Sexy Sadie
The Beatles (White Album) artwork Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 19, 24 July; 13, 21 August 1968
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Ken Scott
Released: 22 November 1968 (UK), 25 November 1968 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, Hammond
organ
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass, piano
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine
Available on:
The Beatles (White Album)
Anthology 3
John Lennon’s most acerbic song on the White Album, Sexy Sadie was a barbed
tribute to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and was written during Lennon’s final hours
in India.
"That’s about the Maharishi, yes. I copped out and I wouldn’t write
‘Maharishi, what have you done? You made a fool of everyone.’ But now it can be
told, Fab Listeners."
John Lennon
Rolling Stone, 1970
Shortly after Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr left India, Lennon’s friend Alexis
Mardas, also known as Magic Alex, arrived.
"Mardas had previously been known as Lennon’s ‘guru’, and was reportedly
alarmed at seeing his influence upon Lennon waning. He is said to have started
a rumour that the Maharishi had made a sexual advance towards one of the women
on the meditation course."
" Alexis and a fellow female meditator began to sow the seeds of doubt into
very open minds… Alexis’s statements about how the Maharishi had been
indiscreet with a certain lady, and what a blackguard he had turned out to be
gathered momentum. All, may I say, without a single shred of evidence or
justification. It was obvious to me that Alexis wanted out and more than
anything he wanted The Beatles out as well."
Cynthia Lennon
Mia Farrow has occasionally been identified as the object of the Maharishi’s
desires, but McCartney and Harrison both denied this.
"It was a big scandal. Maharishi had tried to get off with one of the
chicks. I said, ‘Tell me what happened?’ John said, ‘Remember that blonde
American girl with the short hair? Like a Mia Farrow lookalike. She was called
Pat or something.’ I said, ‘Yeah’. He said, ‘Well, Maharishi made a pass at
her.’ So I said, ‘Yes? What’s wrong with that?’ ‘He said, ‘Well, you know, he’s
just a bloody old letch just like everybody else. What the fuck, we can’t go
following that!’
They were scandalised. And I was quite shocked at them; I said, ‘But he
never said he was a god. In fact very much the opposite. He said, “Don’t treat
me like a god, I’m just a meditation teacher.” There was no deal about you
mustn’t touch women, was there? There was no vow of chastity involved.’ So I
didn’t think it was enough cause to leave the whole meditation centre."
Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
Regardless of its veracity, the rumour gave Lennon an excuse to leave India. As
he waited to leave, he began writing the song that would become Sexy Sadie.
"That was written just as we were leaving, waiting for our bags to be
packed in the taxi that never seemed to come. We thought: ‘They’re deliberately
keeping the taxi back so as we can’t escape from this madman’s camp.’ And we
had the mad Greek with us who was paranoid as hell. He kept saying, ‘It’s black
magic, black magic. They’re gonna keep you here forever.’ I must have got away
because I’m here."
John Lennon, 1974
Lennon began singing his ode to the Maharishi as he and George Harrison drove
to Delhi.
"John had a song he had started to write which he was singing: ‘Maharishi,
what have you done?’ and I said, ‘You can’t say that, it’s ridiculous.’ I came
up with the title of Sexy Sadie and John changed ‘Maharishi’ to ‘Sexy Sadie’.
John flew back to Yoko in England and I went to Madras and the south of India
and spent another few weeks there."
George Harrison
Anthology
The opening lines may have been inspired by Smokey Robinson’s song I’ve Been
Good To You, which begins with the lines: “Look what you’ve done/You made a
fool of everyone”. One of Lennon’s favourites, the song was briefly busked by
The Beatles during the Get Back sessions in January 1969.
Derek Taylor recalled Lennon scratching the lyrics to Sexy Sadie into a piece
of wood in the Apple offices. The wood was kept by Maureen Starkey, and was
later sold to a Beatles collector.
The Beatles recorded a demo of Sexy Sadie at George Harrison’s Esher bungalow
in May 1968, along with 22 other contenders for the White Album.
In the studio
Although it was originally titled Maharishi, it was never recorded as that.
However, during the first session for Sexy Sadie, on 19 July 1968, Lennon
demonstrated to McCartney how it was originally conceived:
You little twat
Who the fuck do you think you are?
Who the fuck do you think you are?
Oh, you cunt
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions
Mark Lewisohn
The Beatles spent much of the session jamming and rehearsing Sexy Sadie, but
eventually taped 21 takes of the song. According to Lewisohn, these varied
between 5’36″ and 8’00″.
Take six from this day – featuring just vocals, electric guitar, drums and
organ – was released on 1996′s Anthology 3. Slower than the final version, the
distinctive piano part is absent, as is the extended winding finale.
The group began a remake on 24 July, recording 23 takes. None of these were
used, however, and on 13 August they began a third attempt. They recorded eight
takes, numbered 100-107, the last of which was the basis for future overdubs.
Sexy Sadie was completed on 21 August. Lennon recorded another lead vocal, and
organ, bass, tambourine and two sets of backing vocals were added.
