Strawberry Field is a large Victorian building with extensive wooded
ground surrounding it near John's childhood home. This song has, in
my opinion, two different interpretations. One is that it is simply
a song about drugs and what John saw when he was under the influence
of various substances. However, the second last verse seems to be
in reference to nobody understanding John. He might be saying that
nobody is on his wavelength "it must be high or low". These
are my thoughts on the lyrics but I would love to receive emails
of your ideas as to what John was trying to say. If you have any ideas
on any other song, I would also love to receive an email with those
ideas. Thanks!
Thanks to Monika@machine609.com for her explanation. She said:
This is quite a dramatic song. For one, it is filled with contradictions.
Seems like author is trying to hide the tension and drama under the
shield of carefree and cheerful surface. The name itself "Strawberry
fields" is colorful and happy. But why then song goes "take you DOWN".
As if saying - this is not what it seams. First verse does look like
it has something to do with drugs - "nothing is real". But the right
after that goes a verse that actually sounds very thoughtful and insightful.
"Living is easy with your eyes closed" is he talking about himself,
probably, further in the song there are some references in first person,
thus I would say this is a song about personal experience and thoughts.
He is living in a world that looks pink, but it is just misunderstanding.
He is trying to be himself, which is hard. What is it that "does not
matter"? Maybe being with his eyes open, maybe walking in strawberry
fields equals to living in a shiny, not real, full of misunderstandings
world. Being himself does not matter, because he is going to strawberry
fields, where there is no reason to worry about things and see things
in a real light. Third verse talks about alienation. "No one [...]
is in my tree" - no one is at the same level (it must be high or low)
to understand him, to "tune in" with him or he is not able to do so
with others. But he does not see anything bad even in this alienation
"I think it's not too bad", because he has chosen to close his eyes
to the reality and live in a world that is easy to live "strawberry
fields" world. The last verse is a little bit of mystery to me. I
think he is talking about his internal inability to understand if
this is a world or him that went wrong. He agrees that it is he, but
it does not seem right, and he wants to disagree. He says "always",
then corrects himself, "no sometimes" as if he is trying to understand
his own thoughts. This verse I think expresses confusion.
Thanks to Tiget3048@aol.com for his explanation. He said:
John was simply making a song to have fun with it. in the show they
had about magical mystery tour werent they just having fun. on the
cover of the album arent they dressed in funny costumes laughing.
in the pictures in the album they are dressed insanely having fun.
drugs have something to do with it definitely, but john was just having
fun with one of his childhood memories.
Thanks to joejulieguarino@yahoo.com for his interpretation.
I think that this is the best interpretation I have received to date
(even better than mine!). He said:
Strawberry Fields was an orphanage were John use to hang out
with the kids especially when they had yard partys .In 1966 the touring
thing came to an end which made John deeply analyze and think of the
past due to things slowing down. So with strawberry fields he is saying
that this orphanage is a sad sight but yet a fun place for him. John
felt for himself that it didn't matter who he was or were he was going
or any other things that weighed on his mind because he was with unfortunate
children who he would have a good time with and he could put his troubles
aside. So to make it short the song is about sad but yet happy and
fun times with John and these orphans in which was apart in it's way
from the outside world.
Thanks to taboga@direcway.com for his interpretation.
Strawberry Field is a large Victorian building with extensive
wooded ground surrounding it near John's childhood home. This song
has, in my opinion, two different interpretations. One is that it
is simply a song about drugs and what John saw when he was under the
influence of various substances. However, the second last verse seems
to be in reference to nobody understanding John. He might be saying
that nobody is on his wavelength "it must be high or low". These are
my thoughts on the lyrics but I would love to receive emails of your
ideas as to what John was trying to say. If you have any ideas on
any other song, I would also love to receive an email with those ideas.
Thanks!
I can't recall the exact interview with John Lennon when he explained
where and what Strawberry Field is and was, but as to what the song
was about, in his words (para):
"No one I think is in my tree, -- He was referring to the fact that
no one thinks as he does - he's thinks differently than everyone else.
"I mean it must be high or low." -- He thinks he's either a genius
(high) or insane (low).
"That is you can't you know tune in but it's all right, that is I
think it's not too bad." -- He can't find anyone to relate to because
"no on is in his tree" - so to speak.
The entire song really has nothing to do with drugs at all - as some
have suggested. It is merely a recount of his childhood where he realized
(at Strawberry Fields) that he was different than everyone else.
-Terry
