Ob-La-Di, Ob-La...?

There has been a well-known and happily sung song circulating and popping all around the world since 1968; it is from The White Album (A.K.A., The Beatles) by the Beatles. Many people love the tune, but when they try and sing it the words come out in many different ways:

Aduli- adulahh!
Goo-la-fi, goo-la-da!
Doe-ray-me, do-ray-la!

But in actuality, to correct phrase is:

“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” supposedly meaning, “Life goes on.”

Often known as a Lennon-McCartney track, it was written solely by McCartney, and the lyrics go as follows:


Desmond has a barrow in the market place
Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly "girl I like your face"
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand

Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on
Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on

Desmond takes a trolley to the jewellers stores
Buys a twenty carat golden ring (Golden ring?)
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing (Sing)

Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on
Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on, yeah (No)

In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
(Ah ha ha ha ha ha)

Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond let's the children lend a hand (Arm! Leg!)
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
And in the evening she's a singer with the band

Yes, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on (Ha ha ha)
Hey, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on

In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
(Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)

Yeah, happy ever after in the market place
Molly let's the children lend a hand (Foot!)
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening she's a singer with the band

Yeah, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on
Yeah, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how the life goes on

And if you want some fun
Take ob-la-di ob-la-da

(Thank you, uh, ha ha ha!)