Beatles – Dig A Pony

No, this is not the strongest song in the Beatles catalog or even the strongest on the Let It Be album but…I love that guitar riff! That riff is one of the most unorthodox riffs I’ve heard. Only the mind of John Lennon could have come up with that part. The same man that brought us the riffs of Daytripper and And Your Bird Can Sing.

The part that hooked me as a kid was the guitar riff as I’ve said and the I, I, I, I Iyeeeeeeeee that starts it out. The other strong part of the song is the chorus “All I Want Is You!” “Everything has got to be just like you want it to!” and right after that the riff comes in again. I also like John’s raw vocals in this one. Also…it’s hard not to like “I roll a stoney. “The orginal title was All I Want Is You.

John Lennon would often string words together to create nonsensical phrases for his lyrics. When asked about this song he said it refers to no specific person and the lyrics are “nonsense,” a lyrical technique he also attributes to Bob Dylan songs. John said he made it up as he went along.

The lyrics were brought up in the movie “Imagine” released in 1988.

This part below was in the Imagine movie.

In a clip after the Beatles broke up, a young man…obviousy on hard times ended up in John’s garden. The fellow’s name was Curt Claudio. He looked a bit lost and scarred. He latched onto John Lennon and his music, believing that he had some sort of connection to John and he traveled to England to find out if he really did. He was found sleeping on the grounds of Tittenhurst Park, John and Yoko’s home in Ascot. Claudio thought John was speaking to him through his songs. He mentions lyrics to Dig a Pony.

John took the time to go out and talk to Curt and very kindly told him that he was just a guy too, and that while Curt thought that John’s songs were written with Curt in mind, they were really just written from personal, everyday experiences. He then invited him in the house for something to eat.

Video below

Dig A Pony

I dig a pony
Well, you can celebrate anything you want
Yes, you can celebrate anything you want
Oh

I do a road hog
Well, you can penetrate any place you go
Yes, you can penetrate any place you go
I told you so

All I want is you
Everything has got to be just like you want it to
Because

I pick a moon dog
Well, you can radiate everything you are
Yes, you can radiate everything you are
Oh now

I roll a stoney
Well, you can imitate everyone you know
Yes, you can imitate everyone you know
I told you so

All I want is you
Everything has got to be just like you want it to
Because (woo)

Oh now
I feel the wind blow
Well, you can indicate everything you see
Yes, you can indicate everything you see
Oh now

I load a lorry
Well, you can syndicate any boat you row
Yeah, you can syndicate any boat you row
I told you so

All I want is you
Everything has got to be just like you want it to
Because

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

25 thoughts on “Beatles – Dig A Pony”

  2. Oh, Max, how could you! 🙂

    Man, I love that tune for all the reasons you noted, or perhaps I should say I dig it!

    Little fun fact. When I was younger, so much younger than today and hardly understood any English, I always thought, yeah, perhaps you like digging for gold, but why would you ever dig a pony? True story!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Watching the special makes me look at it a bit differently; after you hear it as many times as that it does become a bit of an earworm. Used to think it was one of their worst songs from any record, but now have to say it’s semi-catchy. Seems like it might have done well mixed into that Abbey Road medley though instead of being a stand-alone song.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. When I got the album…my 10 year old ears when right to it. I never liked The Long and Winding Road but this one got me.

      Like

      Reply

  5. I still remember going to the movies to see Imagine. There was about 10 people watching the movie which surprised me as myself and lady friend at the time made up 20% of the audience. lol
    I knew from seeing U2’s Rattle and Hum around the same time at the movies as well that rock n roll films didn’t necessarily click especially here in Tbay circa 1988. lol
    U2 had about 10 people as well maybe less lol and they were massive in 88…

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. You are right…on a whole… rock and roll movies don’t do as well…the most crowded one I went to was A Hard Days Night rerelease only because it was only in the theater for a certain time only… like 2 days and gone.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. I would think that could have turned out badly for Lennon. Even back then, it was not a safe world. So far, I have watched the first installment of the documentary. Great stuff; hats off to Jackson. I had forgotten what a great band those guys were. Essential music with guitars and no effects.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Wipe away the hype and they were a really great band. It’s easy to forget that because of the myth that has grown up around them.

      Glad you are liking it Phil.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. Ok…that makes sense John! I’m terrible at music theory but that explains why I thought that. It’s not a riff you would just think of…being a rhythm guitarist….John had an odd rhythm

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I liked seeing the genesis of the songs. Don’t Let Me Down…they had those background vocals that didn’t fit and they smartly got rid of them. Seeing the song Get Back progress was fun also.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. Yes it would be! I have to wonder if they will release more through the years. There are not many more projects they can do I don’t think…

        Like

  9. That was audacious of John approaching someone who obviously had complications. Didn’t George get stabbed by a deranged fan?
    I remember Dylan talking about people entering his surroundings in Woodstock on some bent. But to see John there being sincere with this guy was awesome. I love that guy.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes he did it…he was open like that and later on it cost him his life…he had no body guards…he said that if someone got killed protecting him he would never have forgiven himself.

      I’ m watching The Get Back program…Matt this will seem strange…but I forgot how great of a band they were. Forget the myth that has grown up around them…just the playing between them was incredible.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I didn’t know that about Lennon not having Bodyguards, but it’s unlikely it would have saved him anyway. I like his sentiment regarding not having someone else killed.

        Music is personal and by golly have I tried to get into the Beatles watching the whole anthology etc and I was probably more of a fan when they were screamed at by hordes of teenagers.

        Their influence is undeniable. I don’t blame you for finding something that is beyond the myth. They are the most popular band of all time.

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a reply to christiansmusicmusings Cancel reply