Dude, he was the absolute biggest rockstar on the entire planet, and now he just wants to raise a family.... The critics and everybody else can't understand why he does not miss the fame
I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people.” ― Ferris Bueller.
He's not on the Beatles huge superstar merry go round anymore. He's hanging out with his family, raising his kids and watching the wheels go round. The fundamental building blocks of life.
John basically retired from recording music to raise his kid and spend time with his family. He stopped making new music in 1975 and didn’t return to the studio until 1980. He was huge in the industry, and his friends were wondering what the heck he was doing. They saw him as wasting his time. John saw it as getting off the merry-go-round of recording and touring to do things that were really valuable.
Thank you! I was slammed on here for saying that once. And its not an attack on him or anyone who is literal. And, really, its part of what makes these two great. Total polar opposites in that regard. Lex is out here vibing on it and Brad over there tryna figure it out. It takes all kinds. Truly. Much love.
John Lennon had a way of putting his own very personal thoughts on paper in a very relatable way. This particular song is about him taking a hiatus at the peak of his career to spend time with and raise his family. I literally gave up his career for about 5 years just to spend time with his family. It's a beautiful song.
"Watching the wheels grow round n round" = living a simple life. You guys should know that this song was released shortly after Lennon was killed. For those of old enough to have been around back then, this song is both sweet & very sad. Great song.
This is such a sweet song by Lennon after he stepped back from the Beatles and the chaotic life of touring, fame, etc. I believe the message in the lyrics are clear. He is just going to enjoy a simpler life with new fulfillments, especially spending time with his son. Makes me so sad that his life was cut short. Such a talent. Thanks guys for reacting to this one🧡
This song always makes me sad when I hear it. It sounds to me like Lennon was really starting to come into his own at 40 years old and being totally at peace with it, looking forward to what was to come. And then he was murdered just 2 months later…robbed of everything. Who knows what he could have done moving forward
That's how this song makes me feel as well. I was honestly kind of tired of this for a while, because it was a huge hit and was being played constantly. But after he was killed it was just devastating, hearing him at this moment, loving his life and at peace.
The "merry-go-round" was the music / Beatles biz or "game", and the "wheels" are the recording tape reels in the studio when he came up with the lyrics. This is one of his more meaningful, introspective and best songs, imo.
the song is NOT about watching his kid... the song is about him having been an international superstar, and now realizing that he doesn't want to be part of that life anymore... now, he just watches life... "watching the wheels," is watching the world, without being caught up in the mess of stardom any more..
I think it is about him coming away from the whirlwind ride of stardom he experienced with the beatles and post beatles. He is now enjoying life as a husband and father, no longer on the merry go round of having to live up to everybody else's expectations of him.
Watching the wheels is a metaphor for sitting on the sidelines (retired from recording) and watching life unfold from a new prospective (as a father & husband). You have a great channel btw, I'm pretty sure that I watched all your videos so keep them coming!
Seriously my favorite song by Lennon…. “I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go ‘round and ‘round, I really love to watch them roll…” it makes me think of the days passing us …. Peace to you both ❤🥰❤️
I think you have to look at In My Life as his greatest song. When you think he wrote it at the age of 24.. to have that kind of insight so young. Beautiful Boy is another song that’s right up there with Watching The Wheels.. especially if you’ve been lucky enough to have a son.
This song is about him focusing on being a Dad rather than being a rock star. Watching the Wheels refers to watching the music Industry roll forward without him. Then -" no longer riding on the merry go round, I just had to let it go." The merry go round refers to being a Part of the music industry, which he had to let go to focus on family. The big give away as to the songs meaning can be encapsulated by "Don't you miss the big time boy? You're no longer on the ball."
Lex was definitely on the right track for the lyrics interpretation on this one. The song isn't really about his child at all, it's about growing out of the beatles and fame and all that stuff and leaving it behind
It's not about watching his child grow up, it's about giving away the fruits of fame and life at the top for a quieter existence. He's watching the wheels because he's observing things from the outside.
Makes me still sad that near the end of his life he realized that "Fame" meant nothing. I was all about the love of his family. Still hurts that a man that found peace with himself and finally a clear direction for his future life had it stolen from him. Thanks John. Rest in peace.
"Watching the wheels go round and round" is an expression that means "thinking" and in this usage means he's no longer caught up in the music industry, he's just enjoying life as a normal person.
The year was 1981. We had just turned to a new decade and even the second year in things were uncertain. I remember when this came out and the feeling of living in that year. Then as the 80's progressed and the jitters wore off things kicked into high gear musically and didn't let up til near the end of the decade. It's amazing how music defines specific times and decades as a whole, and they are each unique in their own way.
Lennon was not only my favorite Beatle but is my favorite artist. As Lex said, “he clearly loved his son (Sean)” who he had with Yoko. But, from all accounts, he was shitty with his first son Julian who he had with his first wife Cynthia.
This is one of my fav John Solo songs. He took the time to raise Sean and be a real father to him. However he never was around when Julian was growing up.
John was an enormous star - leader of The Beatles and with a string of solo albums... and then he decided he wanted to spend his time with his family. This song is about that decision. He was away from the rock scene for about five years before recording a comeback album... and then some **** took him away from us. RIP John - we still need you and love you.
The “wheels” are a reference to the big wheels in the music industry that just kept churning out music and going on tours. He saw it as one big merry-go-round, and he just had to get off.
Watching the wheels...meaning...sitting back and watching the world around him. Sitting back and smelling the roses. Just chilling and living life and appreciating what life has to offer.
This is saying clearly he wants now to live life , watch his son grow and his not on the merry go round of fame, Beatles , and all the stuff it brings. and people cant understand how he can not want that anymore. He was happy now just to be with his family and to watch the world go round and round with his home life , and living life and finding peace in normal life.
It’s so sad that Lennon got taken away from us just as he was coming out of his hiatus as a musician and beginning to create music again. We lost so many great songs because he didn’t get a chance to write them.😢
This is my favorite post-Beatles song from John Lennon. Lyric interpretation: This song is about John being out of the spotlight as a Beatle to spend time with his family, and be there for his son. People around him are questioning why he'd give up the glamour of being in the spotlight, and are trying to entice him back into a lifestyle he doesn't want. "I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go 'round and 'round" is a metaphor for just living a simple life.
John's lyrics included subconscious observations he didn't even realize he was making until much later sometimes. The wheels are probably many things, including toys with wheels. But it wasn't until I became a parent and started watching the wheels go round and round inside my own kids' heads that I understood the song in its totality. I miss you, John. 😪 "I really love to watch them roll..."
Lex is right on her interpretation. He was a huge star and put his career on hold to spend time with his son and family. That why the song also says "people say I'm lazy doing what I'm doing" because he stopped working for a few years.
I love all The Beatles work - both in the the band and when they went their separate ways and this is my favourite tune from the Fab Four. A masterpiece.
I remember driving back to Toronto on December 8th after the day was done and it was a fierce winter storm happening and as we just passed through a whiteout just then did the radio station Q 107 interrupted the radio play to announce the murder and passing of John Lennon, Sad day ...only three weeks before John released Double Fantasy Album and they played this song in tribute and i think it is a masterpiece
I don’t know if anyone told you this yet, but this song is about himself. John Lennon took a break from the music business for five years. People were constantly saying to him that you want to get back into the business go on tours do interviews, saying in public? And he would say nope I’m just gonna sit back and relax and be with my family. During that five years he had a son named Sean so he just stayed with Yoko for five years. It reads Shawnan really didn’t do much. Then, after the five years he made this album double fantasy, which I think is his best. There’s also a song with the album called darling Shawn about his son it’s really good so it. Now that you know this really listen to the songs and you’ll understand it a lot better.
Watching the wheels is a metaphor for staying out of the fast lane and chilling, watching the wheels. He took about a 5 year break from music and some of his old friends kinda looked down on that...famously Mick Jagger did. This song was John's retort to them extolling the virtues of getting off the merry go round.
Norm Macdonald’s last tweet before he passed away was a link to this song. As we get older we realise that the wheel of life turns whether we are here or not. It’s such a beautiful song . I detect a sense of gratitude in the song even though he’s letting go of all those things that once defined him.
@@stewartcohen-jones2949 I’ll be sure to grab it! But in all seriousness, im pretty sure I read that off of another comment section from something else. I remember going to fact check & I was bit disappointed since Norm literally just shared the music video & it wasn’t even the last thing he ever posted. I knew their Norm reaction was blocked so I just decided to bring everything back full circle. Just kidding about the comment of course. I’m pretty positive I stole my comment from another YT comment lol. It’s all dumb, anyway, cheers!
Watching the wheels go round and round I really love to watch them roll....I think that means he's learned to appreciate what others consider mundane family life. This is what is now most important in his life. The merry go round he got off of is the hectic life with all the ups and downs of being in the public spotlight.
The mythology of the song, Syd Barrett showing up at the studio to visit the day they were recording this song. That he had changed so much that they could barely recognize him. Crazy stuff.
There is also the wheels of time. This song is about his getting out of the Beatles and not being as active an artist but instead hanging with his family
Assassinated three weeks after this beautiful Double Fantasy album came out. Everyone remembers the disbelief. John went out on top, where he belonged.
He had stepped away from the music industry for years; his fellow musicians and artists couldn't believe he'd be happy not recording, not playing music. He was immersing himself in his family, striving not to make the mistakes he'd made before. He was no longer "on the merry-go-round" of writing songs, recording songs, bowing down to "the man" who expects more snd more and more out of you. People thought he was crazy, but he knew he was still in control.
It's an autobiographical song. John took a few years off when Sean was born. He was at his creative peak when he did this, people didn't get that he just wanted to be there to raise his boy. This song is an answer to all the questions he got about it.
He hadn't had an album out in 7 or 8 years. People were wondering what was going on with John Lennon in 1980. He wasn't on the music ''scene''. And the 'Double Fantasy'' came out in 1980. And was doing well. But then exploded when he was killed just a few months later. He had just been chilin away from "Merry-go-round" and then came back with this great, last album.
Great sound and artist. Someone please do a tribute to Jeff Beck. A legendary guitarist who played in a caliber all his own. He shall be greatly missed by us all who knew
He wanted to get off of the merry-go-round of life. I’m right there with him. He was the biggest rockstar along with Paul McCartney that has ever existed. He just wanted to live a normal life.
Wheels on the bus go round and round. He realized there is more important things in life than fame and fortune. That is the meaning of the song. Everyone thinks he should still be the "messiah" of music, but he just wants to live his life.
I remember being a kid sitting in my living room watching Monday Night Football. Out of nowhere the live announcer Howard Cosell announces to football fans across the country that John Lennon was shot and killed. It was surreal. When “The Wheels” came out there was no video, just the song and I listened to it a lot. I always pictured him in his NYC mansion looking out the window watching the traffic roll on and on. It was a rat race world back then and it still is; people don’t understand why you might want to pass on a lot of money and just enjoy a life of quiet with your thoughts and family. But I can understand it since that is what I do now.
Yeah he did this song about how he stepped out of the spotlight for a long time after being the biggest celebrity on the planet for a long time. Everyone told him he was crazy. But he was just living his life and enjoying his family until he finally felt like making music again.
This is Lennon's best song apart from Dream from the Shaved Fish Album.I went past John's old house the other day on Menlove avenue in Liverpool. All the best Brad and Lex from Liverpool UK ✌
I always interpreted the wheels as the wheels of industry, glad you understood it Lex. He will always be my favourite musician. Double Fantasy is a very special album. Life is what happens while your busy making other plans. :)
Lex got the general gist of the song. One thing you'll find with most John Lennon songs is that he is very rarely specific about what he is trying to say and he likes to say things that have a lot of different messages all wrapped together and just when you think you've figured it out he'll say something that takes you in another direction. This song contains some of that but is one of the few more direct messages than most of his songs. He's talking about when he decided to pull away from the rock star lifestyle and focus on raising his child. A lot of people thought he was crazy, lazy, etc. and kept trying to pull him back into it. "Watching the wheels go round and round" was about seeing all of the people still caught up in the music business continuing to do the same routine that he used to do and he is really kind of getting a kick out of just watching it from a distance.
The Beatles and post Beatles were the Merry-go-round of fame. This song was close to 10 years after the Beatles. John went private for some time to watch "shadows on the wall ".
I think Lex got it.....he just is watching the wheels of the recording industry and fame as he says he is "no longer riding on the merry go round" of being famous, going on tours, meeting with the press, etc. "I just had to let it go". My 24 year old daughter loves this song. It just shows that a great melody can live on and be appreciated at any age.
