Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Album This song officially appears on the The Beatles (Mono) LP.
Timeline This song has been officially released in 1968

Master release


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The Beatles in India

February 19 to March 26, 1968

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Song facts

From Wikipedia:

“Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” is a song by the English rock group the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles (also known as “the White Album”). The song was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney.

Background

“Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” was written about Lennon’s future wife, Yoko Ono. Lennon said of the song:

That was just a sort of nice line that I made into a song. It was about me and Yoko. Everybody seemed to be paranoid except for us two, who were in the glow of love. Everything is clear and open when you’re in love. Everybody was sort of tense around us: you know, ‘What is she doing here at the session? Why is she with him?’ All this sort of madness is going on around us because we just happened to want to be together all the time. – John Lennon, All We Are Saying

Many listeners, including Paul McCartney, believed that the song was about heroin, as the term “monkey” is often associated with the drug. Although Lennon and Ono used the drug, McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr did not, with McCartney later saying, “It was a harder terminology, which the rest of us weren’t into.”

Recording

Lennon’s working title for the composition was “Come on, Come on”. An Esher Demo of the song, recorded in George Harrison’s Esher home in May 1968, features all-acoustic instrumentation, and a vocal sung in a more Bob Dylan-like spoken word style than the released version.

“Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” evolved from a jam session and was originally untitled. The final mix was sped up by mixing the tape running at 43 hertz instead of the usual 50. According to Harrison, the title came from one of the Maharishi’s sayings (with “and my monkey” added later).

The released version of the song was recorded at EMI Studios on 27 June 1968, and an overdub session on 1 July. Final stereo mixing was completed on 12 October. […]

Paul McCartney in "Many Years From Now", by Barry Miles:

He was getting into harder drugs than we’d been into and so his songs were taking on more references to heroin. Until that point we had made rather mild, oblique references to pot or LSD. Now John started talking about fixes and monkeys and it was a harder terminology which the rest of us weren’t into. We were disappointed that he was getting into heroin because we didn’t really see how we could help him. We just hoped it wouldn’t go too far. In actual fact, he did end up clean but this was the period when he was on it. It was a tough period for John, but often that adversity and that craziness can lead to good art, as I think it did in this case.

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

[a] stereo 12 Oct 1968.
UK: Apple PCS 7068 white album 1968.
US: Apple SWBO 101 white album 1968.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46443 2 white album 1987.

[b] mono 12 Oct 1968.
UK: Apple PMC 7068 white album 1968.

The screaming after “come on” in the last verse is different in [a] and [b].

Last updated on May 24, 2021

Lyrics

Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Come on, it's such a joy
Come on, it's such a joy
Come on, let's take it easy
Come on, let's take it easy

Take it easy
Take it easy
Everybody's got something to hide
Except for me and my monkey

The deeper you go the higher you fly
The higher you fly the deeper you go
So come on, come on

Come on, it's such a joy
Come on, it's such a joy
Come on, let's make it easy
Come on, let's take it easy

Take it easy
Take it easy
Everybody's got something to hide
Except for me and my monkey

Your inside is out when your outside is in
Your outside is in when your inside is out
So come on, come on

Come on, it's such a joy
Come on, it's such a joy
Come on, let's make it easy
Come on, let's make it easy

Make it easy
Take it easy
Everybody's got something to hide
Except for me and my monkey

Come on, come on, come on

Variations


A Stereo version • From "The Beatles (Stereo)"


B Mono version • From "The Beatles (Mono)"

B2009 2009 mono remaster • From "The Beatles in Mono (2009)"


C 2018 stereo mix • From "The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)"

D Unnumbered rehearsal • From "The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)"

Officially appears on


The Beatles (Mono)

LP • Released in 1968

2:25 • Studio versionB • Mono

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Hand bell, Maracas
Ringo Starr :
Drums
John Lennon :
Guitar, Vocals
George Harrison :
Backing vocals, Lead guitar
George Martin :
Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Ken Scott :
Recording engineer

Session Recording:
Jun 27, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 01, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 23, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 12, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road


The Beatles (Stereo)

LP • Released in 1968

2:25 • Studio versionA • Stereo

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Hand bell, Maracas
Ringo Starr :
Drums
John Lennon :
Guitar, Vocals
George Harrison :
Backing vocals, Lead guitar
George Martin :
Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Ken Scott :
Recording engineer

Session Recording:
Jun 27, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 01, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 23, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 12, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road


The Beatles (Mono - 2009 remaster)

Official album • Released in 2009

2:25 • Studio versionB2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Hand bell, Maracas
Ringo Starr :
Drums
John Lennon :
Guitar, Vocals
George Harrison :
Backing vocals, Lead guitar
George Martin :
Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Ken Scott :
Recording engineer
Paul Hicks :
Remastering
Guy Massey :
Remastering
Sean Magee :
Remastering
Allan Rouse :
Project co-ordinator

Session Recording:
Jun 27, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 01, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 23, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 12, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road


The Beatles (Stereo - 2009 remaster)

Official album • Released in 2009

2:25 • Studio versionA2009 • Stereo • 2009 stereo remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Hand bell, Maracas
Ringo Starr :
Drums
John Lennon :
Guitar, Vocals
George Harrison :
Backing vocals, Lead guitar
George Martin :
Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Ken Scott :
Recording engineer
Guy Massey :
Remastering
Steve Rooke :
Remastering
Allan Rouse :
Project co-ordinator

Session Recording:
Jun 27, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 01, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 23, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 12, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road


The Beatles (Mono - 2014 vinyl)

LP • Released in 2014

2:25 • Studio versionB2014 • Mono • 2014 remaster

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Hand bell, Maracas
Ringo Starr :
Drums
John Lennon :
Guitar, Vocals
George Harrison :
Backing vocals, Lead guitar
George Martin :
Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Ken Scott :
Recording engineer
Sean Magee :
Remastering
Steve Berkowitz :
Remastering

Session Recording:
Jun 27, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 01, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 23, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
Oct 12, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road


The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)

Official album • Released in 2018

2:25 • Studio versionC • Stereo • 2018 stereo mix

Paul McCartney :
Backing vocals, Bass, Hand bell, Maracas
Ringo Starr :
Drums
John Lennon :
Guitar, Vocals
George Harrison :
Backing vocals, Lead guitar
George Martin :
Producer
Geoff Emerick :
Recording engineer
Giles Martin :
Producer
Ken Scott :
Recording engineer
Sam Okell :
Mixing engineer

Session Recording:
Jun 27, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 01, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Overdubs:
Jul 23, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

Session Mixing:
First half of 2018 ?
Studio :
EMI Studios, Abbey Road


The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)

Official album • Released in 2018

2:43 • OuttakeD • Unnumbered rehearsal

Paul McCartney :
Bass
Ringo Starr :
Drums
John Lennon :
Guitar
George Harrison :
Guitar

Session Recording:
Jun 26, 1968
Studio :
EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road


The Beatles (50th anniversary boxset)

Official album • Released in 2018

3:03 • DemoE • Esher Demo

Paul McCartney :
Bongo (?), Maracas (?), Tambourine (?)
Ringo Starr :
Bongo (?), Maracas (?), Tambourine (?)
John Lennon :
Acoustic guitar, Vocals
George Harrison :
Acoustic guitar (?), Bongo (?), Maracas (?), Tambourine (?)

Session Recording:
Late May 1968
Studio :
George Harrison's Home, Kinfauns, Esher, Surrey, UK

Bootlegs


White Album Sessions Volume 1

Unofficial album

2:32 • Studio version • Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey RM5 from take 12 acetate mono


White Album Sessions Volume 1

Unofficial album

0:27 • Studio version • Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey RS From takes 6 & 12 Stereo


Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 4 (1968)

Unofficial album • Released in 1989

2:29 • Alternate take • Everybody\'s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (tk 12, undocumented RM)


Complete Home Recordings 1968

Unofficial album • Released in 2002

3:02 • Demo

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

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