Discuss ion: Come Together meaning

[EdinSc]

I recently got into an online debate over the lyrics of "Come Together." I believe each of the four verses refers in Lennon's unique literary style to one of the Beatles. It appears John is urging the band to coalesce around him, as was the case in the early days. I don't believe the song is wilthout meaning (though John has stated "half of what I say is meaningless," there enough lines in "Come Together" to make the connections I ser. But I welcome you input!
Lyrics & my interpretation:
Here come old flat top
He come groovin' up slowly
He got ju-ju eyeball
He one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker
He just do what he please
(References to George, "holy roller" with extremely long hair)

He wear no shoeshine
He got toe jam football
He got monkey finger
He shoot Coca-Cola
He say I know you, you know me
One thing I can tell you is
You got to be free
(Homage to Ringo, simple political philosophy, not into heavy drugs, football player as a child)

He bag production
He got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard
He one spinal cracker
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair
You can feel his disease
(References to John, bag production, Ono sidekick, walrus, band leader who worked others hard)

He roller coaster
He got early warning
He got muddy water
He one mojo filter
He say one and one and one is three
Got to be good looking
'Cause he's so hard to
(Speaking of Paul, "One and One is Two" Paul song never done by the Beatles; and sly References to Paul death (untrue but fascinating) rumors: careless driving, muddy water caused the wreck, the Paul lookalike is so good he's hard to see!

[Mr Bump]

John would just write streams of words/images with no secret scheme - Walrus, Hey Bulldog, Strawberry FIelds, Across the Universe etc. This is just one of those. It's always possible to pull out specific phrases and lines, then imagine what they might mean, but that's just the imagination of the listener.

There's that footage of John when a fan thinks certain Beatles lyrics were written all about him and John just straight out tells him it doesn't mean anything, it's just having fun with words.

[mojofilter]

It seems a bit obvious to me as though "mojo filter" is one of John's sly allusions to marijuana. The version of "Come Together" by the Smokin' Mojo Filters would seem they thought so, too. Paul was on it all the time then; the verse could have been about him. I'd never considered it was anything about the other members, he just brought up the walrus and Bag and Ono sideboards that refers to him and Yoko. Nonetheless, it is the record that made me want to become a musician back when I was 11. That was the name of one of my groups, and has always been my username. The song changed my life.

[Lord Reith]

I always thought he was singing about his cock. Seriously.

[Kwai Chang]

I thought the song started as a campaign 'jingle' for Tim Leary(President???)
But, at some point John disagreed(?) with Leary or Yoko convinced him it was too good to give away!
The song was 'analyzed' nearly word for word in The Beatles Thesaurus which was a funky insert in a few Beatles Songbooks of 1969 vintage. It is fairly elementary and will only disappoint. Since the LOVEology(10 DVD) boot, I have loved the McCartney backing vocals(disc 8, track 19) and consider them a lost opportunity. MunkKEEE Fingahhh, he shoot Kookah Koalah, I know yewww Yuno-MEEE is pure testosterone! Yoko probably thought of the title anyway! Paul's faders UP please! Then you'd know that phrase means one thing only at my house. Please see Reith above!
A rooster might have been the Chuck Berry meaning but it's just a barnyard swagger anyway. Roosters know how to live!
FlatTop phone home! I'm just glad Leary didn't get it.
KC

[rtbcIII]

The lyrics could also show the influence of the Horse that John was riding during the era. And I don't mean Henry.

[ksantus]

I would think that every songwriter (I've written a few) has in his or her own mind, what a particular song's about, but leaves it to the audience to understand it for themselves and give it their own meaning. I've heard McCartney say that a song meant one thing when he wrote it but something different days, weeks, years later. John said it as well. (ie. How Do You Sleep)

[Lord Reith]

Seriously, it's about John's dick. It's the soundtrack to Self Portrait.

[Phil_Lip]

Wasn't it originally conceived as an election campaign slogan for Timothy Leary?
'Come together and join the party'.

The rest is typical John stream of nonsense lyrics, throwing in whatever he could think of that fitted, with the borrowed Chuck Berry lyrics.

[mojofilter]

Wasn't it originally conceived as an election campaign slogan for Timothy Leary?
'Come together and join the party'.

The rest is typical John stream of nonsense lyrics, throwing in whatever he could think of that fitted, with the borrowed Chuck Berry lyrics.

That's right, and there's an outtake where before they start, he sings "he got teenage lyrics..."