rocky

Rocky Raccoon


Hello, welcome to my page. In it, you know a little
more about my song, created by the Beatles.


Here is the link to the music video.

"Rocky Raccoon" is a Beatles song composed by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon-McCartney, and released on the 1968 album The Beatles or "White Album". It is a parody of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash ballads as well as "Back in the USSR", which parodies Beach Boys songs.

Origins of Creation

Although the Beatles went to a transcendental meditation in Rishikesh, we see that, in musical terms, the record was little inspired by Indian musicality. This American western blues-style song was composed by Paul, who was inspired while playing with Lennon and Donovan in India, with the help of George Harrison for the lyrics.

The original name of the song's character was "Rocky Sassoon," but Paul changed it to "Raccoon" because he thought it "sounds more like a cowboy name." It tells the story of cowboy Rocky Raccoon (Rocky Raccoon).

The lyrics parody the "tales" sung by Dylan and Cash. In this case, it's about a place on the dark mine hill in Dakota, where a young boy named Rocky Raccoon lived. Then one day his wife Nancy ran off with another guy named Daniel, but Rocky went to town for revenge and proposed a duel to "Dan", this one being faster, and hitting Rocky. The doctor finds him badly injured but he replies that "it's just a scratch and everything will get better." The lyrics also make a mention of the Bible distributed by Gideon's International ("Gideon's Bible"), saying that it helps in Rocky's recovery.

The musicians

Paul McCartney vocal, guitar
John Lennon backing vocals, harmonica, 6-string bass
George Harrison backing vocals
Ringo Starr drums
George Martin piano

Curiosities and References

  • Richie Havens, James Blunt, Jack Johnson, Frogg & Jaycatt, Merlin and Phish already covered this song.
  • Jessie Baylin, Folk/Jazz artist covered during their tours.
  • Lena Horne (with Gábor Szabó) recorded a memorable version in 1969, which was released in several versions on CD and LP.
  • Coincidence or not, a woman who meditated with the Beatles in Rishikesh and inspired Lennon's song, "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill," was named Nancy, as was the woman from "Rocky Raccoon."
  • The song Rocky Raccoon inspired many other musicians to compose, as in the case of Renato Russo, composer of Faroeste Caboclo.
  • In 1990, John Porcellino's King-Cat comic book series featured stories about Rocky Raccoon, a character who lives in rascality, works odd jobs and drinks all the time listening to punk rock.
  • In the Coco Pops cereal commercials, the character Coco Monkey has a new friend named Rocky Raccoon, this character is a raccoon.
  • The song is a reference to the CSI episode, "Fur and Loathing in Las Vegas," when a being named "Rocky the raccoon" is killed by mysterious causes.
  • In the movie Rocky V, when Rocky Jr tells him he looks like a raccoon, he replies, “How? Like Rocky Raccoon?”
  • In Nintendo's video game Pocky & Rocky, Rocky is a raccoon.
  • Rocket Raccoon, comic book character, is a raccoon and consciously inspired by the Beatles' Rocky Raccoon song.