The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill: Beatles song.

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

“The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill” is a Beatles’ song from their “White Album.” Indeed, as the title suggests, there is a true story behind it all, as we shall soon find out!

  • Release Date: November 22, 1968 (UK), November 25, 1968 (US)
  • Recorded: October 8, 1968
  • Studio: EMI Studios, London
  • Genre: Folk rock
  • Track Duration: 3:18
  • Record Label: Apple Records
  • Songwriters: Lennon-McCartney
  • Producer: George Martin
  • Engineer: Ken Scott

**This was the first and only time a female has had a lead vocal in a Beatles’ song.

You can still buy this song because it is on the following album:

Written by John Lennon while in India, “The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill” is all about the actions of a young American, Richard A. Cooke III (aka Rik). At the time, Rik’s mother, Nancy Cooke de Herrera, and The Beatles were staying at the Ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rishikesh. The song came about while Rik was visiting his mother.

Rik, his mother, and some others “went out tiger hunting” with a pack of elephants. However, a tiger was about to attack the elephants when Rik shot and killed it. Being instantly proud of what he had just done, they took photographs of Rik and his kill.

However, soon after the kill, Rik began to feel remorse. In fact, he returned to the ashram to seek spiritual enlightenment, and he never hunted again after that incident.

“Rik told me that he felt bad about it and said that he didn’t think he’d ever kill an animal again. Maharishi said, ‘You had the desire Rik and now you don’t have the desire?’ Then John asked, ‘Don’t you call that slightly life-destructive?’ I said, ‘Well John, it was either the tiger or us. The tiger was right where we were’. That came up in the lyric as ‘If looks could kill, it would have been us instead of him‘.”

Nancy Cooke
A Hard Day’s Write, Steve Turner

Once John Lennon discovered what happened, even though it may have been necessary at the time, he began to demean Rik’s actions. In reality, the song was Lennon’s way of mocking the whole issue.

“That was written about a guy in Maharishi’s meditation camp who took a short break to go shoot a few poor tigers and then came back to commune with God. There used to be a character called Jungle Jim, and I combined him with Buffalo Bill. It’s a sort of teenage social-comment song and a bit of a joke.”

John Lennon
All We Are Saying, David Sheff

On October 8, 1968, in Studio 2 at the world-famous EMI Studios in London, The Beatles completed the song in the 4.00 p.m.–8.00 a.m. recording session. All in all, there were three takes, with the final one being the best. Overdubbing took place on the same day, with the backing singers being anyone who was available in the building at the time!

Yoko Ono sang the following line like a child: “Not when he looked so fierce.” Never before had a female had a lead vocal in a Beatles’ song, and it would never happen again. With the White Album nearing completion, there were further tweaks to the track, including a Spanish guitar introduction piece.

It’s time to hear the song once again. If you have not heard it before, give it a spin. Then, when you do, consider leaving us your opinions below.

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