I'm So Tired

Song facts

From Wikipedia:

“I’m So Tired” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles (also known as “the White Album”). It was written and sung by John Lennon, though credited to Lennon–McCartney. Lennon wrote the song during the Beatles’ stay in India about insomnia he was having due to constant meditation and because he missed Yoko Ono. The song was recorded in the same session as another White Album song, “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill“.

Composition

Lennon wrote the song at a Transcendental Meditation camp when he could not sleep; the Beatles had gone on a retreat to study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rishikesh, India. After three weeks of constant meditation and lectures, Lennon missed Yoko Ono, with whom he had yet to start a relationship, and was plagued by insomnia, which inspired the song. One of dozens of songs the Beatles wrote in India, “I’m So Tired” detailed Lennon’s fragile state of mind. It was also an open letter to Yoko Ono, whose postcards to Lennon in India were a lifeline. “I got so excited about her letters,” he said. “I started thinking of her as a woman, and not just an intellectual woman.” Lennon later said of it: “One of my favourite tracks. I just like the sound of it, and I sing it well”.

The theme of insomnia complements Lennon’s earlier song “I’m Only Sleeping” on the Revolver album.

The song is in the key of A major and features Lennon singing the main tune in a slow, flowing fashion while the rest of the band sings the chorus, which is repeated twice and yelled at the end of the second time.

Recording

An early demo of the song was recorded at George Harrison’s Esher home, in May 1968. It was basically identical to the released version, in terms of verse, but it does include a spoken section reminiscent of a similar section in “Happiness Is a Warm Gun“. It goes:

When I hold you, in your arms,
When you show me, each one of your charms,
I wonder should I get up, and go to the funny farm.
No, no, no!

This section was probably improvised at the time, as it was never used again.

The song was recorded on 8 October 1968 and was completed including all overdubs in this one session. The Beatles also started and completed “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill” during the same recording session. The chorus of the monaural mix of the song features louder backing vocals from Paul McCartney than the stereo mix.

“Paul is dead” conspiracy theory

At the very end of the song, what seems to be nonsensical mumbling can be heard in the background. The mumbling, if played backwards can be imagined as something along the lines of “Paul is a dead man. Miss him. Miss him. Miss him.” This only adds to the many supposed references to the “Paul is dead” conspiracy theory scattered throughout the White album. Mark Lewisohn has said that the mumbling is actually Lennon muttering, “Monsieur, monsieur, how about another one?”

Legacy

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its release, Jacob Stolworthy of The Independent listed “I’m So Tired” at number 18 in his ranking of the White Album’s 30 tracks. He wrote of the song: “The weary vocals from John Lennon remains desperately alluring to this day. A favourite of his, the song is best when viewed as a sequel to Revolver track, ‘I’m Only Sleeping’.” […]

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

[a] mono 15 Oct 1968.
UK: Apple PMC 7067 white album 1968.

[b] stereo 15 Oct 1968.
UK: Apple PCS 7067 white album 1968.
US:Apple SWBO 101 white album 1968.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46443 2 white album 1987.

Paul’s harmony at the first “You’d say” is louder in mono [a]. The muttering after the song is part of this recording.

From the Anthology 3 liner notes:

Into the fifth month of the recording the White Album, two more John Lennon songs – I’m So Tired and The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill – were added to the collection during a through-the-night Abbey Road session that ended at 8am. Now using eight-track recording machines on a regular basis for the first time, I’m So Tired was taped live, the master (Take 14) including minimal overdubbing. John would often perform a vocal with every take, and all the outtakes of I’m So Tired have one – presented here is an amalgam of takes 3, 6 and 9 that embrace all the best moments.

Last updated on May 28, 2021

Lyrics

Variations