About the Song
Tucked into the meditative second half of Abbey Road, “Because” is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever recorded by The Beatles—and one that showcases not just their musical brilliance, but their emotional maturity as a band on the edge of farewell.
Written by John Lennon, and credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership, “Because” was inspired by a simple moment: John heard Yoko Ono playing Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and asked her to reverse the chords. What followed was a song that feels suspended in time, built on delicate layers of vocal harmony and sparse instrumentation.
The vocal arrangement—a three-part harmony sung by John, Paul, and George, and then triple-tracked—creates a shimmering nine-voice texture that is unlike anything else in the Beatles’ catalog. There are no drums, no flashy solos. Just a harpsichord, a Moog synthesizer, an electric guitar, and three voices that seem to float together, breathing in and out as one.
Lyrically, “Because” is minimal, almost like a Zen poem: “Because the world is round, it turns me on…” It’s not a song about plot—it’s a song about presence, about wonder, about seeing the world not through a lens of chaos, but through awe. In a way, it feels like a pause before the end, a final breath before the crescendo of the Abbey Road medley begins.
For many fans, “Because” captures The Beatles at their most serene and spiritual. There’s no message to push. No ego on display. Just a shared stillness, wrapped in sound.