunch of friends to India to hang out with the Maharishi and learn more about enlightenment. George Harrison was into Indian religion and played a sitar, etc. Prudence spent a lot of time alone, and John wrote this song as a response.

[@patticrichton1135]

She spent a lot of time alone MEDITATING, thus Lennon encouraging to come OUT and play, live in the REAL world too.

[@richardeast3328]

@@patticrichton1135 I think that was around the time that he and Paul were becoming disillusioned with the Maharishi and his teachings, especially when the Maharishi seemed more interested in the ladies, more that his teachings.

[@PeterOConnell-pq6io]

Prudence was a name for a person dear. You're on the right vector figuring them out. It's beautiful, and so are you.

[@stewartcohen-jones2949]

One of my favourite Beatles songs .Got on a plane and flew to Gibraltar to get away from it all. Got off the plane and hit the bars and pubs . A few drinks in and pretty levelled, I walk into a tiny back street pub , order my drink and on the first sip this song comes on . The bar man looks at me and I look at him and both of us nod knowingly in time , aware that we are both listening to one hell of a beautiful song.

[@daveking9393]

Great double album. I like all the tunes. LOVE that you do research!!!

[@DJBilodeau]

Dude, you are NOT stupid! Everyone has to learn new things. You just learned the story behind this song, and I think this is great! Love your programs on the Beatles! Keep up the good work!

[@JohnLancaster-b5x]

Best song on the White Album.

[@Earthguest]

Prudence was the name of a girl who was at a meditation retreat. She would stay inside while everyone went outside on breaks in the sunshine. Just a simple sweet song about a girl.

[@megdelaney3677]

Please don't call yourself those words. No one can know everything. Anyone can be unaware of topics that they haven't been informed of or have not read about. It is admirable that you are educating yourself on musicians and musical history.

[@danakerjbam]

Co-sign. You make a lot of us happy to get to experience this stuff for the first time again. Like right now. Your face at that first swell of harmonies. Love it.

[@RPRohrman]

I always thought that Mia Farrow’s sister was a prude, Therefore, aptly named Prudence. So analysis of song was not totally off.

[@snakeinthegrass7443]

Happiness Is A Warm Gun 🔥🔥🔥

[@patticrichton1135]

Yes, Paul is also a drummer, too. He played drums on his entire "BAND ON THE RUN" album with his band WINGS. "Dear Prudence" wasn't a single, so it wouldn't chart on its own. It was on the album which DID chart.

[@davidbordonaro1631]

quite possibly my favorite Beatles song along with Golden Slumbers

[@srbaran]

So this would be your favorite Lennon song, and Golden Slumbers would be your favorite McCartney song.

[@TexasMagnolia]

I treasure my “White Album”! For me, the best Beetles album. Blackbird While My Guitar Gently Weeps Rocky Racoon ….Prudence is also a name.

[@joerosenman3480]

MMB! You want suggestions? TexasMagnolia has given you a great list to use. I’ll also note that most of the Beatles songs you’ve reacted to are early Beatles (yet you somehow missed Lady Madonna. How? How?) The more mature Beatles are, not surprisingly, different. I still think you should consider reacting to the movie Yellow Submarine, which covers the songs in Sgt. Peppers. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that failing to do so would make you a meanie… 😮

[@donnadubyak6504]

I listened to this album everyday for months. This was a favorite album for years still in mg top ten of all time.

[@hansvandermeulen5515]

That's John doing fingerstyle guitar with a picking pattern english folksinger Donovan while the Beatles and a bunch of friends (musicians like Donovan and Beach Boy Mike Love and others) were hanging out in Rishikesh, meditating. John practiced for days and used it in this song, Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Octopus's Garden (fromAbbey Road) and others.

[@DJBilodeau]

PS-please let me know how I can make music suggestions for you to react to. Would love to do that!

[@robertkenney8967]

Actually it was because everyone was constantly looking for hidden or deep meanings to their lyrics that John wrote I am the Walrus. He intentionally made it a series of unrelated lines and challenged people to find a meaning.

[@martinhayward4466]

I am sure Yes's Jon Anderson did as well.

[@Jonni1027]

I actually enjoyed listening to the song with new ears because of your comments during the song about the literal meaning of the word prudence…You’re definitely not dumb at ALL❤

[@hopeklemann1]

I always smile when I'm able to watch one of your reactions 😊

[@lexiburrows8127]

Prudence is a girl's name. Kind of like Patience is. We used to have a rhyme when we were kids. 'Patience is a virtue, Patience is a grace, Patience is a little girl who does not wash her face.' Similar kind of thing.

[@RPRohrman]

Absolutely my favorite John Lennon song! Song was never released as a single. I never heard ‘Dear Prudence’ before I bought the album in 1980.

[@dcg4mn]

> You’re fine man - everyone starts somewhere, we all had a first time hearing every song ever 😉 THIS is GORGEOUS. One of their countless masterpieces. Prudence can be a woman’s name like Charity and Chastity and April … He was just telling her to come out and enjoy. - Happiness Is a Warm Gun IS a great track ✊🏽

[@edwardmeradith2419]

I think your analysis was correct- in the sense that a lyric can work on more than one level- it wouldn’t be or feel the same if the name was Gertrude or Sheila- You ain’t dumb. 😘

[@ChaseArkansas]

Dear prudence happiness is a warm gun, everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey are all incredible

[@megdelaney3677]

Girls' names from the 17th and 18th century were often virtues, like Prudence, Hope, Grace, Faith, Patience, Constance.

[@Beatles4Sale.]

Hey, it’s okay that you were wrong! It shows your authenticity which all of us appreciate very much. ❤️❤️❤️ btw, McCartney is a pretty good drummer. 😂😂😂

[@paulwolf2432]

But it is a wonderful coincidence that her name is Prudence.

[@subwaygoddess1]

Wow, let me tell you, I LOVED your reaction. You didn't know Prudence was also the name of a person. I think you are highly intelligent and curious, you always do your research on the songs. Keep on keepin on, and by the way, I love Dear Prudence and was happy you reacted to it!

[@charliecochran3035]

Like someone below said, prudence is a virtue. Girls used to be named after them. Ever hear of a girl named Chastity? I have, at least a few times.

[@rogerdaly6326]

That's Sir Paul McCartney on drums as Ringo left the studio halfway through recording the album and went on vacation to get away from the tensions during recording.

[@davidrauh8118]

Paul on drums for the first half only.

[@se6369]

​@@davidrauh8118Nope, for all of it

[@martinhayward4466]

@@davidrauh8118 Always believed the extended drum fill near the end is still Paul.

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Oh man, I wish you would have continued right on into Happiness is a Warm Gun because they flow together so well. It's another one with John Lennon taking the lead but all of them doing really cool stuff. And it's sarcastic and scathing and intense. And it's a bit of prog rock as well with some oddball time signatures here and there.

[@bobtausworthe]

Continue to listen without research. I loved your invite and reaction. I learned something too. Amazing how the song works even if you use prudence as a noun. Also amazing how the song works if you apply prudence to what John was asking her to do since they felt her behavior was imprudent. Dear Prudence is one of my top John Lennon songs. As is Happiness is a warm gun.!!!

[@mikemitton6447]

In this case, Prudence is a girl's name. Like many other comments, she is the sister of actress Mia Farrow, and they were all visiting the Maharishi in India.

[@ktrsBklyn]

I love the deep reaction - maybe that’s the subtext! But of course every Beatle fan knows - Prudence is a person they knew, sister of the actress Mia Farrow.

[@lancerx1759]

One of my Favorite Beatle songs ironically the definition of prudence has its place in the song as it pertains to Dear Prudence Farrow so you are Not Wrong in theory

[@scottsupiro2887]

According to the book in the white album deluxe version……. John Lennon did all the background vocals himself. Listen closely, you will hear it. 😊

[@theruzzmon1066]

Happiness is a warm gun is a drug reference. ❤️✌️

[@jeffreythaw3333]

Prudence is Mia Farrow's sister! The ENTIRE album is a gem!!! It's the damn BEATLES!

[@chitownlee]

Prudence is Actress Mia Farrows Sister.

[@b.a.j5168]

I love you, mom❤ i know you would love the reaction, RIP Mom And that crazy cat Prudence ❤

[@spitfirenutspitfirenut4835]

Excellent album

[@GratefullyDead]

My fav Beatles song. Perhaps

[@cuebj]

Big difference from today: records were solid objects that you had to save up for then go out and buy from a shop. I know you know but it's difficult to realise that back then musicians had to time their releases one at a time and, like Beatles and Rolling Stones, they worked together so there was no clash in sales and chart positions. Today, they can put the whole album with all its songs separately for instant downloading or streaming at a fraction of the price to buyer incomes compared to what we had to pay in 1960s. So many great songs didn't get released as singles or were 'B' sides with no airplay or just got released in one or two countries

[@mikefetterman6782]

Remember, John Lennon HATED people trying to think his songs were much more than just clever turns of phrases, and rhymes. There usually IS NOT A DEEP MEANING to any of their songs. The cryptic meanings and conspiracies were all fan based, and not done by the Beatles. John loved to say things openly and honestly. Paul loved to write stories, with everything colorfully described. George and Ringo wrote personal songs with simple lines. None of them were into deep introspection and hidden meanings.

[@thepunadude]

THE WHITE ALBUM WAS ACTUALLY THE END ... START AT THE BEGINNING .. PRETTY AMAZING TRIP!

[@tenjed4224]

This song has been còvered by some of the greatest, including Jerry Garcia. It flows from the cosmos and envelopes us all.

[@pervkhan]

Actually the truth is that Prudence was very serious about meditation and during this the maharishi made some sexual moves and she was so scared that she stopped coming out and John wrote the song..Later when the guys found out they left India but George did'nt believe that Maharishi will do something like that and stayed because he did not believe what Prudence told them.

[@megdelaney3677]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@willblood7082]

Don’t call yourself an idiot brother, I knew you were wrong because I’ve been listening to the Beatles for over 50 years now but, your interpretation was a very interesting take 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Dbridges415]

This song was not released as a single so no chart performance.

[@richardrader6427]

Donovan has a nice list of songs. 60's trippy

[@dawnschneider187]

This album is their best work, in my opinion.

[@Brandi6666]

Pulled the trigger to early on this song title😮

[@orchidwave2574]

Thinking about it, a lot of women's names in particular are nouns about positive human qualities...Hope, Faith, Charity, Joy, Chastity, etc. Prudence is another of those, but less common as a girl's name.

[@TexasPride62]

You are not stupid. It is about a girl named Prudence, but her prudence prevented her from coming out of her room to play. Lennon always plays on words and has double meanings. You will find out soon after you listen to Lennon's "happiness is a warm."

[@ploppill34]

❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@mikefetterman6782]

Prudence, (Mia Farrow's sister) spent most of her time in India in her room, meditating, and trying to avoid the Maharishi hitting on her sister and being completely "Unholy". John and George would try to get her out of hiding occasionally. Prudence Farrow.

[@mikefetterman6782]

When the Yogi started talking about ignoring the desire for the things and the flesh of others, and then making sexual advances towards some of the women, that made Ringo go home immediately (he was also out of his favorite beans), and John and Paul realized most if not all religious leaders are full of crap. George leaned head on into Hinduism for years.

[@dougsusie2319]

What is a Prudence? Dude, you were way off on this one. 😂😂😂😂 Peace ❤

[@daletwin1]

Please do a reaction to Oh Darling and then Let It Be by The Beatles. I KNOW you will love both songs.

[@DJBilodeau]

Donovan is pure FIRE! You should definitely do a Donovan journey; start out with "Mellow Yellow" (Paul McCartney is on the background on this track) and "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (session musicians guitarist Jimmy Page and drummer John Bonhom, which would soon form 1/2 of the lineup of legendary group Led Zeppelin are on this track). Donovan was a close friend of the Beatles and quite legendary in his own right!

[@ProsperoFinch]

Yo, the people in the comments laughing or trashing you for not knowing Prudence js a name, and thinking that the song was written to the concept/virtue of prudence, is wack. You’re not stupid. You’re insightful. Yes the song was written to, for, and about their friend Prudence, but your interpretation still works because Prudence was ironically not being very prudent when she was lost in meditative introspection. Songs, and frankly all art, don’t always just mean what the artists intends. We impart meaning when we consume and experience art as the audience. Is a painting a painting if no one sees it? Is a song a song if no one hears it? It can be said that a work of art isn’t completed until it is perceived by the audience, and thus our interpretation is every bit as valuable and important to the meaning of the artwork as the intentions of the artist. Your reactions are honest, insightful, and dripping with integrity and obvious respect for that art you are reacting to. Keep doing what you’re doing. There’s a reason I subscribed to you and very few others.

[@ianlejeune6012]

Please don't chastise yourself for your initial approach. You may have, inadvertently, stumbled upon an interesting analogous insight into an alternative, and wholly justified, understanding of the 'meaning' of the song - well done. I'm sure The Beatles were sophisticated enough to write a song with two meanings; or, at least; a couple of ways of approaching it's intended message to us. Though I am a bit amazed that you've never heard Prudence used as a name - but - whatever…

[@rbking9296]

My favorite song off the white album….well for today anyway tomorrow it may be a different song from the album and so on and so on

[@seizer88]

No, Prudence is a girls name. Actually Mia Farow's sister to be exact. They met her during their experimental days with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

[@charliecochran3035]

My favorite thing is how it builds. Each verse gets a little more sound, and it's a gloriously noisy mess by the end.

[@SM-ri2df]

LMAO..... PRUDENCE WAS ACTRESS MIA FARROWS SISTERS NAME AND WHO THE SONG IS ABOUT.... LOL

[@BogusOp]

it is similar to sweet home alabama in the sense that both songs started around the open D chord .

[@genebaughbba]

You are not far off the mark with dear prudence. Yes it's interesting that the name of Mia farrow's daughter was prudence and the song is kind of about not being prudent by staying inside and meditating all day long instead of going out and living which is what they're inviting prudence to do.

[@dannyc8041]

Turn down the lights! 😂

[@Mediawatcher2023]

The inspiration and ostensible subject of the song is Prudence Farrow, the sister of actress Mia Farrow, both of whom were present when the Beatles went to India to study with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at his ashram in Rishikesh, in the foothills of the Himalayas. Farrow came to Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi's teachings as a result of a highly disturbing experience with the hallucinogenic drug LSD. While in Rishikesh in early 1968, Farrow became intensely serious about meditating, refusing to venture out of her bungalow for days on end. Of all the Beatles, Farrow felt closest to John Lennon and George Harrison,who were assigned by the Maharishi to act as her "team buddies".[

[@ianforster7825]

Your are so fu*king cool mate 👏👏

[@MMBxMOB]

No, you are!

[@tonyh9875]

Prudence is a woman's name - not that uncommon, usually shortened to "Pru".

[@johndavids4780]

You weren't wrong. Yes. Prudence is about Prudence Farrow. But it has a multiple meaning here in the song. Prudence is about living with logic and just plain common sense. But it can also put you in a shell. John wrote this to tell her that there are also experiences in life to simply be enjoyed and experienced outside of that shell and experience the simple pleasures that logic can keep you from experiencing. Some of the best things in life exist outside of the purely logical.

[@PUNKinDRUBLIC72]

American education,online forever!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@sleapycell7819]

❤❤

[@alfredoramirez1022]

More beatles pls

[@richardkint6531]

Inspired playing guitar like Donavan! React to some Donavan music like "Atlantis", "Hurdy Gurdy Man" or "Sunshine Superman "Thanks. 😎

[@chillywilly9080]

Love your reactions man-Definitely check out Happiness is a Warm Gun even you if don’t do reaction to it, it’s well worth a listen anyway!

[@martinhayward4466]

And James Paul McCartney on drums here.

[@davidfisher8821]

Check out the cover version of this song by Siouxsie and the Banshees…perhaps the best Beatles cover.

[@josephiannarino6784]

Actually was her name but also her name reflects her being too prudent to relax and be with everyone else… so about the word and her name ….

[@johnchrysostomon6284]

One of my favourite Beatles songs - even though by and large I prefer Paul McCartney Incidentally Macca did the drums on this because Ringo Starr had quit the band. McCartney is so talented

[@cuebj]

I like your take. As others have said, it's about a real person in a real situation: Mia Farrow's sister, Rishikesh, going OTT with TM. But, take the name as an abstract noun like 'wisdom', and you have something close to the Biblical book of Proverbs that personifies Wisdom and recommends that the young readers of the book 'Get Wisdom' more precious than rubies. Let wisdom play in your (and my) head and lifestyle and we could have deep joy in a sane life

[@TexasMagnolia]

FYI, your bright lighting is killer on the eyes.

[@drmorqWarrenProject]

nothing stupid at all about your thiniing it was the word and not a person... you actually make sense... When we all first heard the song back min the 60's and 70's... we didnt know it was about a person either.. dont feel bad at all for it.. and I like you not looking up to find what the sng means until after.. I am a new sub for you.

[@hopeklemann1]

I'm not 100% positive but I think it's about a girl that one of the Beatles knew....... but your original theory of the literal sense was actually really really cool.....🌸

[@rogerdaly6326]

It was about someone they knew , Mia Farrow's sister Prudence Farrow.

[@jimmeltonbradley1497]

It's a girl's name. Sometimes shortened Pru. No deep meanings here. Great bass playing from Paul McCartney.

[@G-MAN1958]

🏆YES, stick with this album!

[@DJBilodeau]

Hope I'm not repeating what others have already said, but Paul was being a bit overbearing with Ringo on how Paul wanted Ringo to play, and Ringo had enough, and went on an "unscheduled vacation", i.e., he left the band. . .temporarily anyway. George organized the other three to send Ringo a telegram telling him they loved him and that he was the best rock drummer, and had flowers put on his drum kit when he came back. This song was recorded in that period when Ringo was missing, so Paul, who is a powerful multi-instrumentalist and a more than competent drummer manned the drums. The rest of this narrative I am going to tell you is somewhat controversial and unsubstantiated, but I listened to a documentary that pointed out the difference in the drumming in the beginning of the song, being more basic, and the drumming towards the end of the song which suddenly sounds a lot more complex with lots of drum fills, much more like Ringo. The. question becomes: did Ringo return from his trip and dub in the last part of the drum track? You can Google this song and you should be able to find the program that takes apart different parts of the drum track on this song and poses the question: who is playing the last part of the drum track on this song? Nonetheless, beyond all that, an absolutely gorgeous song by the Beatles. Thanks for reacting to it!

[@cjsm1006]

I was laughing during your take, but it was actually an interesting interpretation!! You did the right thing and looked up the meaning of Prudence and tried to make sense of the lyrics, but unknown to you it was the wrong definition. The Beatles have some great lyrics, they have some good lyrics, and they have some mediocre lyrics. And they have some lyrics that are just nonsense lyrics done for fun. People try to put to too profound a meaning.to some of their lyrics. On the other hand, the Beatles do have some profound lyrics, and sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between them and the nonsense ones.

[@garyfletcher844]

There is no such thing as prudence, it's prudent. Prudence is the name of a girl.

[@ktrsBklyn]

I think John was becoming a little disillusioned with the Maharishi at this point and thought Prudence rejoin life and be around people instead of so solitary.

[@alfredoramirez1022]

And you never going to stop beatles reaacion.. beatles are beatles..all song are different

[@Hoddleandwaddlelegend]

Prudence is also a girls name.

[@blitztim6416]

You haven’t heard Donovan?

[@barbarjinx3802]

Instead of looking up a definition you should have looked up the song. Would have saved you a lot of wasted mental energy. Prudence Farrow is still hardcore into Transcendental Meditation.

[@dannyc8041]

Prudence is a woman's name.

[@TheDylls]

Want a controversial opinion? I like a lot of the covers from the movie Across The Universe BETTER than the originals