BEATLES: Tomorrow Never Knows, Explained 

It is believing (repeat)... It is programming (repeat)... (to a hypnotic beat)

As someone who uses opposing views to learn more about my values and beliefs, this video strengthens my belief in the value of psychedelics for personal growth. Thank you for your content and the work that you do. Your analysis is insightful.

I notice the colors mentioned just happen to be the colors of the sergeant pepper uniforms.

The Dream is over! Probably the most significant song Lennon ever wrote! After years of searching for a meaning to his life, the drug experiences and the nonsense of fame x fortune, he finally understood what ordinary people know x hang on to in this world. Love of family x friends x doing the right thing towards others. RIP John.

I love your videos James but this was EXCEPTIONAL. This was on another level. Thanks mate. Well done.

As someone who did dmt a few times, and a lot of lsd, I can definitively say, ego death is real and it’s almost unavoidable in the world of psychedelics for anyone interested in doing them, whether you read the book or not.

Best Music Track of The 20th Century for me. (I am The Resurrection by the Roses just behind). Both tracks always send my mind somewhere, in a Great Way.

The drumbeat that changed the face of music.

Strawberry Fields Forever is another song that directly and indirectly references Leary. "That is you can't, you know, tune in, but it's all right". The whole song is littered with references to ego death and how it changed John's perception of reality.

Its impossible for anyone who wasn't There to interpret the Psychedelic era. What you see as a "strange ritual" is, to me, a basic metaprogramming technique to break free of the constraints of social conditioning. I listened to "Tomorrow Never Knows" on Acid and if it's turned my brain to cottage cheese I'm well satisfied with the results. Back then we knew something was wrong but with no historical guide as to what was right the only option was to try anything and everything so we did and, all things considered, the results were surprisingly successful. Its odd that you seem to consider John's post-Psychedelic heroin and booze depression to be an improvement in his thinking.His dream may have ended but The Dream itself is still rolling on quite nicely.

I've always wanted to read this book because I like to know and understand what inspires artist to write their tunes, but now you've made me save a few bucks (and time) haha. Thanks for the outstanding content, as always. This channel is a gas!

I was a hippy teenager in 1970 when the older brother of a friend of mine who was a doctor candidate at Northwestern got hold of real Sandoz l-lysergic acid as a clinician. He turned on hundreds of people in Chicago that summer, including Hugh Hefner and a bunch of celebrities during a television show called Playboy After Dark when the Grateful Dead appeared. They were cooking their own in San Francisco and tasted the German pharmaceutical for the first time. Yes, we talked about Leary and ego-death and the trances of Zen monks before taking our doses. I wound up walking all night, guided by the randomness of streetlights; if they were green I would cross a street, if not I would turn either left or right and continue. For some reason I thought this was a brilliant idea and continued walking for hours on end until morning.

Just.... a masterpiece interpretation of lyrics.

Anyone who has had a breakthrough, spiritual experience or ego death on psychedelics knows that Timothy Leary mapped this to a tee and it's correct.

I am not an atheist, but found nothing in your video even remotely offensive. I have never taken psychellics of any kind, but did, at one time, own a copy of the Leary book, purely because of its connection to this song (it was loaned out and never returned, and I did not think it worth replacing). I think you've done an outstanding analysis and help tie up some loose ends in the track that existed in my mind. Well done, sir, and best wishes from across the pond.

Gateway Experience is a healthy version of this. A oft repeated mistake is that Tomorrow Never Knows is one chord. C to B flat (2)

7:01 James it's time for you to drop about 200ug of LSD

You've just opened up a door that can't be closed man, the first pains of ego death are the denial of what is and always will be, the drugs are just a short cut from chaos to harmony, a training exercise which leads to a realization that requires a discipline of personal commitment, mentally carving away what you thought was untouchable is a necessary process to expansion and doesn't take anything away but allows the development of an expanded way to observe the layers of reality that exist to be discovered by those who choose to do so. Living a life of blissful ignorance is the only way of missing the mark, without clarity it's all an illusion, mired in confusion, Codex Alimentarius...You wouldn't have created this if you weren't already on the hero's journey, for everything a reason, it's the joy of love to bring because love is the law.

Its A path. If done in a mature controlled setting, its ok. Maybe go listen to TL's pal Ram Das for a clearer path or Rupert Spira(living) now.

This video really is such a great job! I can't help but thinking of it as a redpill such as the brilliant one you did on Spice girls impact in UK and the kind of messages we've been fed with. This one really shed a light on the 60's era and some freaking stuff that happened. Why did guys like Jimmy Page or John Morrisson got so much interest in some dark cults' weirdo things ? I love their music their life got some spooky chapters. You really got talent and dedication to nail down these stuff

I believe John got drawn into the Tibetan Book of the Dead, or Leary's interpretation, because that's what had happen to him as a Beatle, they had gone to Germany as unknowns come back home and been reinvented, New Haircuts, Beatle haircut, New Suits Beatle suits, New sound, (so we were told!) Liverpool sound. John with the other Beatles had been reborn, but he knows he's still John, now he hears let go of ego, and be reborn at a time when the world was calling him a genius. No Wonder Leary's book fascinated him... IMO If you can reinvent yourself without drugs you are closer to your own enlightenment. P.S it's a great song.

Never knew tomorrow never knows had this source - great vid as always james

Thanks for the insight on such a rarely touched matter.

Brilliant analysis, thank you!

It's testament to Lennons genius as a songwriter that he was able to glean a few clear distinct lines from a heap of garbage and turn them into something meaningful and universal.

Great analysis James, still by the end of the 70s Lennon believed and practiced Taro, numerology and hypnosis. The song God you're quoting is from 1970, pretty nihilistic time for John.

I've been a fan of The Beatles for many years and had no clue what Timothy Leary's book actually said! I heard he even followed somewhat similar directions from the Tibetan book of the Dead to induce his own death and allegedly said "Beautiful!" as he was dying...I saw a video clip of him debating a preacher and though both the minister and Mr Leary had totally different beliefs, both were actually polite and actually listened to what the other had to say.

I like how you've been focusing on Beatles stuff in your recent videos. Your Oasis content is still the best, but this is a nice change. This psychedelic trip stuff sounds hazardous to your health. The fact that musicians like John Lennon were able to make sense out of all this gobbledygook truly impresses me. As an American, I appreciate you clarifying that wrothful = wrathful. For a minute there, you had me confused.

The 1st version was as good as the final version . Heard it first time on the deluxe Revolver. Both sound amazing and unique today. Lennon did say to make his voice sound like a Tebetan monk?

One only has to look at the life of Syd Barrett to understand how easily LSD (and books like this) can cause you to lose your mind and NOT get it back.

Thanks for this I've often wondered about the background to the lyrics. TNK is one of the greatest records ever made. And has influenced the track im working on right now called "get back to the Life" which features the lyrics "switch off and disconnect find the key within yourself".

Well first off I will say great video and I thoroughly enjoy all the videos I have recently watched, so well done and thank you. Second, and no offence intended however if you have not taken or experienced psychedelic drugs oneself, then you cannot fully understand it or critique it. I experienced acid once at 23. And magic mushrooms twice in later twenties. I had wonderful, amazing experiences. Audio and visual. Including hearing the same bird like skwakes as in Tomorrow Never Knows. That was before I was familiar with the song or the band in any depth. I haven't felt the need to return to those drugs since and I most certainly do not regret for a second. Some people can handle, some not I suppose. Like alcohol or anything. You need a self awareness and certain maturity no doubt. No bad lasting effects, only good ones. It confirmed for me what I had suspected. That there's more than meets the eye to our physical reality. Said from experience, and from a stable family life vantage point now. That's my feedback on that point. Cheerio and keep up the great content otherwise.

This also explains She Said She Said. "I know what it's like to be dead" "she's making me feel like I've never been born."

Excellent presentation

Very interesting. I'm not an athiest, but everyone has a different world virew. Having been through the 60's, your video on Sgt Pepper was extremely insightful 😊

DEFINITELY the song where Oasis / Liam got shhyyyinneee from MAYBE

I'm willing to bet James has never take LSD. If you have you don't see as much "weirdness" in Learys writing.

Drugs manipulate. One does not need. Nature/creativity is the key IMO☮️ perhaps Leary was an intellectual monster therefore required LSD and this master script to free his whathaveyou. Ps. My friend tells me, LSD was used by the US military in Vietnam to make the soldiers stronger/ chaotic. Your review/ on tjis and Pepper are my 2 fab pieces on the Beatles in recent history.☮️

Also interesting to note that sometime between '67 and '69 Lennon changed his signature, most visibly the style of his J.

James I just love you ..your bonkers but the greatest 👌😀

How very fascinating. A rabbit hole indeed. One has to watch taking drugs like that. I'd be too afraid of obliterating my mind. Lol. What a great way to end Revolver. Also love the demo of the song.

@aunch3 This is a fascinating video I never knew how truly weird this shit was. This is a must watch to understand Lennon at this time. It’s true John was never the same after this. Great channel thanks for the content 💯 👍

0:00 I agree 10000000 % , I am the same. But love the song... (I am commenting BEFORE watching the video)

You can't avoid mysticism and understand the song or the books. You can be an atheist in the sense of not believing in one supernatural Lord whom we must obey, and still be a mystic and connect to sources of being that transcend the normal perceptions we have been programmed to be limited to. No doubt it can be dangerous without proper set and setting, or if drugs are not for you, as they are not for me. But the music and the setting of the times in 1966 awakened me, to an extent. And few if any music from that era did more to awaken me than Tomorrow Never Knows. And it was the music, more than the words. It is, in a word, panoramic. I give your video a like. I think, James, that your interpretation of the words is valuable, if we don't reject it as you recommend, but see it in its appropriate set and setting, with caution and understanding. And with the music. The "void" does not mean "nothing", but going beyond the idea that the world is made of "things". When we see reality as it is, it is shining. The death of the ego is the death of programmed and limited ideas of ourselves, rather than ourselves as we really are. Being is the our basic being, love connected to all, without all the extra illusions we have been taught that bind us. Less limited, we are opened to the kaleidescope of imagination and the world. It is more beautiful and alive than we have known before. We can come back to logic and science, and will, and not reject them, but with a larger perspective. Mysticism is not belief in anything! It never was. It is an experience of awakening. Then, we go on with what we have learned, as best we can, and it may have helped us to love. John was no longer our guide to awakening, since the Beatles were over in 1970; but we have been awakened; it is up to us to carry on. But, without that awakening impulse from 1966 onward, through psychedelics or other awakening experiences, depending on each person's way and knowledge, we have merely gone back to the messed up world we are so often still in, and are still making, bound by the past's limits, if we don't remember the dream and the awakening. We need to remember, and not reject it or just call it weird. It is basic to all our traditions and stories, like all hero's journeys. 1966 was only the new beginning, of consciousness of eternity and love, and awareness of the within, for those of us formerly wrapped up in our limited western or other worldviews.

I think your comments are extremely insightful. I have been a BIG Beatles fan my entire life and I am learning so much from your videos. I do have a few questions. I get the impression that you have never taken a Psychedelic. Is that true? However strange this may seem, I bet you would have a different interpretation of the Tibetan book of the dead. Also, you are an atheist (as am I) and received a degree in theology. Interesting, was your degree solely an academic exercise or did you lose the faith later?

It's about another dimension or something outside that invicible.

It is shhhhyyyyinnningg

This is really interesting and well researched content.

Thanks so much - I didn’t know that the psychedelic experience was on Spotify. Just bought the book as well. You seem like a very nice man, but a little closed minded. I loved the Panic/Jimmy Savile piece, but think that instead of the song being about either - it could be about all these things. The problem with modern thinking is that we want a one hit solution to things. Not all things are as simple as we would like them - so try to keep an open mind!

Have you had any experiences using psychedelics, James?

Nobody has ever done an in depth video on what actually happened during George's visit to Grateful Dead country aka Height Ashbury USA during the late 60s. 🤔👍 Another good one would be what exactlty happened on Syd Barrets fateful one way mind trip in Europe...👍👍 keep up the wicked channel, always worth watching👍👍👍🙌

Diving from the highest platform, and scraping the bottom, James. Glad you emerged unscathed from the dream-weavin'. Nevermind the I-ching & the Gita. But the Walrus-was Paul. I'd have kept Yoko out of the equation.

I agree with everything, but I think that LSD shouldn´t have been prohibited for scientific experimentation. Not actually related to “spiritual” nonsense.

Could that song be deemed plagiarism by Lennon? My advice is to stay *away* from *all* hallucinogenic drugs. I tried mescaline one time in 1983, when I was 18. Terrible panic trip. I really started to feel terror when 18 hours had passed and I was still tripping, and I only had one hit. I felt like it was never going to end. Hallucinogenic drugs are mind control. I don't want anything messing with my mind. I must be in control of my senses. *Don't do it!*

Hi James, always meant to check out that book, thanks for letting me know it would have been a waste of time and energy. Seems its only worth reading if you have the skills to turn a load of nonsense into an interesting song, just like he did with benefit of Mr kite.

I’ve always found it quite amusing that when you look and listen to the Beatles discography you can tell by each album they were going a little looney

I think every adult human being should try LSD at least once in their life ! I think it would absolutely result in a very positive life changing experience for so many people, in so many ways. It opens up doors of perception that simply can not be described here in this comment or in music, (which the Beatles tried to do). And contrary to what you hear, the "high or trip" lasts a few hours, then your back to your normal, boring self with no lingering effects. Except maybe a peaceful, awe- inspiring new enlightenment and appreciation of life and the universe....wait there I go trying to describe it. (One mans opinion).

D’you reckon Brando had listened to the audio version of Psychedelic Experience (presumably recorded around time of original publication) before playing Colonel Kurtz?

OK. I knew nothing of the Book of the Dead before watching this. Ego death, as described here, sounds like something I went through following treatment for a brain tumour, chemo and various therapies - THC primarily. I believed at the time that it was a vision of near-death. The world was black, and I had no body, or form. I was aware I was no longer living. I flew, at great speed 'up', out of the back of my own head, and could hear doctors I knew, reluctantly confirming time of death. I rose up into darkness, and was formless and infinite. Soon, I was aware of a white dot in the distance, which, as I got nearer to it, took the form of a blue shape, spinning at great speed. As I neared it, it slowed, and I realised it was a circle of blue screens' with black centres, Eventually, I - whatever I was - could see that the screens were moments from my life. I could 'spin the wheel' and see, in some way, replays of moments in my life I recognised. After what felt like a minute or two, I was pulled away from this structure and woke up. I stayed awake for long enough to notice the time, and then dozed off, and the whole experience repeated itself. The 'rest' between experiences roughly doubled and I slept, for 22 minutes, then 44 minutes, then 66 minutes and so on until morning, when I came to, pretty convinced I was dead :) I asked my wife if I'd stirred in the night and she said no. It was incredibly vivid, I'll say that.

more generally it's about the bardo, the in between state; any in between state, not just death. could be a lucid dream, a moment of lucidity in the waking state, others.

Like Mr Mackey said "Drugs are bad m'kay"

I will try guys, wish me luck!

It’s been a while man, how are you?

Turn on , tune in , drop out

A philosophical depiction of a mind altering, drug induced rebirth of one’s brain. Amazing. A real “Rubber Soul” if you will...

don't knock it till you've tried it..

20:49 "Your individuality and autonomy of movement are moistly disappearing." Via evaporation? 😆 Probably a typographical error, but this is all so far out that I'm not absolutely sure.

Actually, through devoted meditation I experienced something very resonant. But no drugs where deployed ✌️🫶🏄🏻‍♂️

Okay, there's a lot to unpack but I'll try to keep this brief. Firstly a lot of the "wacky" stuff mentioned makes a _lot_ more sense if you have actually taken LSD. Now I've not taken an ego-death amount nor have I gone through any rituals but a lot of it is the first, basic, most important piece of advice for going on a trip: Go with it, don't try to fight it, it will come to an end. So this video might have been better if made by somebody who has actually tried psychedelics. (I'm not really criticising, it was a good, informative video but seemed a bit tainted by some ignorance, no offence meant.) On to the second thing which is related to the cottage cheese comment and some of the comments section and again it's due to a lack of education which is excusable but I think commenting on something you don't really know much about other than what you have heard isn't really okay - however it's totally understandable, I have done it myself, it's something one has to learn. To my point, there has been a stupid amount of propaganda and disinformation spread by the Nixon administration in the 60's regarding psychedelics (very basically, because open-minded people are less likely to fight in an idealogical war) which has persisted till today. How many people hear about LSD an lump it in with substances such as heroin and cocaine? I certainly have back when I was in my less sceptical late teens/early twenties. So it's understandable but not reality, propaganda can be damn effective. LSD and Psylicybine (magic mushrooms) are some the _safest_ psychoactive drugs available, physically and socioeconomically. More so even than cannabis. There are no reported deaths as a direct result of taking LSD. You can Google all this information, it's out there and it's proper studies, not hippies try to tell you it's fine. There are stories about people losing their minds of course but I haven't yet seen any actual official evidence of this happening, just hearsay and misinformation (eg: Syd Barrett). Also psychedelics are not addictive. (I mean they're addictive like going to a great concert or on a great holiday is, you really _want_ to do it again but you don't _need_ to.) Now I'm not saying taking LSD is like going for a walk in the park, it's a hell of an experience and you should educate yourself first but it's a very worthwhile experience. 😊 (Guess I failed at keeping it brief. 😅)

🤯

Tomorrow Never Knows huh? It’s ok I guess..Gimme Let Forever Be anytime!😂❤

The Bardos sound like Backrooms levels.

You're funny, man. I like the taking of the piss, and yes your piss taking started getting a bit stinky to the point where you should try the stuff before you out and out discount it as bullshit. You'd be pretty damned surprised how much this blather makes sense once you actually do it, my good bruv. A theology degree doesn't really do the job. I'm saying this not having done it for 20 years... and I don't even necessarily condone it, and I'm not actually saying you should. But yea... the only people laughing with you are the one's who haven't done it. Love your stuff, keep it up!

If the visions are a product of one's own mind, according to Leary, then he's saying that it's not real and therefore not a visit to other realms so why bother.

When are you gonna do a video on The Cure?

yeah very far out practices that anyone would be very wise to avoid. i honestly think this sort of shit screwed John's mind up. He lost his sense of humour and personality around 1966 and you can sort of begin to understand why after understanding this sort of thing he did.

Makes perfect sense to any of us who have consumed copious amounts of Lucy….

I know this was a great experiment for music in pushing boundaries etc but I don't care. It's absolute shite that I can't be arsed with 😂

Leary had insufficient experience of psychedelic drugs to be able with well founded confidence to give the instructions that he gave. What his motives were, I have no idea. But the notion that he had gained knowledge is not faintly reasonable.

Please sir you were so nice please don’t be an atheist. The way the truth and the light is a person Having said that I watch your video anyway because they’re all great. I knew nothing of oasis until I watched your videos and I actually bought a greatest hits CD after that. As far as tomorrow never knows It’s one of the ones I learn to play drums by as a child. Like Ringo I play left-handed since I had no teacher I play right footerto my hats are on the wrong side. This is causing me trouble for 50 years. But it has its advantages It’s all right ✝️🙏

les drogues sont des cochonneries a ne pas prendre !! j ai horreur du canabis qui me donne de la tachycardie et les autres genre LSD heureusement jamais essayer !! par ailleurs le "turn me on" de a day in the life ne fait il pas aussi reference au lsd??

Announcing you're an atheist is just as bad as being a Christian imo. Fuck wavers, just be yourself and let people deal with it.

everyone should do a couple of trips....helps being young and around people you can have a laugh with.

Eastern "ego death" is very similar to Christianity, dying to one's self, dying to the world, resurrected in Christ, living in Christ. Krishna and Christ. What a strange similarity. It's also very shamanistic.

Did Noel take the DMT ?

Though, it does not really matter, did he made some ritual, or not. It's just as if You drink whiskey and dance twist, or just drink whiskey - with heavy amounts result is just same, on day by day basis especially. Had that stuff some impact on him? Sure, but, as I can imagine him, he recorded song prior, and tried ritual then. By the way, some people even thinks they could change their sexuality same way, but dude just staying dude, only acts as weirdo. It reminds me other story - when all that lookout with police started, John hid his stash somewhere at his garden and then could't find it himself. Years after, at that century, it was found with some works occasionly - eight feet deep or something. As don Henaro said, approximately, "You will sh.t at roof, while Your .ss will stay at ground.".

How did you become an atheist if you majored in theology? Were you spiritual before your academic studies?

Whilst i'm always weary of gurus of any kind, in this case i'm weary of Leary, to write off the usefulness of LSD because of him is just plain ignorant. I respect your opinion and do not wish to try and change it, but this video smacks of personal bias's and lack of research.

God bless you (OK, I know you don't believe in God) for warning everyone not to use psychedelics and not to read that book!!

What john Lennon was saying about his psychedelic experience is God was made in mans image?

James, random question but do you like Green Day?

Ego death isn't scary, it's fun and it helps you grow as a person. It's like a reboot for your mind

Wow, you just don't get it. Your loss.

I am not sure what is the intention of the warning at the beginning of the video. Not saying it is not justified just that I'm not sure what exactly is being objected to. Taken literally it implies an intolerance for people who have a belief other than atheism, which I am quite sure was not the intent. There are extremists in every religion who cause harm or disruption to others and use religion as an excuse for their behavior, and they should not be tolerated. But the vast majority of the billions of people who are not atheists are just ordinary people who can be kind, or mean, or helpful, or selfish, just like any other group including atheists. I can imagine as a content creator you get all kinds of flak from religious extremists, who tend to try and inject their opinions into non-religious discussions, and so I can understand having as you said "very little patience" for this. But I would think you are referring to impatience for inappropriate behavior, not for just having a particular belief. I just wanted to point out that as worded the warning could be interpreted different ways.

JH videos are slowly becoming a religious ritual for me 😂

Alot of this book is nonsense but some isn't "ego death" or whatever you want to call it during taking psychedelics especially dmt is very much real and its not bliss its like reseting your personality and leaves you with severe ptsd.

Let’s also not forget John announced at a meeting he was Jesus Christ.

I disagree, back in my 20s I used to play around with this book on large doses of LSD and had some pretty amazing results and I turned out all right I think 🤔

For a man that hasn't died, he sure claims to know a lot about dying.

you should take LSD if you havent before forming an opinion.