OCTOPUS'S GARDEN. THE BEATLES

 

Ringo Starr: vocals, drums, percussion, effects
John Lennon: guitar
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass, piano
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar

Ringo Starr’s second composition for The Beatles was written in Sardinia. On 22 August 1968 he temporarily walked out of sessions for the White Album after becoming disenchanted with the increasing tensions within the group. He took his family abroad for a boating holiday, returning to Abbey Road on 5 September.

I wrote ‘Octopus’s Garden’ in Sardinia. Peter Sellers had lent us his yacht and we went out for the day… I stayed out on deck with [the captain] and we talked about octopuses. He told me that they hang out in their caves and they go around the seabed finding shiny stones and tin cans and bottles to put in front of their cave like a garden. I thought this was fabulous, because at the time I just wanted to be under the sea too. A couple of tokes later with the guitar – and we had ‘Octopus’s Garden’!

Lyrics

OCTOPUS' GARDEN 

I'd like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus' garden
In the shade

He'd let us in
Knows where we've been
In his octopus' garden
In the shade

I'd ask my friends
To come and see
An octopus' garden
With me

I'd like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus' garden
In the shade

We would be warm
Below the storm
In our little hideaway
Beneath the waves

Resting our head
On the seabed
In an octopus' garden
Near a cave

We would sing
And dance around
Because we know
We can't be found

I'd like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus' garden
In the shade

We would shout
And swim about
The coral that lies
Beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)

Oh what joy
For every girl and boy
Knowing they're happy
And they're safe
(Happy and they're safe)

We would be so happy
You and me
No one there to tell us
What to do

I'd like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus' garden
With you

In an octopus' garden
With you
In an octopus' garden
With you

 

La idea de la canción surgió cuando Starr estaba en un barco perteneciente al cómico Peter Sellers en Cerdeña en 1968. Pidió pescado con patatas fritas para el almuerzo, pero en vez de pescado se le sirvió calamar. Esta era la primera vez que probaba los calamares, y afirmó: "Estaba bien. Un poco correoso. Sabía a pollo"). El capitán del bote le contó a Starr cómo los pulpos viajan a lo largo del lecho marino recogiendo piedras y objetos brillantes con los que construir jardines. La composición de Starr se inspiró aún más en su deseo de escapar de la creciente hostilidad entre los Beatles, admitiendo más tarde que "también quería estar bajo el mar". Harrison proporcionó ayuda no acreditada en el desarrollo de los cambios de acordes de la canción. En el documental "Let It Be" se le puede ver ayudando a Starr a trabajar la canción en el piano, y a Lennon después uniéndose a la batería.

La canción, que contiene la letra "Oh, qué alegría para cada niña y niño / Sabiendo que están felices y seguros", a veces se la considera una canción para niños, como "Yellow Submarine" o "All Together Now". También ha sido interpretada por los Muppets varias veces en varios episodios de sus shows.