John Lennon Explaining Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

There have been plenty of rumors about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds being a movie about drugs. The theory is that Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds represented LSD based on the initials of the song. John Lennon had discounted this theory many times, but this is an interview with Dick Cavett where he addresses the question directly

[@farzamfarahani2063]

Lennon's Son's Drawing 🤔

[@thefrenchpoet3160]

Lol, LSD clever observation

[@imabigboy5416]

I laughed for like an hour

[@user-jn1iw7xw8u]

Lmaaaooo

[@killrite]

Haha

[@Federalblue81]

OMG!!! LMAO!!! YOUR ARE BRILLIANT SIR!!

[@CongaLineMonkey]

Lennon was so brutally honest about himself and his music that I have no doubt that he's telling the truth. He never shied away from talking about his drug use and his addictions, and was very candid in particular about his LSD use. This is just one of those cosmic coincidences.

[@jordoncrump91]

Mix truth in with the lie. It only helps to better deceive.

[@gearoid9835]

kaleidoscope eyes has to be an LSD reference though. There's no way it couldn't be.

[@zombieparrot2606]

@@gearoid9835 I agree 100%

[@aporue5893]

julian is extremely talented. 😊✨

[@Azulon66]

@@gearoid9835 I think the song may have LSD references, but the title of it, doesn't

[@hdmat101]

So John's son was on l.s.d. When he did his drawing

[@felipemossi]

hdmat101 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA JOHN'S SON ON ACID

[@123jonathann]

+Felipe Jacomossi wouldn't surprise me

[@typocat9168]

Shawn Lennon on acid xD

[@chantelleadlington]

+DJMinX um you mean his son JULIAN

[@johnlennonreincarnated6809]

DJMinX it was not sean it was Julian

[@lourodmusic]

Where is Forrest Gump ?

[@MrCookedRamen]

LOL.😭

[@carlosbraga9381]

😂😂

[@theelectrodefunhouse4651]

In the sky with Ice Cream?

[@Noone-rc9wf]

Lou Rod Probably just left the room to go back to China

[@rivonanda516]

Lou Rod you made my day 🤣🤣🤣

[@apricotcharms4126]

"Girl with kaleidoscope eyes" "Rocking horse men eating marshmallows pies" Lol sure buddy

[@mikhailstfuyoutubeientered5527]

marmalade skys and flower 10 miles high.

[@niggato23]

@Fun freq oh yes he gets high with a little help from his friends

[@Roserytemptation]

Newspaper taxis appear on the shore, waiting to take you away Take away the “news” and that’s totally about blotters lol “paper taxis”

[@CookiedoughProductions]

He took the drawing and the rest he took ideas from Alice and wonderland book

[@mrsixxthsense5123]

Lucy is short for lucifer. These freemasonjihadists are a disgrace!

[@samland9570]

I need a GIF of John shaking his legs like he was at the start.

[@jthad52801]

Gfs

[@mfzoom5401]

He’s high af

[@n.h_minh]

Now, i still need that 😂😂

[@ashlynlamb3200]

Whether it's true or not it's still a good song to listen to when ur tripping lmao

[@MultiTreeboy]

that whole album is amazing to listen to on Lucy

[@colton8331]

Even amazing wothout it

[@giovannic8553]

Yeah!

[@Dr3am3r_D3l1r1um]

Hell yea. I wanna watch beatles love in vegas while I trip now and specifically the part with Lucy in the sky with diamonds

[@IcarusFourEightOh]

@@colton8331 no

[@clocloso7389]

I learned in music appreciation what John Lennon said is right, he's son supposedly drew a picture representing a girl in his class supposedly named Lucy who his son liked and that brought the inspiration. Its creative and true, i understand that people may think it means bizarre hallucinations from a drug or a weird dream, but it's art.

[@h7opolo]

art is inspired by the imagination, the same place dreams and hallucinations originate.

[@mfzoom5401]

@@h7opolo Also so much legendary music has been inspired by the musicians’ drug use.

[@katiesmythe4944]

You're completely gullible.

[@anarcho-communist11]

It's more fun to imagine he's lying.

[@beatrizcastejon8313]

I died when he said "Hey Jude " 😭😍😍😂

[@johnnymoondogs1816]

Beatriz Castejon hai beatriz

[@juliarollins9655]

Beatriz Castejon when?

[@Mehmet-ef7qc]

@@juliarollins9655 0:00

[@flockzee]

RIP

[@witaradanu1442]

I think its because the band played beatles song "hey jude" so john respond it afterward..

[@lauravokey3193]

Wish we still had John with us 😭

[@JetPoweredCloud]

"Lucy in the sky with Diamonds" may have been written while he was taking L.S.D, but it's not a song about any drug. It's all about imagery. The lyrics are supposed to paint pictures in your mind. That's it.

[@thegendercommulist2438]

Quay Tgang It makes perfect sense

[@TheMarkmcr]

Coolman88889 I believe that he was sincere about the title, but it's still likely referring to the effects of drugs as he thought that would fit in well. Song lyrics weren't known for being symbolic at the time. It's mostly music videos that do that

[@sparklingfashion6276]

John-S lucy is lucifer. the beetles are occultists. thats just a cover up

[@isabellavaxquez2983]

Quay Tgang it makes sense.

[@IrishEagIe]

Yes, imagery. But tell me, how else could anyone think of _that kind_ of imagery?

[@lucyzapana768]

Well, to me Lennon was an honest person, he always saïd what he thought so i believe in John

[@THINCOVER]

Paul admitted in 2004 that is was about LSD xD

[@lucyzapana768]

Paul is not John

[@THINCOVER]

I didn't say he was :/

[@StormOneUK]

Except the part where he contradicted himself on a regular basis. He was quite flexible with the truth at times :D

[@newtuber6405]

+StormOneUK I'd like you to provide one example.

[@chantelleadlington]

Okaaay everyone here is what Cynthia, said about this since she did witness this: "Sgt. Pepper included one track that everyone was convinced John had written about an LSD trip- 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'. In fact, the title was Julian's: He had come home from school with a painting of his friend, Lucy. When John asked him what was in it, he'd said, 'It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds.' John of course loved this way out and completely innocent description, straight from his son's unfettered imagination" And here's what Paul said about this: "I went up to John's house in Weybridge. When I arrived they (John and Cynthia) were having a cup of tea and he said 'Look at this great drawing Julian's done. Look at the title.' He showed me a drawing on a piece of school paper of a little girl with lots of stars and right across the top there was written in very neat child handwriting, 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds' and we loved it and she was in the sky and it was very trippy to us, So we went upstairs and started writing it. People later thought 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' Was LSD, I swear we didn't notice that when it came out ." He also said that it was a song that reflected their love of Lewis Carroll's work: "We did the whole thing like an Alice In Wonderland idea, Being on a boat on the river." Now Pleaaase tell me how John is lying and this song is about LSD?

[@chantelleadlington]

+Donald Jewett The quote from Cynthia is from her book called John and the quotes from Paul was from a book I have. Well you'd like to THINK it's about LSD, but just know that actually, it's not

[@chantelleadlington]

+Donald Jewett it's non addictive? John got ADDICTED to that drug for years. He would literally take it everyday and what the fuck it's not for medition? Yes it IS dangerous because it made John so thin and ill looking..

[@chantelleadlington]

+Daryoosh Fard It's even PROVEN to be inspired by his son's drawing, so who's wrong now 'dumb bitch'? You believe what you want, but I know that what I say is true. You're actually making up the meaning of the song because you're one of these people that look too far into things and try to find meanings in things...

[@chantelleadlington]

+Daryoosh Fard It's even PROVEN to be inspired by his son's drawing, so who's wrong now 'dumb bitch'? You believe what you want, but I know that what I say is true. You're actually making up the meaning of the song because you're one of these people that look too far into things and try to find meanings in things...

[@WafflesofMay]

+Chantelle Adlington There really wasn't any reason for John to lie about it.

[@eyevolutionsmithljw]

The reason Julian (john's son) came home with a painting called Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is because whilst being around the Beatles who probably talked about LSD...he wondered what the initials stood for...maybe it's just me

[@deadeyes2803]

a 5 year old doesnt have the capacity to think you can put "in the" and "with" in between acronyms

[@K701-r5e]

Deadeyes X Not all 5 Year olds are the same. That's John Lennon's son we're talking about, he was probably intelligent like when Lennon was little and learned how to play the guitar/violin (forgot which one)

[@gaygay5676]

@[TSG] RandomRyan dude im reading this on LSD

[@craighicksartwork]

The girl was found years later. An actual girl called Lucy in Julian's class.

[@age-ben4910]

Perhaps...Lol

[@kenlompart9905]

It wasn't just the letters, the lyrics sound like an amazing acid trip.

[@frodolives6671]

😂😂😂 is this the clip they use in forest gump I think it is

[@santyrocks123456789]

gtfo

[@santyrocks123456789]

yes it is but gtfo

[@cristianarteaga1092]

Yeah

[@MattNStudios]

yup

[@MattNStudios]

?

[@WilliamROlague]

That was my favorite LSD trip song... totally connected it with that.

[@SMUS16475]

0:01 Jesus, look at that leg movement. It's like John had a coke break or something.

[@vickjr98]

Lmao same thing I thought

[@aidanmaurice6464]

john is on some shit in this 😂😂

[@epicbottombankz5524]

His tea servent drugged him

[@samestron3453]

life, yeah, some shit.

[@DevouredByWolves]

Nah, some musician's do this. I do that because I'm a drummer and can't sit still for too long.

[@bobbidigital1189]

He was definitely tweeking 😂

[@MrMoo272]

Plot twist - his son just gave him a blank piece of paper whilst John was tripping and he thought it was beautiful 😂

[@annabelli3359]

Hahaha okay John.

[@kevashton2783]

"Hahaha okay" what? What do you not believe?

[@marcomielniczuk2564]

"Hahaha okay"? I mean, he wrote the song, he says what it is about

[@needlessoptions]

y'all are both taking this too seriously issa meme

[@needlessoptions]

*nigguh* it's def about acid

[@JoseGarcia-ki3vk]

Annabel Li the drawing is real, I think David Gilmour of Pink Floyd is the current owner

[@rain_down_]

Cleverly answered. The song is about an LSD trip (Lennon is on record saying that he had done over a thousand of them). He doesn't deny what the song is about at all. He probably got the drawing, saw the title then said wow, that works.

[@mazjorgensen7565]

Julian has even come out and named Lucy ,a childhood friend from kindergarten she has since passed from Lupus, and he is raising awareness of the disease

[@dmessy91]

Lucy in the sky with Lupis then

[@ejiebucag2994]

Nice editing. I hope Forrest Gump won’t get mad for this

[@aquilesxyz]

Esta canción es una obra maestra, John dice que es verdad. John es muy honesto. Es el mejor viajar sin drogas.

[@Mama_Pills]

This is so lovely and I’ll forever listen to the song in a whole new light :)

[@juliensicotte6384]

Its pretty funny at the beginning when theres music and when it cuts to john and the others all you see is john dancing his legs to the music

[@donovanmedieval]

What about the line, "See how they fly, like Lucy in the sky," from "I AM the Walrus?"

[@kyrinforpresident]

What about it

[@izzierose2]

when your history teacher was wrong :'D for the first time ever

[@MattNStudios]

same **dabs**

[@senrom2273]

Yeah, well maybe little Julian's drawing wasn't about LSD, but the song certainly is. Cavett's reply should have been, "Yeah right, John. Whatever you say."

[@TS-ee3mj]

He was tripping in this interview 😂

[@brigittasliwinski8327]

My favourite part about this is that Forrest sits where Yoko was sitting.

[@Comfy_Gaming]

so its not about LSD? "marmalade skies" "Kaleidoscope eyes" "Marshmallow pies" "Cellophane flowers of yellow and green" If thats not about an acid trip then idk *what* is

[@AlexLeut]

John was talking about the title, he wasn't talking about the lyrics

[@JeffMagnetum]

The Bible: Lucifer in the heavens with precious stones. (see Isaiah 14:12-13 and Ezekiel 28:13) The Beatles: Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

[@pollywogstew1792]

you got it bro, see my post

[@cherryaangel]

I knew it had something to do with the devil!!!!

[@derelchschamane914]

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudeeee

[@colton8331]

Bruh, you are dumb. None of them were religious and never read the bible

[@yriazfosuy2866]

john's approved

[@billbob967]

John has spoken

[@veem5143]

John sounded so sad at the end when he said "But nobody believes me,"

[@aporue5893]

awww. :/

[@sambenelli3165]

Honestly, I don’t care about what inspired John. It’s an amazing song and it makes me dream even without LSD. Don’t ruin everything with silly conspiracies theories.

[@TheJonnyEnglish]

the Beatles have always been under fire for drug references in their music. you don't think John just came up with that excuse to get the media off his ass?

[@daletwin1]

Both John and Paul have explained what Lucy In The Shy With Diamonds is about. Here is John's explanation of what the song is about.: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHK9cpeehb2EaNkfeature=shared And here is Paul's explanation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHW4h2iom9N9pskfeature=shared

[@MegaTriumph1]

What child brings home a drawing with Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

[@vickjr98]

John Lennon's child

[@thefittestofjeans910]

So here's what the song means to me personally guys, because this is such a beautiful song to me. I'm 100 percent convinced before she died my grandmother took lsd and watched yellow submarine, I used to call her Lucy when I was little and she used to sing me that song. When I finally took lsd and watched the movie it was like she was talking to me using that song, saying hello from the other side. The song in that movie has let me talk to her after she departed from me. Ik it's probably not what the song is for but it's what has happened with me. I love the Beatles and I love my grandma.

[@Flairejonez]

Just pure synchronicity... u know how the Universe works. If u know Universal Law, it doesnt surprise you. Quite beautiful actually.

[@mightyman6459]

He said Eleanor Rigby and I thought of Endoplasmatic Reticulum. Shit, I need to know the function of that!! Have exams coming up in a few weeks time..

[@matthewetheridge9738]

+Mighty Man something to do with ribosomes and protein synthesis I believe(;

[@drdingleberry9832]

John lenon was definitely on one in this interview

[@amberleaf7]

Thanks for clarifying!!

[@LughSummerson]

John said "That's beautiful" when he saw the drawing because of the appropriateness of the name and the imagery to his own interests at the time. Of course it was perfectly innocent on the part of Julian, but John recontexualised it by using it as inspiration for a song about psychedelia. If he didn't even notice the L-S-D in the name, he must have been tripping harder than we thought.

[@kingcassius2586]

More like LITSWD

[@LughSummerson]

@@kingcassius2586 Use title capitalisation. LitSwD

[@kingcassius2586]

@@LughSummerson Touché

[@Woodsaras]

A retrd whos telling the author of the song whats the song about. Gg dimwit

[@josephst.george7841]

Gotta thank Julian for this amazing contribution to rock and roll history

[@JimLarrison]

Yes sir! Love what he has done for my life!

[@groupswing58383]

LITSWD: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

[@samestron3453]

I love that interruption in the end. Like "Who cares Dick?

[@punk_rat_baby811]

L = Lucy In The S = sky With D = diamonds (I do believe John, I just thought this was fun)

[@punk_rat_baby811]

@@pete_277 wut

[@Lugh444]

LSD is lovely and powerful, beautiful, but honestly it's nothing like people who don't take it imagine it to be.

[@sethcurtis9519]

Thank you for posting this ITS NOT ABOUT LSD

[@mikhailstfuyoutubeientered5527]

"rocking horse men eating marshmellow pies" "10 mile high celluloide flowers, and marmalade skys" kinda a lot of detail forma a childrens drawing man.

[@nigelgreenwood9010]

McCartney says it isn't about LSD. McCartney also says he wrote some of the lines. What to believe

[@ExtremeBeatlesArchive]

What was Cavett gonna say at the end? Eleanor Rigby was about her late night visit to the ER?

[@EliteCougarx]

¿En qué minuto explica el porqué no puedes voltear todos los tazos de un chingadazo?

[@fadofasol5650]

Wasn't his son's drawing 'Lucy in the sky with stars'?

[@luketorkingtondrums]

Just always makes me think of Bill Hicks when people try to explain the meaning behind Beatles tunes.

[@sabertig3489]

So, is John crediting Julian for the inspiration? Someone should ask Julian.

[@martykeaton182]

0:26 - :31 Surprising that John’s talking about the man who great songs you hear in movies like Home Alone and Dick Tracy.

[@michelle2465]

It bugs me when people say it's a song about LSD!

[@Emerald081]

Paul later admitted that it was abut LSD. Also its pretty obvious for those who actually had an LSD experience, trust me. By the way, why is it bugs you so much???

[@michelle2465]

Well it doesn't really bug me anymore, I guess what bothered me more is ppl not listening to johns side, if it's about LSD doesn't mean john was lying, the inspiration can still be Julian's painting

[@robaquarian]

Its still about LSD

[@morgan_houseworth]

So where is this picture that his son drew was it kept for like family is it in a museum or like what

[@AlexLeut]

The picture is now property of David Gilmour of Pink Floyd

[@sandraherrera6832]

I knew this many years ago :), my brother ecosonda to me, and hey Jude was inspiring by Julian too , but in a sad circumstance .

[@BootikMoosik]

Lucy gets Bootik make over... A potent blend of songs about God, War & LSD delicately & seamlessly arranged to bring their individual messages across... 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' by the Beatles, 'Sky Pilot' by Eric Burdon & the Animals and 'Big Sky' by the Kinks. Note that the 3 songs are from the late 60's when creativity seemed to rime naturally with questioning The Man in all his incarnations. :: BEATLES / ANIMALS / KINKS :: THE SKY TRILOGY :: BOOTIK MOOSIK

[@georgiaderousse760]

Though it could be about drugs or not or maybe he was high while writing the song but here is my idea about the meaning: he is in a dream land and dreams up a perfect girl. He starts off on a river. He has to go back to the real world "newspaper taxis appear on the shore, waiting to take you away." It sounds like he has come to the end of the river at the sea and this fantasy is coming to an end. In the real world he's on a train possibly to his new life . "Plasticine porters" i don't know maybe it's a transition of a new life. Carrying your luggage to something new molding into a new shell. He finds the dream girl in real life. Now this was released the year after he divorced Cynthia and married Yoko. He is getting used to life without Cynthia as explained in hey Jude. He finds his dream girl Yoko (which he actually admitted to what the song was about) So yeah I don't know I think it's about Lennon and Yoko.

[@thegirlwithkaleidoscopeeye1827]

I don't care that I just saw it come out of his mouth. This song is about tripping on acid. lmao Kaleidoscope eyes? Looking glass ties? Cellophane flowers? Read the lyrics. Maybe he got the title from his kid's drawing, but dude's tripping balls.

[@czamarripa4]

+Feeliest Realist maybe you need a heroic dose lol

[@MissAstorDancer]

Yeah, Robert, you definitely didn't take enough!!!!! While tripping, and listening to him on the stereo, we watched a Jimi Hendrix poster on the wall turn into a live performance! 66.media.tumblr.com/9df0f23fa5033f8ba73754f9b885c7a8/tumblr_nru8i1gLlY1sryapdo1_500.gif And I watched field of huge actual 5 to 6 foot tall sunflowers with blooms 12 to 15 inches in diameter, become anthropomorphized cartoon characters, and throw up their hands and laugh hysterically at a small group of us tripping on the lawn next to the field!!!!! m.chinadaily.com.cn/en//img/attachement/jpg/site1/20160720/f04da2db148418f955d210.jpg We watched fairies playing in the park! image.blingee.com/images18/content/output/000/000/000/73e/698858179_480943.gif And those are just 3 of the most memorable ones! I also highly recommend that you watch this clip all the way through! Best trip visuals I have ever seen in a movie! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nILIlouMo8yXo6M ;)

[@kylecross241]

+PornFree lol 150ug isn't even a lot. Certainly not enough to see what he sings about in the song

[@MrManusnake]

i do bealive that he got inspired by julian's drawing, while he was high on lsd

[@louismontinaro2271]

Did he say hey jude at the beginning?

[@VirginiaSpencer-bq6jx]

Beautiful Lennon he will live on forever.

[@ZanderSumner]

A lot of people on commenting have obviously never SEEN the painting by Julian of his school friend Lucy. Google it...

[@faerykaye]

right??

[@47rintin1]

With John to be your dad I can imagine his son came up with the idea to mention the lady on his drawing `LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS.

[@idontwanttosaymynameonyout1486]

I want to see the drawing

[@ruggerobelloni4743]

John's ancestry is Irish and the Irish do not lie they simply improve the truth.A friend who married Margaret Barry (check her out) told me she delighted him with her music and "real" accounts of her meetings with fairies and leprechauns. When she toured she then told some fans she had married Robert Mitchum.

[@RCFrizz]

I have listened to the lyrics. I have read descriptions of LSD's effects, including those by the chemist who invented LSD, Albert Hofmann. My conclusion? BU11SH!T, John!

[@Nat.0992]

Well I obviously believe John but were they on LSD when they wrote it. But nevertheless it's a beautiful song

[@59flower]

What was the host about to say when he mentioned Eleanor Rigby? Does anyone know?

[@danamccullough5868]

Was thinking the same shit

[@mclarke825]

+59flower Paul had originally claimed he had made up the name Eleanor Rigby, but later a gravestone was found in Liverool with the name on it.

[@melissagreen_]

Except, the song describes an acid trip. Oh well.

[@what_memes_are_these9824]

Just give Lennon some respect people!

[@shanemccaw4198]

The band was known for doing tons of drugs back in the day. The initials are there which that's makes it difficult to deny. Id feel bad if John really was telling the truth. One things for sure though he and the others put out awesome music people will enjoy for years.

[@WWH88-u6u]

Simple as that. Beautiful song

[@ustagivadambutnevagavafuk2675]

John was very open about his use with drugs. Like when he got busted for pot in england in 1969 ( I think it was that year) he couldn't go in and out of the country so easily. Why would he need to cover this up?

[@morganwoodmusic]

Wasn’t this the same episode that was used in forest gump 😂😅

[@DiogenesCaulfield]

No, Claire Boothe Luce is her

[@WisdomWeaverBitcoinBruv]

Lennon's Son's Drawing

[@morpheuszzz5587]

Where is mr.gump?

[@IsaacWale2004]

I believe John

[@johnmarstonification]

He is wearing sergeant rank from 6th marine regiment 2nd marine division.

[@asksolas816]

where is forrest gump?

[@JA-xv3qp]

oh sure Johnny, sure

[@johnrotten3268]

I wanna see the drawing.

[@tudvalstone]

So if it was about a 3 year old classmate of Julian, why did the drawing picture a woman?

[@deathhzrd]

How much coke was John on for this interview, also I love his little “hey Jude”

[@MTrayy]

Time stamp it please

[@samgarvey5669]

MTrayy 0:05

[@chezzylee]

Theodore adorno and the tavistock institute wrote ALL Beatles songs, hence why McCartney lost numerous court cases to gain rights to "their" music.

[@aidand.7911]

He actually sounds pretty sincere in this, so I kind of want to believe him, then I realize that he was probably on something and/or was in a few beatles movies so...

[@CruelWorldVids1]

Lol, did the girl in the drawing have kaleidoscope eyes??

[@freddieboi4818]

Can we pls just give them a break. I mean for the rest of johns life he kept on being annoyed by this. Even if it is about LSD can we just respect them by not annoying them about it. Same thing with the Paul is dead rumour. I don’t believe in either of those but even if I did I wouldn’t annoy them every single day about it. They did still made INCREDIBLE songs and that’s all that matters.

[@robertsol9007]

He had Indian head( camp Casey 2nd infantry division) patch on his military uniform

[@richardhawkins4621]

I believe John but I think someone would have spotted the title being abit suspect even so what a tune

[@angelabaiers5055]

I believe you.

[@gigsandbusking8959]

Thank you for putting that one to bed, R.I.P. John