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From album
The Beatles
The Beatles · 1968 · Track 17
Details
Duración2:56
ÁlbumThe Beatles
Año1968
ISRCGBAYE0601660
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The story behind
There are songs that, when played, transport you to an intimate place, and Julia by The Beatles is one of them. What makes this track so special is that it is a completely stripped-down piece, where John Lennon appears alone with his voice and an acoustic guitar. There are no other instruments or vocals from the other Beatles; it is a moment of pure introspection. The way Lennon approaches the guitar, with a 'finger-picking' style he learned in India, known as 'Travis-picking', gives the song a delicate and enveloping texture. It is the last piece to be completed for the album The Beatles, also known as the White Album, and its recording took place on October 13, 1968, at EMI Studios in London.
The story behind Julia is deeply personal. John Lennon wrote it thinking of his mother, Julia Lennon, who tragically passed away in 1958. He lost her twice: once as a child when he moved in with his aunt, and the second time, physically, when she died. The lyrics also evoke his future wife, Yoko Ono, whose name means "child of the sea," an echo that resonates in the line "Oceanchild calls me." It is interesting to note how Lennon adapted phrases from "Sand and Foam" (1926) by the Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran, such as "Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you," showing his ability to intertwine his deepest thoughts with literary influences. This composition, which is in the key of D major and has a duration of 2:54, was a unique moment in The Beatles' discography, being the only time Lennon sang and played alone on a band track.