The Meaning Behind "Drive My Car" by The Beatles and How John Lennon Helped Bang It .
“Drive My Car” owns a special place in Beatles history because of its status as the opening track to the 1965 album Rubber Soul, one of their greatest triumphs. On its own, it stands out as an early example of the band touching on more adult, even risqué matters, as they left their innocent moptop image behind.
What is the song about? And how did John Lennon’s criticism help Paul McCartney bang the song into shape? Let’s rev up the engines and find out all about “Drive My Car.” Beep beep, yeah! The Beatles thrived on the songwriting partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. But rarely was it a case of the two sitting next to each other, trading off musical notes and words until a song was complete. Instead, one would usually come to a session with at least an idea or a title or a melody, anything upon which they could build.
In the case of “Drive My Car,” McCartney provided the impetus with a melody that he really liked. However, his lyrics, which included the refrain You can buy me golden rings, were another story. McCartney knew that he didn’t have it right, and Lennon only confirmed his suspicions (allegedly calling the words “crap”). The two then struggled to find the right lyrics for the melody.
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
