“Across the Universe” (1970) – The Beatles * Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney * LP: Let It Be * Produced by Phil Spector * Label: Apple
This Lennon number with the tricky guitar intro brings to mind the following: 1) Its far Eastern poetic aura, as if it were a hymn to John Lennon’s liaison with Yoko Ono; 2) evidence that the Maharishi era enhanced the Beatles’ artistry; and 3) that Lennon was a craftsman to the core. The Let It Be album version featured overwrought Phil Spector choirs, while an earlier version included bumble bee hums and horses. The Anthology version presents Lennon having trouble controlling his breath. Perhaps the best version overall is on Let It Be Naked, although it doesn’t include the ascending eighth notes that reinforce the outro on the Spector version. The chorus words jai guru deva are Sanskrit for, roughly, “hail the divine guru.” Lennon had learned them from the Maharishi, and we’re lucky Lennon’s disillusionment didn’t squelch his adoption of those beautiful words in this song. That he places the cosmic affirmative word om on a V chord instead of a I, though, does suggest a characteristic ambivalence.