Dear Prudence
Dear Prudence is one of my favorite Beatles songs. The song was written for Mia Farrow’s sister, Prudence Farrow. The sisters just happened to be studying in a remote location in India with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at the same time that the Beatles were there. Prudence Farrow took the lessons very seriously and would retreat to her cottage and stay inside for days on end. She basically turned into a recluse. John Lennon was asked to check on her and see if he could get her to join the others. His, “Dear Prudence,” with it’s simple, sweet lyrics, was inspired by this task.
I can’t imagine being the subject of a popular song, much less a Beatles’ song. “The sun is up, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful, and so are you.” I also can’t imagine being at a retreat with the Beatles and hiding out in my cottage for days and weeks* — although, look, she has a song written for her and I don’t, so there you go… Don’t listen to me.
*Unless I was feeling fat and had nothing to wear
You are going to love this…the other day I’m walking through the house complaining to Susie how I have this stupid song in my head and I can’t get it out…she asks the obvious question and I reply, “Dear Prudence by the Beatles.”…we love ya…be encouraged!
How strange!! We are truly connected. It’s actually a good one to have stuck in your head. 🙂
Love ya right back!!
Lisa
How have I lived into my 40s in a hippietown and never heard this?
The story, not the song, right? I read it years ago in Mia Farrow’s memoir, “What Falls Away.” It’s a great story and stuck with me.
Lisa
the song OR the story! it’s not any of my Beatles cds. i know about Mia and Frank, but not this. thanks for clue-ing me in.
You’re so very welcome!!! Go out now and buy the White Album immediately!! It’s maybe my favorite. It has such an eclectic mix of cool songs. I love it.
I feel so happy, like I did something good today. So, thank you!! 🙂
Lisa
This is one of my favorites too and if I was Mia, I would be soooo pissed. Like, dude, I hung out with you this whole time and you write a song about my sister who doesn’t even come out of her room WTF. So cray.
I know! Seriously. Prudence must have been a hottie to earn that kind of attention. What a thrill to have a song written for you, right? So cool.
I had a song written about me — Harper Valley PTA. Just sayin’. HF
Thank you for confirming what I always suspected. Harper Valley PTA was about you! That makes a lot of sense. Ha!
I love the stores behind the Beatles songs (especially the White Album)…they make them even better, don’t they?
Me too. Mia Farrow wrote about this experience in her book, “What Falls Away.” Since it’s one of my favorite songs, I always remember the story when I hear it.
Can you imagine having a song written for you? I would absolutely die – and by “die” I mean, go around and tell everyone. 😉
I’d take out ads in papers. We are so reclusive and humble.
Maybe a billboard? Yes. We are. 😉
I loved this song as a youngen…thanks for taking me down memory lane. 🙂
Me too. Something about it… It has all the right ingredients.
Are there any songs written about men that aren’t, well, mean? All I can think of now is “You’re So Vain.”
Good question. I’m on it. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking Lola? 🙂 Also, Olivia Newton John has a song called, “Sam.” You may want to check that out.
Oh, and who can forget Levon and then there’s Leroy Brown (He was the baddest cat in the whole damn town.)
Michael Jackson sang “Ben,” but I think that was about a rat.
“Lola.” Good one!
I have not heard this song in sooooo long. I almost forgot it existed! Thank you for jogging my memory!
It’s so amazing, right? A perfect Beatles song.
Lily told me I have to find a baby pic. I’m so on it. What fun!!
Yes! I posted about the picture thing on Sunday if you want more details 😉
I don’t know why I didn’t get that? Sorry, I’ve been in a bit of a fog. I’ll go check it out.
Wow. I had no idea this song was about Mia Farrow’s sister. I just googled her and see she stayed pretty much on this path, with the transcendental meditation. Thanks for the background. Of course I thought the song was about a love interest.
Isn’t that an interesting back story? Imagine being the subject of a popular song. I didn’t know she stayed on that path… I guess she was pretty serious and it wasn’t just a ploy to get John Lennon’s attention. haha!
very cool – a song I remember from when I was really young was “Johnny Angel, how I love him, and I wish that he loved me too” — then I married my own Johnny Angel — it is okay– you can gag now (my husband’s name is John if I was not being clear)
Haha! Johnny Angel! I actually like that song. It’s such a syrupy song but that’s probably why it’s so fun. Good for you LouAnn, you found your own Johnny Angel 🙂
And I didn’t gag once!
hey, we were just little when that song came out, and I think you were a lot younger than me–so syrupy is okay when you are under ten
I’m the syrup queen. I love all those old songs. 🙂
Wow, you’ve stumped me.
I have nothing to say to this.
(I’d write you a song, but I can’t figure out rhymes for persimmon or hibiscus.)
If I’ve stumped you, then I’m really proud.
Leaving you with nothing to say may be one of my greatest accomplishments. 😉
Why do I think you’ll find a rhyme for persimmon and or hibiscus?
Cool, Lisa. I had no idea that this is what this song was about. I’ve always liked this song. It’s so catchy. I guess next time you go to a retreat and there’s a band, just hide out in your cabin.
Exactly. Now we all have an idea of what to do the next time we’re at a retreat and some band shows up. It’s a great story for a great song. I only wish my name was Prudence. 🙂
That and Blackbird are pretty much my favourite Beatles tunes.
Two of the very best. Agree.
As usual, we agree. I love your musical taste
Likewise.
Had no idea about the story behind this song! thanks 🙂
It’s very interesting, right? I love this song. I’m surprised that no one knew this story. I feel like such a smarty pants!
Ha!! Some people are just in the right place at the right time…and they don’t even know. I didn’t know this about this song!! Very sweet.
That would be my fantasy, to have a cool song written about me. I’m no recluse, so I’d have to tell everyone and shout it from the rooftops. 😉
Now Mia Farrow. A lady that, whichever way you look at it, has lived quite a life.
I am sitting here in a grey London contemplating the sensory experience that life with the Maharishi must have been. I think it’s time for some incense cones, candles and a little light yoga.
Then I imagine it was patchouli oil, but I’m forced to wonder what various scents she has worn across the different diverse stages of her life. Perhaps she always stayed faithful to that fragrance.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy.
Hmm… now you have me thinking… If ever there was someone faithful, it would be Ms. Farrow. I’d like to know which fragrance you’d assign her – she’s so petite and yet has such inner strength. Let me know when you come up with something.
In the mean time, I’ll be thinking of you in London, my favorite city! (although I do get cranky after a few days without sun) That’s when I head over to Harrods and Harvey Nichols for a little retail therapy, and after that, if you must know, I go down stairs to Wagamamas! All of this leads me back to light yoga and incense cones – something I could probably use a little more of in my life! 😉
Lisa
Dear Gripping
You know I have been thinking about Mia and am still struggling. She strikes me as someone who might wear something that others find slightly off putting but that engenders fondness over time.
I will continue to ponder this one.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
I thought I knew all the Beatles’ songs, but I didn’t know this one.
Of course, when one has nothing to wear, wearing that can certainly attract attention!
Haha! I often feel I have nothing to wear – good thing I have the sense to stay home!
Dear Prudence is on the White album, which apparently has all the “left-over” songs that they weren’t able to squeeze on the other records. I think it’s their best. Very eclectic.
some people are just too lucky! 🙂 I did not know this behind story at all. Thank you.
I have never heard this song or knew the back story ..It would be interesting (*hint- a blog post by Lisa) to learn more about the back stories on different songs. Most are written with a certain inspiration.. very cool indeed..
I’m surprised how many people don’t know this story or the song! I was sure when I wrote this post that it would be a snore – yadda, yadda, Lisa, scraping the bottom of the barrel! Haha!
It would be fun to do a backstory of popular songs feature… Hmmm…. Thinking….
ok so I am going to really put my neck out there on this love fest– I am probably the only anti Beatle person besides the one I married. (and U2– egads ugh)
This was an interesting factoid on the backstory. I can and will appreciate that.
anyways– just saying hello and you crack me– feeling fat and had nothing to wear? I bet that never happens Grippy.
You redeemed yourself with the U2 comment. Phew. But to even put them in the same semi category as the Beatles…? I’m blaming this on your mother. That’s right. She should have given you a better music foundation. A healthy love of the Beatles was pretty much make or break for me while I was dating. What’s that? You don’t like the Beatles? A buh-bye. 🙂
Feeling fat is an every day, no wait, an hourly occurrence. Nothing to wear just goes hand in hand with that condition. 🙂
ok I won’t argue with you on the Beatles..clearly it is a new found fault that I found in your personality. Sigh and you were so perfect to me.. haaa haaa just kidding.But really I just don’t get the Beatle love. I was the hair band kinda dating gal. Haa what does that say about me.. oh don’t go there. Can you tell i am procrastinating going to work this morning. Ugn..
hahah! I don’t see you as a hair band kinda girl… please elaborate. I will never let our music sensibilities drive a wedge between us. That’s a promise!! 😀
Procrastinate away – enjoy every minute.
It’s sunny here today, so my world is momentarily happy.
Have a good one!!
Lisa
I used to get so bothered because there was no song with my name in it. Jessie and Jolene and Caroline and every other girl got some lyric love. Then John Mayer wrote a little song with a fictional Tori in it and it was the MOST DEPRESSING SONG EVER. Song Tori was a total bummer 🙂
I share this with you, Tori. (I’ll take a listen after I write this comment.) Cat Stevens, who can do no wrong in my eyes and ears, wrote a song called, “Sad Lisa.” That’s it. That’s what I get. Not only is Lisa sad, but it sounds like she’s locked in an asylum. Great. Thanks Mr. Stevens. You’ve given me quite a thrill. 🙂
Oh, what I wouldn’t do to be Jolene!! Although, then I’d have to be an official ginger because the song clearly describes her with, “flaming locks of auburn hair.” Oh well, I think I could live with it.
Love the Beatles. Also can’t imagine why no one has written a song for you. Dolly’s Jolene is a;another of my very favorite songs. There! You have inspired me to think three separate thoughts in one reply. A song can’t be far off.
That’s very kind. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with El Guapo, but this post inspired him to write a very beautiful poem for me which he just emailed. So far this post has yielded (is that a word?) great creativity! Thanks for a wonderful comment!!
Lisa
The Name Game was written for everyone! Enjoy. “Lisa, Lisa, bobisa, banana fanna fo fisa…. HF
Thanks, “Harper, Harper Bobarper, banana fanna fo Farper…” that’s extra special.
Sorry, I don’t write poetry like El Guapo. My poetry is El Grapo. HF
Don’t kid a kidder – I’m sure your poetry is beautiful – in fact, I’d like to encourage you to find a word that rhymes with Lisa, but it has to be pleasing and not strain in it’s rhyme like, “pizza.”
I love this story and the imagery you added of John tapping on Prudence’s door just made it all the more sweet.
Oh, I’m happy you liked it! I always think of those images, as well, when I hear this song. It has such simple and sweet lyrics. It’s hard not to like.
I think I would be hard pressed to deal with the egos and emotional needs of John – his relationship with Yoko was kind of scary – they couldn’t do anything without the other – I couldn’t handle that kind of stifling attention and over possessiveness. It’s too bad a lot of really talented artists cannot cope in day to day life.
If you’ve never seen the film, “Nowhere Boy” you would enjoy it. It tells the story of John Lennon’s screwed up childhood. I think his being clingy was directly related to the fact that his mother abandoned him. It’s all very psychological. He was definitely messed up, by no fault of his own. Very sad.
I don’t think I could handle the egos very well, either.
I’m trying to remember if Yoko was on this trip…? I’ll have to look it up. It might have been one of his last moments of freedom.
I read a bio of his that was very sad and disturbing. When I read about couple that would ‘die without each other’ i makes a ball of ice in my stomach b/c it reminds me of a scary boyfriend I had.
Yes, John had a very sad upbringing – it was an aunt that raised him, if I remember.
That’s right, his mother’s sister – his mom lived in walking distance and he never knew until he was a teenager. I remember the story of your icky boyfriend. That explains why you would feel uneasy with those types of relationships.
LOL! Still laughing about the song Harper had written about him!! Hahahaha! Oh this was a lovely post Lisa. I haven’t heard that song, I think probably since they were playing it on the radio! I had no idea it was written for Prudence Farrow. It sounds like Prudence was shy. She was probably mortified that she had a song written about her shyness! LOL!! 😀
🙂 fascinatin
I thought it was, too. 🙂
You want poetry? I’ll give you poetry.
There once was a lady called Lisa
Every one tried their best to please her
I took my turn
Cooked without a single burn
Now she’s happy eating pizza.
Bravo!! You did it! LOL! Everyone always ends up using “pizza” in the rhyme. haha!
Thanks, Pete. That put a smile on my face. 😉
Haha I spent pretty much the whole of yesterday afternoon at work coming up with those types of poems for random work colleagues, folding them up then just leaving them on their desk to be amazed whenever they realized they were there 😀
That’s kind. I wish you worked near me. I’d bring you a lunch everyday and we could have some good laughs.
Free lunch every day! That’d make listening to imbeciles that don’t know what an Enter key is worthwhile 😀
This is unrelated, but did you see Paul on the SNL Christmas episode?
He was brilliant! Just like this post!
Thanks, Hook. I’m sorry I didn’t see your comment sooner! It’s very kind of you to use the word brilliant in association with anything I write. Very kind, indeed.
Lisa, currently I reside in the same town that the Beatles came to 🙂 by the river Ganges!
Maybe the location is not so remote? Ha! I think I made that up. It’s a great story, either way. I hope you’re having a wonderful day, Raunak. 🙂
Lisa, I’ve been wracking my mind to come up with a verse to a Lisa song, and this is the best I could do in a short time! Hey, I *tried* 😉
Lisa’s heart it burns with a flame
Lisa’s mind is something sublime
Lisa’s voice makes souls rejoice
When Lisa smiles the world’s beguiled
It’s terrible I know, but I had only a short time. Gee, what an excuse! It’s really schmaltzy too 🙂
Hugs, George x
I love this, George!! How incredibly sweet of you. You really do know how to cheer me up and make me smile. Schmaltzy and George Kaplan cannot coexist. Period. Everything you write is beautiful and from the heart. Thank you for this. I’m going to print it off and put it on my nightstand. 🙂
Xoxox
It was my pleasure, sweet lady. I saw that you were bemoaning the lack of Lisa songs so I tried in my inept way to come up with a nice verse that fitted you 🙂
There’s a Velvet Underground called Lisa Says but when I read the lyric I found it was, let’s say, “inappropriate”!
As you know I’m hard-of-hearing now but I loved Dear Prudence , it’s a fantastic song (I like the single guitar line that runs unaltered throughout the song, too). If you’d like to read more on the history and culture behind Beatles songs (and the Beatles themselves) I would recommend the great book Revolution In The Head by Ian MacDonald. I think you’d be fascinated by it.
The Beatles a.ka. “The White Album” is a really varied and interesting album, isn’t it? They were fragmenting at the time and less of a band but some fantastic songs came out of it: Julia, Sexy Sadie, Back in the USSR, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Martha My Dear, etc! You have taste, my lovely friend 😉
Wishing you a bee-OO-TEE-Ful day with much to smile about,
George the K xox!
Hey George to the K,
Thanks for the great recommendations – I’ll look into both, Revolution in the Head and Lisa Says (don’t worry, I’ll probably like it! lol!)
I love the White Album. It’s probably my favorite. I think it’s all the left-over songs that didn’t work on other albums. Very eclectic mix – probably why I love it.
Hope your day was bee-OO-TEE-Ful, too!! xoxo!
L.
🙂 Hope you enjoy.
(I’ve been ill, unfortunately today but the luminous Vickie, and now your sweet words have made me feel much better 🙂 Off to sleep away the ooginess now)
xox, G.K.