The Lyrics and Meaning of "She Said She Said" (Beatles)

It might seem as though the song is often overshadowed by other tracks on the album, but is nonetheless a fascinating and complex composition. The song meaning of has been subjected to multiple interpretations over the years. 

Some believe that the song is about Lennon's experience with LSD, and how he felt when he took the drug. Others believe that the song is about death, and how we can never really know what it's like to die until we experience it ourselves. But one thing is for sure, it is a timeless classic that has stood the test of time.

A Glimpse at The Lyrics

The lyrics highlight a conversation between two people. The first person is presumably John Lennon, who is singing the song, and the second person a woman, who is not identified by name. The woman seems to be trying to explain something to The Singer, but he doesn't comprehend what she's saying.

Lennon’s frustration is clearly evident in the lyrics. The woman is presumably talking about her own death, or the death of someone close to her. Lennon is, however, clearly struggling to understand what she's saying, and he tries to reason with her.

But no matter what he says, the woman is adamant. She also seems to know what it's like to be sad, and she's trying to explain this to Lennon. But he still doesn't understand, and he eventually gives up trying to reason with her. The lyrics of the song are cleverly written, and they hint at a much deeper meaning.

The Meaning & Inspiration

As we mentioned before, the meaning of "She Said She Said" has had a couple interpretations over the years. Some believe that the song is about Lennon's experience with LSD, and how he felt when he took the drug. Others believe that the song is about death. Well, neither of the two is completely false. In fact, both interpretations are correct to some extent.

It is true that the song was inspired by experience with LSD, but not entirely Lennon's. As he has since revealed, the song was inspired by an experience he had while taking the recreational drug with musicians Roger McGuinn, George Harrison and actor Peter Fonda.

Reportedly, while they were tripping, Fonda started on with some freak conversation about his near-fatal (self-inflicted) childhood gunshot wound. Well, this is not quite what you would want to hear on an acid trip. Whereas the artists had to rid themselves of Fonda, who at this point became a bit too much for the group, Lennon later used this experience a year later, as an inspiration for "She Said She Said."

Of course, Lennon also mentioned replacing the character of Fonda with a female, so that's where the woman in the lyrics comes in. So it’s safe to say the song is not just about LSD, but life after death as well. And how could we know what it feels like to die if we've never experienced it ourselves?

Final Take Away

This is a complex song with a number of different layers to it. On the surface, it has been rumoured to be about an LSD trip that John Lennon took with Peter Fonda. However, upon closer inspection, the lyrics can be interpreted as being about death, life, and what it means to be human.

Whether you interpret the lyrics literally or metaphorically, there is no denying that this is one of the most intriguing and thought-provoking songs ever written by The Beatles.