| "I'm So Tired" | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the song's sheet music | |
| Song bythe Beatles | |
| from the albumThe Beatles | |
| Released | 22 November 1968 (1968-11-22) |
| Recorded | 8 October 1968 |
| Studio | EMI, London |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 2:03 |
| Label | Apple |
| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer(s) | George Martin |
| Audio sample | |
"I'm So Tired" | |
"I'm So Tired" is a song by the Englishrock bandthe Beatles from their 1968 double albumThe Beatles (also known as "the White Album"). It was written and sung byJohn Lennon, though credited toLennon–McCartney. Lennon wrote the song during the Beatles'stay in India aboutinsomnia he was having due to constantmeditation and because he missedYoko Ono. The song was recorded in the same session as another White Album song, "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill".
Lennon wrote the song at aTranscendental Meditation camp when he could not sleep; the Beatles had gone on a retreat to study with theMaharishi Mahesh Yogi inRishikesh,India. After three weeks of constant meditation and lectures, Lennon missed Ono, with whom he had yet to start a relationship, and was plagued byinsomnia, which inspired the song. One of dozens of songs the Beatles wrote in India, "I'm So Tired" detailed Lennon's fragile state of mind. It was also an open letter to Ono, whose postcards to Lennon in India were a lifeline. "I got so excited about her letters," he said. "I started thinking of her as a woman, and not just an intellectual woman."[1] Lennon later said of it: "One of my favourite tracks. I just like the sound of it, and I sing it well".[2]
The theme of insomnia complements Lennon's earlier song "I'm Only Sleeping" on theRevolver album.
During the second verse, Lennon callsSir Walter Raleigh "a stupidget" for introducing tobacco to England.[3][4]
The song is in the key ofA major.
An earlydemo of the song was recorded atGeorge Harrison'sEsher home, in May 1968. It was basically identical to the released version, in terms ofverse, but it does include aspoken section reminiscent of a similar section in "Happiness Is a Warm Gun", which goes as follows:
When I hold you, in your arms,
When you show me, each one of your charms,
I wonder should I get up, and go to the funny farm.
No, no, no!
This section was probablyimprovised at the time, as it was never used again.The song was recorded on 8 October 1968 and was completed including alloverdubs in this one session.[5] The Beatles also started and completed "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" during the same recording session.[5] Thechorus of themonaural mix of the song features louderbacking vocals fromPaul McCartney than thestereo mix.
The Beatles later performed the song, with McCartney singinglead vocal, in ajam session inTwickenham Film Studios in 1969.
At the very end of the song, what seems to benonsensical mumbling can be heard in the background. The mumbling, ifplayed backwards can be imagined as something along the lines of "Paul is a dead man. Miss him. Miss him. Miss him."[6] This only adds to the many supposed references to the "Paul is dead"conspiracy theory scattered throughout the White album.Mark Lewisohn has said that the mumbling is actually Lennon muttering, "Monsieur, monsieur, how about another one?"[5]
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its release, Jacob Stolworthy ofThe Independent listed "I'm So Tired" at number 18 in his ranking of the White Album's 30 tracks. He wrote of the song: "The weary vocals from John Lennon remains desperately alluring to this day. A favourite of his, the song is best when viewed as a sequel toRevolver track, 'I'm Only Sleeping'."[7]
