Across the Universe

The atmosphere of the song was profoundly marked by Lennon and The Beatles' interest in Transcendental Meditation in late 1967 and early 1968, the period when it was composed. It was in this context that Lennon added the mantra "Jai guru deva om", a Sanskrit phrase meaning "all glory to Guru Dev" and paying homage to the spiritual teacher of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This phrase became the link to the chorus, which repeats "Nothing's gonna change my world". The lyrical structure is quite direct: three sequences of a verse, the line "Jai guru deva om", and the repetition of "Nothing's gonna change my world" four times. The lyrics are loaded with imagery, with abstract concepts personified, and the titular phrase "across the universe" appears to close the lines, but always in an ascending manner, without a clear melodic resolution for the Western ear, remaining on the main note. Lennon, in a 1970 interview, even considered this perhaps the most poetic and accomplished lyric he had ever written, comparing it to a poem that can be read on its own. The recording of Across the Universe took place on two different dates: February 4 and 8, 1968, and later on October 2, 1969. It was carried out at EMI Studios in London, with George Martin as producer. The song first appeared on a charity compilation album called No One's Gonna Change Our World in December 1969. Later, in 1970, a modified version was included in Let It Be, the last studio album released by The Beatles. This final stage of the band, marked by internal tensions, sought to return to simpler rock and roll configurations, and rehearsals for Let It Be began in January 1969. The song also had appearances on other compilations, such as the albums Rarities from 1978 and 1980, and Past Masters, Volume Two from 1988. The musical genre is described as psychedelia, and its duration is 3:49.