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Released in 1970

Dig A Pony

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Last updated on October 7, 2021

From Wikipedia:

“Dig a Pony” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, originally released on their 1970 album Let It Be. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The recording is from the concert on the rooftop of Apple Studios in Savile Row, London, performed by the Beatles on 30 January 1969.

Composition

Most of “Dig a Pony” is in the key of A Major, with the introduction being performed in 3/4 time. It was originally called “All I Want Is You”. Lennon said the song was “a piece of garbage”, though he expressed similar scorn for many of his songs. It was written for his soon-to-be wife Yoko Ono, and featured a multitude of strange, seemingly nonsense phrases which were strung together in what Lennon refers to as a Bob Dylan style of lyric.

Early American pressings of Let It Be mistitled this song as “I Dig a Pony.”

Recording

The song was one of the songs on Let It Be recorded at the rooftop concert, with an assistant holding up Lennon’s lyrics for him as a cue. It begins with a false start, with Ringo Starr yelling “Hold it!” to halt the other band members because he was putting out his cigarette and had both of his drum sticks in his right hand. On the recording, the sound of someone blowing his nose right after Starr’s interjection can be heard, which Mark Lewisohn attributes to Lennon. On an earlier, studio take of the song, recorded on 22 January 1969 and released on the Anthology 3 compilation in 1996, the first verse and the end of the song start off with Paul McCartney singing “All I want is…” This phrase appeared in every performance of the song but was cut from the final version by Phil Spector, and subsequently cut from the Let It Be… Naked version, which also omits the false start. […]

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

[a] stereo 23 Mar 1970. edited.
UK: Apple PXS 1 and PCS 7096 Let It Be 1970.
US: Apple AR 34001 Let It Be 1970.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46447 2 Let It Be 1987.

The edit removed the line “All I want is you” at the beginning and end, for reasons unknown. (This song is called “I Dig a Pony” on US albums.)


Lyrics

I dig a pony

Well, you can celebrate anything you want

Yes, you can celebrate anything you want

Oh!


I do a road hog

Well, you can penetrate any place you go

Yes, you can penetrate any place you go

I told you so


All I want is you

Everything has got to be just like you want it to

Because


I pick a moon dog

Well, you can radiate everything you are

Yes, you can radiate everything you are

Oh now!


I roll a stoney

Well, you can imitate everyone you know

Yes, you can imitate everyone you know

I told you so


All I want is you

Everything has got to be just like you want it to

Because


Oh now!

I feel the wind blow

Well, you can indicate everything you see

Yes, you can indicate anything you see

Oh now!


I, load a lorry

Well, you can syndicate any boat you row

Yeah, you can syndicate any boat you row

I told you so


All I want is you

Everything has got to be just like you want it to

Because

Officially appears on

See all official recordings containing “Dig A Pony

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Dig A Pony

Live performances

Dig A Pony” has been played in 2 concerts.

Latest concerts where “Dig A Pony” has been played

  • The rooftop concert

    Jan 30, 1969 • United Kingdom • London • The rooftop of the Apple building, 3 Savile Row


Going further

Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.

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