williamw.88381
  Junior Member

The Beatles said this song was the most difficult one they ever recorded.
Paul McCartney got his inspiration from the writings of French playwright
and author Albert Jarry (1873 - 1907) who invented "pataphysics," which
has over 100 definitions, the most commonly referenced one being "the
science of imaginary solutions." It is supposedly the next step beyond
metaphysics. (WWI started in 1914).

Jarry was drafted into the French army, but he was too small for
their smallest size uniform. First, he was prohibited from marching
with the other soldiers because he looked so ridiculous and he
was eventually given a medical discharge for being too short.
.
At the first performance of Jarry's play "Ubu Roi," men in the
audience came in wearing tuxedos and top hats which was
customary dress at the time.. The first word
of the play is "Merdre," spoken by Father Ubu. There is no such
word in the French language. Merde, of course, means "shit,"
and the "-re" ending indicates that is a "reflexive" verb like
"etre," (to be), and as soon as the word was spoken, the
audience rioted. In most English translations, the word
is just given as "shit."

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The play is ridiculous and it makes fun of several Shakespearean
Plays as well as Sophocles. more »