Octopus's Garden
{{Short description|1969 song by the Beatles}}
{{about|the Beatles song|the children's book|Octopus's Garden (book){{!}}Octopus's Garden (book)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Octopus's Garden
| cover = 160px
| alt =
| caption = Cover of the song's sheet music
| type =
| artist = the Beatles
| album = Abbey Road
| released = 26 September 1969
| format =
| recorded = 26, 29 April, 17–18 July 1969
| studio = EMI, London
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Pop rock{{cite book|title=The Beatles, a Musical Evolution|first=Terence|last=J. O'Grady|date=1983|page=160|publisher=Twayne|isbn=9780805794533}}|country rock{{cite book|title=Experiencing the Beatles: A Listener's Companion|first=Brooke|last=Halpin|date=2017|page=104|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers}}}}
| length = 2:48
| label = Apple
| writer = Richard Starkey
| producer = George Martin
}}
"Octopus's Garden" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written and sung by Ringo Starr (credited to his real name Richard Starkey), from their 1969 album Abbey Road. George Harrison, who assisted Starr with the song, commented: "{{'}}Octopus's Garden' is Ringo's song. It's only the second song Ringo wrote, and it's lovely." He added that the song gets very deep into the listener's consciousness "because it's so peaceful. I suppose Ringo is writing cosmic songs these days without even realising it."{{cite web |url=http://www.musicbyday.com/abbey-road-the-beatles-in-their-own-words/574/ |title=Abbey Road: The Beatles in Their Own Words |access-date=18 September 2009 |last=Marks |first=Marvin |date=23 August 2009 |work=Music by Day |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904004052/http://www.musicbyday.com/abbey-road-the-beatles-in-their-own-words/574/ |archive-date=4 September 2009 |url-status=dead }} It was the last song released by the Beatles featuring Starr on lead vocals.
Composition
The idea for the song came about when Starr was on a boat belonging to comedian Peter Sellers in Sardinia in 1968. He ordered fish and chips for lunch, but instead of fish he got squid (it was the first time he had eaten squid, and he said, "It was OK. A bit rubbery. Tasted like chicken.")Anthology book (2000, p. 312) The boat's captain then told Starr about how octopuses travel along the sea bed picking up stones and shiny objects with which to build gardens.{{cite web |url=http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/dba11road.html |title=Abbey Road |publisher=The Beatles Interview Database |access-date=25 September 2009}} Starr's songwriting was further inspired by his desire to escape mounting hostility among the Beatles; he would later admit that he had "just wanted to be under the sea, too". Uncredited assistance in developing the song's chord changes was provided by Harrison, who can be seen helping Starr work the song out on piano, with John Lennon later joining in with drums, in the documentaries Let It Be (1970){{cite book|last=Spizer|first=Bruce|author-link=Bruce Spizer|title=The Beatles on Apple Records|publisher=498 Productions|year=2003|page=166}} and The Beatles: Get Back (2021), both using the same footage.
Recording
The basic instrumental track was recorded 26 April 1969, with the Beatles lineup of two electric guitars (Harrison and Lennon),The Complete Beatles Chronicle {{ISBN|978-1-851-52975-9}} p. 320 bass guitar (McCartney) and drums (Starr). Starr also provided a temporary guide vocal on this date. (Take 2 of the recording, featuring this guide vocal, Starr singing the first verse three times, is track 14 on disc 2 of Anthology 3.) In the absence of George Martin, the Beatles themselves were listed as producer, with Martin's apprentice Chris Thomas present in the control room to assist. Thirty-two takes were required before the Beatles were satisfied with the track.{{cite book |last=Lewisohn |first=Mark |title=The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions |publisher=Hamlyn |location=London |year=2004 |isbn=0-681-03189-1}}
According to Mark Lewisohn, the backing vocals by McCartney and Harrison during the guitar solo were put through compressors and limiters to create a gurgling sound. However, since dynamic signal processing does not produce such a modulation effect, Alan Parsons suggests that the effect was probably achieved using the tremolo effect produced by a guitar amplifier.{{cite web | url=https://gearspace.com/board/q-a-with-engineer-producer-artist-alan-parsons/492753-money-octopuss-garden-tremolo.html | title=Money/Octopus's Garden tremolo - Gearspace }} At Starr's request, HarrisonExperiencing the Beatles: A Listener's Companion {{ISBN|978-1-442-27144-9}} p. 104 added the sound of bubbles by blowing through a straw into a glass of milk.{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/8313/discography/a_12.htm |title=DM Beatle's Site: Abbey Road (UK, 1969) |publisher=Webcitation.org |access-date=21 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024003746/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/8313/discography/a_12.htm |archive-date=24 October 2009 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.upv.es/~ecabrera/abbey.html|title=Abbey Road|website=upv.es}}
Personnel
According to Kevin Howlett:{{cite AV media notes|author=Howlett, Kevin|title=Abbey Road (50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition)|title-link=Abbey Road|year=2019|others=The Beatles|type=book|publisher=Apple Records|pages=34–35}}
- Ringo Starr{{snd}}double-tracked lead vocals, drums, percussion, bubbling effects
- John Lennon{{snd}}rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney{{snd}}backing vocals, bass guitar, piano
- George Harrison{{snd}}backing vocals, lead guitar
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Beatles|title=Octopuss Garden|award=Silver|id=20332-1786-1|type=single|relyear=2010|certyear=2024|accessdate=September 13, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
''Love'' remix
The song was remixed in 2006 for the Beatles album Love, which contained remixes of classic Beatles songs. The remix begins with Starr's vocals over the orchestration from "Good Night", then transitions into the original instrumental backing track on the line "I'd ask my friends...", with sound effects from "Yellow Submarine" added in the background. During the guitar solo, the drum track is replaced with that of "Lovely Rita" and ends with the beginning guitar riff from "Sun King".
Other versions
Jim Henson's Muppets made three video cover versions of the song, on Sesame Street, episode 19 in 1969, The Ed Sullivan Show in March 1970, and The Muppet Show episode 312 in 1978, which was performed by Kermit the Frog, his nephew Robin the Frog, and Miss Piggy.{{cite web |title=2/23/1970 – 'VTR Sullivan Show – "Octopus Garden"' |url=https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2014/02/2231970/ |website=Jim Henson's Red Book |publisher=The Jim Henson Company |date=24 February 2014}}{{cite web |last1=Sexton |first1=Paul |title=See The Muppets' Take On Ringo Starr's Beatles Favorite 'Octopus Garden' |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/muppets-perform-beatles-octopus-garden/ |website=UDiscoverMusic |date=12 December 2021}}
Oasis and Noel Gallagher have added adapted lyrics from "Octopus's Garden" to the end of their song "Whatever" during some of their live performances.{{cite web |last1=Taysom |first1=Joe |title=Five times Oasis paid tribute to The Beatles |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/oasis-five-best-the-beatles/ |website=Far Out Magazine |date=24 March 2024}} The phrase "I'd like to be under the sea" is in the refrain of one of Oasis' most popular B-sides, "Take Me Away".{{cite web |last1=Morgan |first1=Adam |title=Album Review: Oasis: Definitely Maybe: Chasing the Sun Edition |url=https://survivingthegoldenage.com/oasis-definitely-maybe-chasing-the-sun-edition/ |website=Surviving the Golden Age |date=29 May 2014}} Also, the refrain from the chorus of "Octopus's Garden" can be heard about forty seconds from the end of "The Masterplan", also by Oasis.{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Archie |title=Album Review – Oasis: The Masterplan |url=https://www.silentradio.co.uk/11/07/album-review-oasis-the-masterplan/ |website=Silent Radio |date=7 November 2023}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikiquote|Abbey Road}}
- {{noteson|http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/og.shtml|Octopus's Garden}}
{{Abbey Road}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Octopuss Garden}}
Category:Music published by Startling Music
Category:Songs about invertebrates
Category:Songs about oceans and seas
Category:Song recordings produced by George Martin