OBLA DI, OBLA DA
Desmond has a barrow in the market place
Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly "girl I like your face"
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand
1976 UK Single Version
Side A : Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Side B : Julia
"Desmond has a barrow in the market place"
Paul McCartney 撰寫這歌曲時, 正藉西印度群島 Jamaica 牙買加的 "Raggae 雷鬼" 音樂在英倫流行起來; 因此, Paul 的心目中亦當然取其節奏為主, 歌曲名字和人物亦充滿着"Raggae 雷鬼"的影子, 而出現於歌詞第一句的人物 Desmond, 是國際盛名的 "Raggae 雷鬼" 音樂和舞蹈表演藝人 Desmond Dekker, 當時他剛好在倫敦作巡迴演出, 且極受樂迷歡迎。
Record Studio Story
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" 在進行撰寫樂譜時, 隊友 George, Ringo 和 John Lennon 才知道他要走進另類音樂, 各人甚感不快之外, 全無興趣参予和默不作聲, 而 Paul 亦心知不妙, 為迎合隊友的意願, 為求擺脱 "Raggae 雷鬼" 的味道, 在錄音室不斷嘗試, 以較快節奏重複演譯, 但卻惹怒了正在另一房間吸食了药物的 John, 加上 Ono 大野洋子在傍不停唆擺, 更使他煩擾, 於是一鼓怒氣跑進錄音室, 推開了坐在鋼琴前的 Paul, 代之以更快節奏的鋼琴聲軌錄音。
John Lennon
全曲共花上約六十次試錄才完成; 這亦是後來在專輯 "The White Album" 所聽到由 John 演譯的快節奏鋼琴版本。及後他更一番揶揄: "Paul's granny shit, I might have given him a couple of lyric, but it's his song, his lyric!"
John Lennon 對此曲仍甚感不滿, 主因是仍有 "Raggae" 節奏的影子, 有異於他們的音樂路線, 甚至影響了 Ringo 和 George 同反對把 "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" 以單曲印製, 在英美發售。
最後, 此曲收錄在一張被稱 "The White Album" 的雙唱片專輯, 於1968年十一月開始發售, 另外的單曲細唱片, 衹出現於其他國家; 而專輯封套上, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" 的製作人員名單上寫着 Lennon-McCartney 共同創作, 而 John 是從没有沾手此曲的, 祇不過鋼琴是由他所彈奏而已。
至1976年, 由 The Beatles 樂隊名下印製的 "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" 與 B-面歌曲 "Julia" 單曲細唱片, 才在英國本土和最大唱片市埸的美國同時發售, 這已經是八年後的事了。由於這歌曲的爭議, John 對 Paul 日後不少作品均存偏見, 並借題品評, 指內容俗套和全無義意。
將 錯 就 錯
主歌的第六段應該是第四段的重唱, Paul 在錄音時的心情仍然忐忑不安, 把 Desmond 和 Molly 出現的次序弄錯, 至發覺後亦沒有糾正過來, 便把錄音聲軌用於唱片印製。相信不少樂迷亦有發現第六段: 為何一位男士 "Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face ?"
NEXT .... OBLA DI, OBLA DA - 3 : The Marmalade
The Beatles - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Demo/Take)
Desmond (Dekker) has a barrow in the market place
Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly "girl I like your face"
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand
[Chorus]
Ob la di ob la da life goes on bra
La la how the life goes on
Ob la di ob la da life goes on bra
La la how the life goes on
1968 France : Single Version
Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler's store
Buys a twenty carat golden ring
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing
[Chorus]
In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
1976 USA : Single Version
主歌第四段
Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond lets the children lend a hand
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
And in the evening she still sings it with the band
[Chorus]
In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
主歌第六段
Yeah, happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening he's a singer with the band
[Chorus]
And if you want some fun, take ob la di bla da
NEXT .... OBLA DI, OBLA DA - 3 : The Marmalade