Timeline Albums, EPs & singles Songs Films Concerts Sessions People Interviews Articles

Released in 1968

Cry Baby Cry

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Last updated on November 22, 2024

Album This song officially appears on the The Beatles (Mono) LP.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1968

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related articles

From Wikipedia:

“Cry Baby Cry” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney) from their 1968 double album The Beatles (also known as “the White Album”). The coda of the song is a short segment referred to as “Can You Take Me Back”, written by Paul McCartney, which was actually an outtake from the “I Will” session.

Composition

Demos indicate that Lennon composed the song in late 1967. The original lyrics were “Cry baby cry, make your mother buy”. Lennon described to biographer Hunter Davies how he got the words from an advertisement. Some of the lyrics of the song are loosely based on the nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence”.

Recording

Engineer Geoff Emerick resigned during the recording of “Cry Baby Cry”, though his departure was precipitated by Lennon and McCartney’s obsessions over the recording of both “Revolution” and “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da“, respectively, and the overall tensions of the sessions. Emerick would not work with the Beatles again until the session for “The Ballad of John and Yoko” nine months later.

After a day-long rehearsal, on 16 July 1968 the basic tracks were laid down for Lennon’s guitar part and his vocal on the introduction, McCartney’s bass, and Starr’s drums, along with Lennon’s piano and George Martin’s harmonium, while all other parts were dubbed in two days later: Lennon’s lead vocal, Lennon/McCartney falsetto backing vocals and tambourines, Martin’s harmonium introduction, sound effects for tea, and Harrison’s guitar, a Gibson Les Paul borrowed from Eric Clapton and soon to be a permanent gift.

“Can You Take Me Back?”

The song is followed on the album by an unrelated and unlisted track, ad libbed and sung by Paul McCartney. Though the song originally had no official name, it has popularly become known as “Can You Take Me Back?” after the primary lyric of the song, and has been officially deemed so on the track listing for the 50th anniversary edition of The Beatles, where an unabridged version of the song is referred to as “Can You Take Me Back? (Take 1)” and included among the bonus tracks. The hidden track is an improvised jam recorded by McCartney during a 16 September 1968 session for “I Will“. […]

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

[a] stereo 15 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 15 Oct 1968.
UK: Apple PMC 7068 white album 1968.

The US Apple release has a drop in sound level during “by the children” in the last verse, probably a tape problem.

Lyrics

Cry baby cry

Make your mother sigh

She's old enough to know better

The king of marigold was in the kitchen

Cooking breakfast for the queen

The queen was in the parlor

Playing piano for the children of the king

Cry baby cry

Make your mother sigh

She's old enough to know better

So cry baby cry

The king was in the garden

Picking flowers for a friend who came to play

The queen was in the playroom

Painting pictures for the children's holiday

Cry baby cry

Make your mother sigh

She's old enough to know better

So cry baby cry

The Duchess of Kirkcaldy always smiling

And arriving late for tea

The duke was having problems

With a message at the local bird and bee

Cry baby cry

Make your mother sigh

She's old enough to know better

So cry baby cry

At twelve o'clock a meeting round the table

For a seance in the dark

With voices out of nowhere

Put on specially by the children for a lark

Cry baby cry

Make your mother sigh

She's old enough to know better

So cry baby cry, cry, cry, cry baby

Make your mother sigh

She's old enough to know better

So cry baby cry, cry, cry, cry

Make your mother sigh

She's old enough to know better

So cry baby cry

Can you take me back where I came from?

Can you take me back?

Can you take me back where I came from?

Brother can you take me back?

Can you take me back?

Can you take me where I came from?

Can you take me back?

Variations

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “Cry Baby Cry”

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2024 • Please note this site is strictly non-commercial. All pictures, videos & quoted texts remain the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by us is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact us and we will do so immediately. Alternatively, we would be delighted to provide credits.