John Lennon: Between The Lines

complete home recordings 1975–1980


LYRIC TRANSCRIPTIONS FOR DISC 5

[BACK TO MENU]


track 1: India, India

India, India, take me to your heart
Reveal your ancient mysteries to me
I'm searching for an answer, but somewhere deep inside
I know I'll never find it here — it's already in my mind

India, India, listen to my plea
Sit here at your feet so patiently
I'm waiting by the river but somewhere in my mind
I left my heart in England with the girl I left behind

I've got to follow my heart, wherever it takes me
I've got to follow my heart, whenever it calls to me
I've got to follow my heart, and my heart is going home

India, India, listen to my plea
I sit here at your feet so patiently
I'm waiting by the river but somewhere in my mind
I left my heart in England with the girl I left behind

Got to follow my heart, wherever it takes me
I've got to follow my heart, whenever it calls to me
I've got to follow my heart, and my heart is going home


track 2: Help Me To Help Myself

Well I tried so hard to settle down
But the spirit is moving my body off the ground
And I knew deep inside, I was never meant to hide, oh no

Oh, help me Lord
Please help me Lord
Please help me Lord, Lord
Help me to help myself

Well I tried so hard to make it up
But the answering service keeps on telling me it won't be allowed
It's not allowed
But I know it's not my fate, *** it too great

"What is that thing doing here..."


track 3: Life Begins At 40

"We'd like to welcome you here to the Dakota Country and Western Club. And in return for Mrs. Yoko Ono's wonderful gift of a very strange ***, I'd like this morning to sing you a little ditty that occured to me in the throes of my sleep. It's called 'Life Begins At 40'."

They say life begins at 40, age is just a state of mind
If all that's true you know that I've been dead for 39

And if life begins at 40, well, I hope it ain't the same
It's been tough enough without that stuff, I don't wanna be born again

Well, I tried to sweep the slate clean with a new broom everyday
If that don't work, I'll jerk around until my next birthday

Yeah, life begins at 40, age is just a state of mind
Well, if all that's true, you know that I've been dead for 39


track 4: Across The River

Are you still carryin' that woman across the river
Well I left her there a long, long time ago
Are you still carryin' that woman across the river

Are you still carryin' that woman across the river
I left her there a long, long time ago
Are you still carryin' that woman across the river

Now she's gone, she's all alone
*****

Still carryin' that woman across the river
Well I left her there a long, long time ago
Are you still carryin' that woman across the river

She's a woman, who's all alone
*****

Are you still carryin' that woman across the river
Well I left her there a long, long time ago
Are you still carryin' that woman across the river


track 7: Girls And Boys [take ?]

All the little boys and girls
Living in this crazy world
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

All the little plans and schemes
Nothing but a bunch of dreams
All they really needed to do
Was maybe some love

I don't expect you to understand
Now that the kingdom of heaven is ah — in your hands
I don't expect you to awake from your dreams
Too late for crying, now it seems


track 8: Girls And Boys [take 4]

All the little boys and girls
Living in this crazy world
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

All the little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

Why must we be alone
Why must we be alone
Yes it's real
Well it's real life

I don't expect you to understand
The kingdom of heaven is in your hand
I don't expect you to wake from your dreams
Too late for crying, now it seems

All your little plans and schemes
Nothing but a bunch of dreams
All you really needed to do
Is maybe some love

Why must we be alone
Why must we be alone
It's real life
Yes it's real life

All the little boys and girls
Living in this crazy world
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

All the little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

Why must we be alone
Why must we be alone
It's real life


track 9: Girls And Boys [take 5]

All the little boys and girls
Living in this crazy world
All they really needed from you
Was maybe some love

All the little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

Why must we be alone
Why must we be alone
Well it's real life
Yes it's real

I don't expect you to understand
The kingdom of heaven is in your hand
I don't expect you to wake from your dreams
Too late for crying, now it seems

All your little plans and schemes
Nothing but a bunch of dreams
All you really needed to do
Is maybe some love


track 10: Girls And Boys [take 6]

All the little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

All the little boys and girls
Living in this crazy world
All they really needed from you
Is maybe some love

Why must we be alone
Why must we be alone
It's real life
Yes it's real

I don't expect you to understand
The kingdom of heaven is in your hand
I don't expect you to wake from your dreams
Too late for crying, now it seems

All your little plans and schemes
Nothing but a bunch of dreams
All you really needed to do
Is maybe some love


track 11: Watching The Wheels

"Emotional wreck, take one."

People say I'm crazy...

"Hah! No wonder they say you're crazy!"


track 12: Watching The Wheels

"Let's try it like this then..."

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

But when I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
I mean you're no longer playing the game

People say I'm stupid
I'm missing all fun
But I just tell them maybe
Light should be gone

And when I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You..
But surely you're not happy now
I mean you're no longer in the game

But I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round round
I really love to watch the traffic flow
I'm just sitting here watching the whhheels go rou...
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round...
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round round
I love to...

"No..."

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round round
I really love the traffic flow
I'm just sitting watching the wheels go r...
I'm just looking for the merry-go-round...
I'm just sitting here watching the traff...

"No you're not!"

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round
I really love the traffic flow
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round...
I'm just sitting here watching the whheeels go round...
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round...

"Hmm"

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
I mean you're no longer in the game

But I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round
I really love the traffic flow
I'm watching for the merry-go-round
I said I watch... watch...
Say I'm watching for the merry-go... merry-go-round


track 13: Watching The Wheels

"Go listen..."

I'm just watching the wheels go
Round now ho doo doo doo
Doo doo watching the traffic
Oh da n doo doo doo

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

But when I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

But I'm just sitting here watching the traffic flow
I love to watch the wheels go round
I'm just... I'm just sitting here watching the traffic flow
There's da da da da da boom

And you know Sometimes I think the daylight
Daylight has come too soon
Hoping for something better
Howling at the moon

"Now let's see what's going on..."


track 14: Watching The Wheels

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

But people say I'm lazy
To do what I'm doing
To Pull me in the hole that they're in
And all the way wallowing in

But when I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

But I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round round
I really love the traffic flow
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round... *****

Sometimes I think the daylight...

"Is that cold ***"

People say I'm lazy...
People say I'm lazy
To say that I'm
Speak they say I'm lazy
They're going...

"Well, let's forget about the ly..."


track 15: Watching The Wheels

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

But people say I'm lazy
I'm no longer working
They give me all kinds of warnings...

"Wow, wow, wow"


track 16: Watching The Wheels

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer ri...
No longer riding on the merry-go-round...
No longer rolling on the merry-...
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
There's no other way to go
There's no other way to go

"Whatever..."

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round
I really love ...
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round round
It's the only way to go

"Or something..."

People say I'm c...

"Take 90."

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

But people say I'm lazy
I'm no longer working
They give me all kinds of warnings...


track 17: Watching The Wheels

People say I'm lazy
I'm no longer writing
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to frighten...

"Okay."


track 18: Watching The Wheels

"Take 91."

People say I'm lazy
People say I'm l...

"Up yours!"

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

People say I'm lazy
No longer writing
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to enlighten me

But when I say that it's okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no...
Surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

But I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round... merry-go-round... merry-go-round
No longer riding on the merry-go-round... merry-go-round... merry-go-round

Sometimes I think the daylight...

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round
I really love the city life
No longer caught up in the merry-go-round
No longer caught up in the merry-go-rou...
No longer caught up in the merry-go-round... merry-go-round
No longer caught up in the merry-go-round
I really love the city life...
I really love the city life...
I really love the city life...

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round
I really love the city life
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I really love the city life
I really love the city life


track 19: Watching The Wheels

"Okay, take one."

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

And when I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

But people say I'm lazy
No longer life away
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to enlighten me

Tell them that I'm doing fine
Watching shadows on the wall
But don't you miss the good life boy
You're no longer on the ball

I tell them I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round round round round
Ooh-ho-hoo

People say I'm lazy
Wasting my life away
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to enlighten me

I tell them that I'm doing fine
I'm just watching the shadows on the wall
But don't you miss the good life boy
You're no longer on the ball

Way! I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round
Whoo!
I really love big city life
No longer caught up in the merry-go-round
Whoo-ho-hoo

"Yes?"


track 20: Watching The Wheels

"Yoko: The other one is sort of ambiance, the moon and all that"

"John: What is?"

"Yoko: No, the power thing and all that."

"John: Uh, that's fun."

"Yoko: You know what I mean? But this is real."

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

People say I'm lazy
Wasting my life and talent away
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to enlighten me

Tell them that I'm doing fine
Watching shadows on the wall
But don't you miss the good life boy
You're no longer on the ball

And I tell them this, brothers and sisters
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round
I really love to watch them spin...

"No."

I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round round round round

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round round
I really love to watch them spin
No longer riding... No longer riding on the merry-go-round
That's just the mood I'm in
That's just the way the cookie crumbles
Ah, they say I'm an emotional wreck

"If I was, that's the start."


track 21: Watching The Wheels

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

People say I'm lazy
Wasting my life away
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to enlighten me

I tell them that I'm doing fine
Watching shadows on the wall
But don't you miss the good times boy
You're no longer on the ball

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round round round round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Well now people talk behind my back
They say that I'm losing it
They're laughing and they're smiling
They say I'm confusing it

But I don't care what people say
I'm sitting all alone
I'm happy with my wife and child
And my fifty million dollar home

And I'm just sitting here watching the world go round round round round round
I really love to watch the dollar flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la


track 22: Watching The Wheels

Watching the flowers grow
I'm just sitting here watching the flowers grow
I just love to see them bloom
Da da da da... No longer da da in the supermarket

"Yeah, there, ya, actually it's strangely enough..."


track 23: Watching The Wheels

"Take... side two, take one of the second batch of 'I'm Crazy'."

"Well how about if I just didn't do the lick until we really hit 'em with it..."

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

People say I'm lazy
Wasting my life away
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to enlighten me

I tell them that I'm doing fine
Watching shadows on the wall
But don't you miss the good times boy
You're no longer on the ball

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just got to let it go

People say I'm stupid
Giving my money away
They give me all kinds of names and addresses
Designed to save me financially

I tell them that I'm doing fine
Just watching the flowers grow
But surely you're not happy boy
You don't own the whole damn world

I'm just sitting here watching the world go round
I really love the traffic flow...

"Uh..."

I'm just sitting here watching the world go round
I really love to watch it spin
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just have to do it in
I just have to give it up
I just have to let it go

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just have to let it go

People say I'm stupid...


track 24: Watching The Wheels

"After lunch, take one."

People say I'm crazy
To do what I'm doing
They give me all kinds of advice
To save me from ruin

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

People say I'm lazy
Wasting my life away
They give me all kinds of warnings
Designed to enlighten me

I tell them that I'm doing fine
Watching shadows on the wall
But don't you miss the good times boy
You're no longer on the ball

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just have to let it go

People ask me questions
What's it all about
Well I tell them there's no problem
They think I'm way out

I tell them that I'm doing fine
Watching shadows on the wall
But don't give me no good time boy
You're no longer on the ball

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just have to watch it go

People ask me questions
What's doing
Oh well I tell them there's no problem
They think I'm stupid

When I say that I'm okay
They look at me kind of strange
But surely you're not happy now
You're no longer in the game

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love the traffic flow
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just have to let it go