What does The Word mean?

Beatles: The Word Meaning

Tagged:   No tags, suggest one.
Album cover for The Word album cover

Song Released: 1965


The Word Lyrics

The Word

Say the word and you'll be free,
Say the word and be like me,
Say the word I'm thinking of,
Have you heard the word is love.
It's so fine, it's sunshine,
It's the word love.

In the beginning I misunderstood,
But now...

  1. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 26th 2012 !⃝

    The Word is God. The Word is love. The Word was made flesh
    and lived among us shining His Light. The Word is so fine, it's sunshine. The
    Word is good, the Word is love, the Word is Jesus. The Word died for us, and
    rose again so we could be free. When we repent and are washed by baptism in
    Jesus name saying the Word “Jesus”, we are free from sin, and can be like Him! When
    He fills us with His Spirit - the Word - we know what we feel must be right.
    Now we can show everybody the Light. The Word is just the way, the Word is
    love, the Word is Jesus. Spread the Word and you'll be free. Spread the
    Word and be like me.

    In the beginning I misunderstood
    But now I've got it, the Word is good.

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 12th 2012 !⃝

    Right, it's simply about the word love. Nothing more. Nothing less. And John put it quite clearly.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 15th 2011 !⃝

    In the beginning I misunderstood,
    But now I've got it the word is good.

    Saying that, he thought he was in love in the beginning, but was wrong, not that love is wrong, just his love was.


    Everywhere I go I hear it said,
    In the good and the bad books that I have read.

    People trying to tell him what love is, good or bad.



    Now that I know what I feel must be right,
    I mean to show ev'rybody the light.

    Has found true love and wants to share the feeling with everybody

  4. beatlesholic13
    click a star to vote
    Jan 10th 2010 !⃝

    I agree with MountaineerForLife because Of the whole "Bigger Than Jesus" thing this might have been a statement of Johns point of mind trying to send a message.

  5. Winnipegger
    click a star to vote
    Sep 15th 2009 !⃝

    The key to most religions of the world is the so-called "Golden Rule": "Love thy neighbour as yourself".

    Boiled right down, it all comes down to the word "Love".

    And this is what Lennon was saying. If everyone followed the teachings they learned in their respective religions, and put them into practice, the world would be a better place.

    This song was not anti-religion; if anything it was pro-religion and religious messages.

    The message would be understood rapidly, and the notion of universal love would be coupled with that of universal peace, culminating in 1967's "Summer of Love".

  6. MountaineerForLife
    click a star to vote
    May 11th 2009 !⃝

    I've always been tempted to think of this song as kind of a mockery of Christianity, as in "The Word of Jesus" of living by The Word. It's not uncommon to refer to the Bible or the teachings of Jesus as "The Word". And knowing that John Lennon wasn't exactly a devout Christian, I wouldn't put it past him to mock it. Consider lyrics like this:

    "Say the Word and you'll be free
    Spread the Word and be like me"

    This could easily be an allusion to Evangelism, those Christians who actively recruit people to their religion so that they may be free.

    Or here are some other excerpts that make this interpretation even clearer:

    "Now that I know what I feel must be right
    I'm here to show everybody the light"

    "Everywhere I go, I hear it said
    In the good and the bad books that I have read"

    To me, this song is clearly a shot at Christianity, but it goes over most people's heads because of the very poppy sound of the song. Quite brilliant.


More Beatles songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]




Just Posted

Mad Hatter anonymous
Fire Lake anonymous
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead anonymous
We Gotta Get out of This Place anonymous
Jealous anonymous
Won't Get Fooled Again anonymous
Smokestack Lightning anonymous
True Colors anonymous
Future Love Paradise anonymous
Adios, Adios anonymous
Strangers anonymous
Possibility anonymous
Jailbreak anonymous
Sour Girl anonymous
Cornflake Girl anonymous

(We won't give out your email)