# Octopus's Garden > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Octopus's_Garden > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Octopus's_Garden.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus's_Garden > Source revision: 1357018938 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1969 song by the Beatles This article is about the Beatles song. For the children's book, see [*Octopus's Garden* (book)](/source/Octopus's_Garden_(book)). "Octopus's Garden" Cover of the song's sheet music Song by the Beatles from the album Abbey Road Released 26 September 1969 Recorded 26, 29 April, 17–18 July 1969 Studio EMI, London Genre Pop rock[1] country rock[2] Length 2:48 Label Apple Songwriter Richard Starkey Producer George Martin "**Octopus's Garden**" is a song by the English rock band [the Beatles](/source/The_Beatles), written and sung by [Ringo Starr](/source/Ringo_Starr) (credited to his real name Richard Starkey), from their 1969 album *[Abbey Road](/source/Abbey_Road)*. [George Harrison](/source/George_Harrison), who assisted Starr with the song, commented: "'Octopus's Garden' is Ringo's song. It's only the second song Ringo wrote, and it's lovely." He added that the song gets very deep into the listener's consciousness "because it's so peaceful. I suppose Ringo is writing cosmic songs these days without even realising it."[3] It was the last song released by the Beatles featuring Starr on lead vocals. ## Composition The idea for the song came about when Starr was on a boat belonging to comedian [Peter Sellers](/source/Peter_Sellers) in [Sardinia](/source/Sardinia) in 1968. He ordered [fish and chips](/source/Fish_and_chips) for lunch, but instead of fish he got [squid](/source/Squid_as_food) (it was the first time he had eaten squid, and he said, "It was OK. A bit rubbery. [Tasted like chicken](/source/Tastes_like_chicken).")[4] The boat's captain then told Starr about how [octopuses](/source/Octopus) travel along the sea bed picking up stones and shiny objects with which to build gardens.[5] Starr's songwriting was further inspired by his desire to escape mounting hostility among the Beatles; he would later admit that he had "just wanted to be under the sea, too". Uncredited assistance in developing the song's chord changes was provided by Harrison, who can be seen helping Starr work the song out on piano, with [John Lennon](/source/John_Lennon) later joining in with drums, in the documentaries *[Let It Be](/source/Let_It_Be_(1970_film))* (1970)[6] and *[The Beatles: Get Back](/source/The_Beatles%3A_Get_Back)* (2021), both using the same footage. ## Recording The basic instrumental [track](/source/Multitrack_recording) was recorded 26 April 1969, with the Beatles lineup of two [electric guitars](/source/Electric_guitar) (Harrison and Lennon),[7] [bass guitar](/source/Bass_guitar) (McCartney) and [drums](/source/Drum_kit) (Starr). Starr also provided a temporary guide vocal on this date. (Take 2 of the recording, featuring this guide vocal, Starr singing the first verse three times, is Track 14 on Disc 2 of *[Anthology 3](/source/Anthology_3)*.) In the absence of [George Martin](/source/George_Martin), the Beatles themselves were listed as producer, with Martin's apprentice [Chris Thomas](/source/Chris_Thomas_(record_producer)) present in the [control room](/source/Control_room) to assist. Thirty-two takes were required before the Beatles were satisfied with the track.[8] According to [Mark Lewisohn](/source/Mark_Lewisohn), the backing vocals by McCartney and Harrison during the guitar solo were put through [compressors](/source/Audio_level_compression) and [limiters](/source/Audio_level_compression#Limiting) to create a gurgling sound. However, since dynamic signal processing does not produce such a modulation effect, [Alan Parsons](/source/Alan_Parsons) suggests that the effect was probably achieved using the tremolo effect produced by a guitar amplifier.[9] At Starr's request, Harrison[10] added the sound of bubbles by blowing through a straw into a glass of milk.[11][12] ## Personnel According to Kevin Howlett, Brooke Halpin:[13][10] - [Ringo Starr](/source/Ringo_Starr) – [double-tracked](/source/Double_tracking) lead vocals, drums, percussion - [John Lennon](/source/John_Lennon) – rhythm guitar - [Paul McCartney](/source/Paul_McCartney) – backing vocals, bass guitar, piano - [George Harrison](/source/George_Harrison) – backing vocals, lead guitar, bubbling effects ## Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Silver 200,000‡ ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. ## *Love* remix The song was remixed in 2006 for the Beatles album *[Love](/source/Love_(The_Beatles_album))*, which contained remixes of classic Beatles songs. The remix begins with Starr's vocals over the orchestration from "[Good Night](/source/Good_Night_(Beatles_song))", then transitions into the original instrumental backing track on the line "I'd ask my friends...", with snippets from "[Yellow Submarine](/source/Yellow_Submarine_(song))" added in the background. During the guitar solo, the drum track is replaced with that of "[Lovely Rita](/source/Lovely_Rita)" and ends with the beginning guitar riff from "[Sun King](/source/Sun_King_(song))". ## Other versions [Jim Henson](/source/Jim_Henson)'s [Muppets](/source/The_Muppets) made three video cover versions of the song, on *[Sesame Street](/source/Sesame_Street)*, Episode 19 in 1969, *[The Ed Sullivan Show](/source/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show)* in March 1970, and *[The Muppet Show](/source/The_Muppet_Show)* Episode 312 in 1978, which was performed by [Kermit the Frog](/source/Kermit_the_Frog), his nephew [Robin the Frog](/source/List_of_Muppets#Robin_the_Frog), and [Miss Piggy](/source/Miss_Piggy).[15][16] [Oasis](/source/Oasis_(band)) and [Noel Gallagher](/source/Noel_Gallagher) have used lyrics from "Octopus's Garden": the phrase "I'd like to be under the sea" is in the refrain of one of Oasis' most popular B-sides, "Take Me Away".[17] The refrain from the chorus of "Octopus's Garden" can be heard about forty seconds from the end of Oasis's "[The Masterplan](/source/The_Masterplan_(song))".[18] The band also frequently use the same refrain at the end of live performances of their 1994 single "[Whatever](/source/Whatever_(Oasis_song))".[19] ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** J. O'Grady, Terence (1983). *The Beatles, a Musical Evolution*. Twayne. p. 160. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780805794533](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780805794533). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Halpin, Brooke (2017). *Experiencing the Beatles: A Listener's Companion*. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 104. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Marks2009_3-0)** Marks, Marvin (23 August 2009). ["Abbey Road: The Beatles in Their Own Words"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090904004052/http://www.musicbyday.com/abbey-road-the-beatles-in-their-own-words/574/). *Music by Day*. Archived from [the original](http://www.musicbyday.com/abbey-road-the-beatles-in-their-own-words/574/) on 4 September 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*Anthology*](/source/The_Beatles_Anthology) book (2000, p. 312) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-interviewdb_5-0)** ["Abbey Road"](http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/dba11road.html). The Beatles Interview Database. Retrieved 25 September 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Spizer, Bruce](/source/Bruce_Spizer) (2003). *The Beatles on Apple Records*. 498 Productions. p. 166. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** *The Complete Beatles Chronicle* [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-851-52975-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-851-52975-9) p. 320 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Lewisohn, Mark (2004). *The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions*. London: Hamlyn. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-681-03189-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-681-03189-1). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Money/Octopus's Garden tremolo - Gearspace"](https://gearspace.com/board/q-a-with-engineer-producer-artist-alan-parsons/492753-money-octopuss-garden-tremolo.html). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_10-1) *Experiencing the Beatles: A Listener's Companion* [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-442-27144-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-442-27144-9) p. 104 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["DM Beatle's Site: Abbey Road (UK, 1969)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091024003746/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/8313/discography/a_12.htm). Webcitation.org. Archived from [the original](http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/8313/discography/a_12.htm) on 24 October 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Abbey Road"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121210013817/http://www.upv.es/~ecabrera/abbey.html). *upv.es*. Archived from [the original](http://www.upv.es/~ecabrera/abbey.html) on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2006. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Howlett/AbbeyRoad50_13-0)** Howlett, Kevin (2019). [*Abbey Road (50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition)*](/source/Abbey_Road) (book). [The Beatles](/source/The_Beatles). Apple Records. pp. 34–35. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-United_KingdomBeatlesOctopuss_GardensingleCertRef_14-0)** ["British single certifications – Beatles – Octopuss Garden"](https://www.bpi.co.uk/page/certified-awards). [British Phonographic Industry](/source/British_Phonographic_Industry). Retrieved 13 September 2024. *Select*singles*in the Formats field.* *Type*Octopuss Garden Beatles*in the "Search:" field.* 1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["2/23/1970 – 'VTR Sullivan Show – "Octopus Garden"'"](https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2014/02/2231970/). *Jim Henson's Red Book*. [The Jim Henson Company](/source/The_Jim_Henson_Company). 24 February 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Sexton, Paul (12 December 2021). ["See The Muppets' Take On Ringo Starr's Beatles Favorite 'Octopus Garden'"](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/muppets-perform-beatles-octopus-garden/). *UDiscoverMusic*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Morgan, Adam (29 May 2014). ["Album Review: Oasis: Definitely Maybe: Chasing the Sun Edition"](https://survivingthegoldenage.com/oasis-definitely-maybe-chasing-the-sun-edition/). *Surviving the Golden Age*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Jackson, Archie (7 November 2023). ["Album Review – Oasis: The Masterplan"](https://www.silentradio.co.uk/11/07/album-review-oasis-the-masterplan/). *Silent Radio*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Atkinson, Katie (7 September 2025). ["Paul McCartney Offers This One-Word Review of Oasis' First Rose Bowl Show After He Was Spotted Filming in the Crowd"](https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/paul-mccartney-oasis-rose-bowl-concert-review-1236060771/). ## External links Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Abbey Road](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Abbey_Road)***. - [Alan W. Pollack](/source/Alan_W._Pollack)'s [*Notes on* "Octopus's Garden"](http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/og.shtml) v t e Abbey Road 50th Anniversary Edition Songs Side one "Come Together" "Something" "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" "Oh! Darling" "Octopus's Garden" "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" Side two "Here Comes the Sun" "Because" "You Never Give Me Your Money" "Sun King" "Mean Mr. Mustard" "Polythene Pam" "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" "Golden Slumbers" "Carry That Weight" "The End" "Her Majesty" Non-album single "The Ballad of John and Yoko" "Old Brown Shoe" Outtakes "All Things Must Pass" "Come and Get It" "Ain't She Sweet" Related articles The Beatles albums discography Break-up of the Beatles Abbey Road, London McLemore Avenue The Other Side of Abbey Road The Abbey Road E.P. The Beatles albums: Please Please Me With the Beatles A Hard Day's Night Beatles for Sale Help! Rubber Soul Revolver Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Magical Mystery Tour The Beatles Yellow Submarine Abbey Road Let It Be Authority control databases MusicBrainz work --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Octopus's Garden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus's_Garden) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus's_Garden?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.