Piggies (film)
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"Piggies" is a song by the English rock band
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
from their 1968 album ''
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
'' (also known as "the White Album"). Written by
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
as a social commentary, the song serves as an Orwellian satire on greed and consumerism. Among several elements it incorporates from
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
, the track features
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
and orchestral strings in the
baroque pop Baroque pop (sometimes called baroque rock) is a fusion genre that combines rock music with particular elements of classical music. It emerged in the mid 1960s as artists pursued a majestic, orchestral sound and is identifiable for its appropria ...
style, which are contrasted by Harrison's acerbic lyrics and the sound of grunting pigs. Although credited to
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the B ...
, the recording was largely produced by Chris Thomas, who also contributed the harpsichord part. In the context of the turbulent political climate of 1968, "Piggies" was adopted by the
counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Hou ...
as an anti-establishment theme song. It was also among the tracks on ''The Beatles'' that cult leader
Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934November 19, 2017) was an American criminal and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California, in the late 1960s. Some of the members committed a series of nine murders at four loca ...
used as the foundation for his Helter Skelter theory of an American race-related countercultural revolution. Inspired especially by the line "What they need's a damn good whacking", Manson's followers left clues relating to the lyrics at the scenes of the Tate–LaBianca murders in August 1969. "Piggies" has received widely varying responses from music critics, and its reputation suffered due to the association with Manson following the latter's trial in 1971. While some reviewers admire its musical qualities and recognise sardonic humour in the lyrics, others consider the song to be mean-spirited and lacking in subtlety. Harrison's
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
of the song, recorded at his home in
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, was included on the Beatles' 1996 compilation '' Anthology 3''. A live version by Harrison, reinstating a verse that was omitted from the studio recording, appears on his 1992 album '' Live in Japan''. Folk singer and activist
Theo Bikel Theodore Meir Bikel ( ; May 2, 1924 – July 21, 2015) was an Austrian-American actor, folk singer, musician, composer, unionist, and political activist. He appeared in films, including '' The African Queen'' (1951), ''Moulin Rouge'' (1952), ' ...
and
anarcho-punk Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, hardcor ...
musician
Danbert Nobacon Chumbawamba () were a British rock band formed in 1982 and disbanded in 2012. They are best known for their 1997 single "Tubthumping", which was nominated for Best British Single at the 1998 Brit Awards. Other singles include " Amnesia", " Enou ...
are among the artists who have covered "Piggies".


Background and inspiration

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
began writing "Piggies" in early 1966, around the time that
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
were recording their album ''
Revolver A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...
''. He returned to the song two years later, after discovering his manuscript in the attic of his parents' house in Liverpool. The same visit led to Harrison starting a new composition, " While My Guitar Gently Weeps", which he similarly completed for inclusion on the Beatles' self-titled double album (also known as "the White Album"). As an anti-establishment song, "Piggies" recalls Harrison's ''Revolver'' composition "
Taxman "Taxman" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. Written by the group's lead guitarist, George Harrison, with some lyrical assistance from John Lennon, it protests against the higher level of progress ...
". In his 1980 autobiography, '' I, Me, Mine'', Harrison describes "Piggies" as a social commentary. He intended it as a light-hearted satire on consumerism and class distinction. Through its theme of social strata within a community of farm animals (in this case, one consisting entirely of pigs), the song references
George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...
's 1945 novel ''
Animal Farm ''Animal Farm'' is a beast fable, in the form of satirical allegorical novella, by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. It tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to crea ...
''. According to Harrison's early draft of "Piggies", the lyrics contained a final verse, subsequently cut for the Beatles' recording, that ends with the animals "Paying piggy thanks – to thee Pig Brother!" Musicologist Walter Everett cites these words as evidence that Harrison's main inspiration for the song was Orwell's work, particularly "his fable of autocracy masquerading as democracy, ''Animal Farm''". While also identifying Orwell's book as an influence on the composition, author Ian Inglis views "Piggies" as one of several White Album songs in which the Beatles drew inspiration from their childhood in the 1940s. During Harrison's Liverpool visit in early 1968, his mother, Louise, responded to his request for assistance with the lyrics by providing the line "What they need's a damn good whacking". Harrison then taped a
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
of the song at his house in Esher, Surrey, in late May that year. Following this recording,
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
supplied the final phrase in the line "Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon", replacing the words "to cut their pork chops", which Harrison had sung on the demo version. When performing "Piggies" in concert during the early 1990s, Harrison reinstated the omitted final verse. From 1966, particularly in the United States, the slang usage of the word "pig" had grown from being a derogatory term for a police officer to refer also to consumerism and establishment figures in general. This was especially so in 1968, as the
counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Hou ...
became more politically focused, coinciding with the rise of the Black Power movement and the number of mass demonstrations against America's involvement in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. Although author
Jon Wiener Jon Wiener (born May 16, 1944) is an American historian and journalist based in Los Angeles, California. His most recent book is '' Set the Night on Fire: L.A. in the Sixties'', a ''Los Angeles Times'' bestseller co-authored by Mike Davis. H ...
terms Harrison and Lennon "the
radicals Radical may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Radical politics, the political intent of fundamental societal change *Radicalism (historical), the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and ...
among the Beatles", citing their past outspokenness about Vietnam and their readiness to embrace LSD experimentation and
Transcendental Meditation Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes a ...
, Harrison denied that he was using "pig" in its new context. Inglis nevertheless says that the song title alone "references" the countercultural view of police officers.


Composition


Music

"Piggies" features
baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
musical elements in its melody and texture. Music journalist Steve Smith groups the song with the
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
-written "
For No One "For No One" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. It was written by Paul McCartney, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. A blend of baroque pop and chamber music, the song is about the end of a relat ...
" and " She's Leaving Home" as examples of the Beatles' forays into
baroque pop Baroque pop (sometimes called baroque rock) is a fusion genre that combines rock music with particular elements of classical music. It emerged in the mid 1960s as artists pursued a majestic, orchestral sound and is identifiable for its appropria ...
. Harrison biographer Simon Leng recognises the composition as essentially a
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...
song, however, that was then given a "satirical, drawing-room usicalarrangement" on the official recording by the prominence of
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
and orchestral strings. The song's
musical key In music theory, the key of a piece is the group of pitches, or scale (music), scale, that forms the basis of a musical composition in classical music, classical, Western art, and Western pop music. The group features a ''tonic (music), tonic ...
is A. Its structure comprises two verses, a
middle eight The 32-bar form, also known as the AABA song form, American popular song form and the ballad form, is a song structure commonly found in Tin Pan Alley songs and other American popular music, especially in the first half of the 20th century. A ...
(or bridge) section, an instrumental passage (over the verse melody), followed by a final verse that leads into a
coda Coda or CODA may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * Movie coda, a post-credits scene * ''Coda'' (1987 film), an Australian horror film about a serial killer, made for television *''Coda'', a 2017 American experimental film from Na ...
(or outro) and a formal ending. In his commentary on "Piggies", musicologist
Alan Pollack Alan Pollack (born 1964 in New Jersey) is an American artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Works Alan Pollack produced interior illustrations for many ''Dungeons & Dragons'' books and ''Dragon'' magazine since 1994, and did th ...
remarks on its abundance of
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
traits. These include the use of "
arpeggio A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves. An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
fragments" in Harrison's opening guitar motif and the repetition of this four-bar passage before each verse and the bridge – a device typical of Schubert's various
lied In Western classical music tradition, (, plural ; , plural , ) is a term for setting poetry to classical music to create a piece of polyphonic music. The term is used for any kind of song in contemporary German, but among English and French s ...
er and the works of other nineteenth-century composers. During the song, the expected cycle of fifth notes in the major scale is interrupted through the inclusion of a III7 (C7) chord, which first appears at the end of the passage leading into the middle eight, before the melody drops down a tone to the minor ii (Bm) chord. The same section's first line ends with the surprise inclusion of a
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
-based
riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
, soon after which the C7 chord is used again in the ascent to the IV (
subdominant In music, the subdominant is the fourth tonal degree () of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance ''below'' the tonic as the dominant is ''above'' the tonicin other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdomina ...
) chord, helping to accentuate the phrase "damn good whacking". As a further example of the melody's baroque characteristics, the bridge contains an implied but unfulfilled tonicisation of VI. In addition, over the coda, the recurring four-bar instrumental passage is partly shifted to a parallel minor, through the use of the more classically oriented Am chord, rather than its major equivalent as before. Following the instrumental coda, the song ends with the strings playing a tonically ambiguous cadence, which Everett describes as an unexpected " diminished fourth away from tonic".


Lyrics

Inglis writes that while the
nursery rhyme A nursery rhyme is a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and many other countries, but usage of the term dates only from the late 18th/early 19th century. The term Mother Goose rhymes is interchangeable with nursery rhymes. From t ...
form was Harrison's musical source for "Piggies", his lyrics adopt a political perspective, creating "a savage attack on the corporate greed of contemporary capitalism". In the first verse, Harrison sings of "the little piggies", for whom "life is getting worse". In verse two, "the bigger piggies" are described as "stirring up" the dirt that those smaller animals "crawl" in, while they themselves are dressed in "starched white shirts". According to music journalist Kit O'Toole, whereas the song's harpsichord-led introduction "suggests a salon featuring royalty in their finery", the lyrics immediately nullify this image in their depiction of pigs toiling in mud, thereby heightening the overall satirical effect. Everett comments that the same contrast between refined instrumentation and uncompromising subject matter was later adopted by
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
for his track "Village Ghetto Land", issued on '' Songs in the Key of Life'' (1976). During the middle eight, Harrison refers to the privileged pigs in their sties who "don't care what goes on around"; they appear devoid of empathy, and therefore deserve "a damn good whacking". In the third verse, Harrison declares that piggies are "everywhere", leading "piggy lives". He presents a final image of couples dining, holding their cutlery before devouring bacon.


Production


Recording

The Beatles recorded the basic track for "Piggies" at EMI Studios (now
Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music c ...
) in London on 19 September 1968. After Harrison had performed the song alone on the Esher demo – playing acoustic guitar and whistling over the solo – the use of harpsichord on the official recording came about through happenstance. Acting as a producer in
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the B ...
's absence on some of the White Album sessions, Chris Thomas noticed the instrument set up in preparation for a later session, for a classical recording, in EMI's Studio 1. Harrison agreed that a harpsichord part would suit the song, and so the Beatles' session was moved from Studio 2. The group taped eleven takes of "Piggies" before achieving the requisite performance. The line-up was Harrison on acoustic guitar, Thomas on harpsichord, McCartney on bass and
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
on tambourine. Lennon was present at the session but, with only 4-track recording facilities available in Studio 1 (and the available tracks taken up by the other four musicians), he did not play on the basic track. Having attended London's
Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...
as a child, Thomas performed the harpsichord solo in an authentic classical style, according to Pollack, who highlights how "the melody played by the last three fingers f the right handalternates with a repeated note played by the thumb".


Overdubbing

On 20 September, the recording was copied over to 8-track tape in Studio 2, to allow for
overdubbing Overdubbing (also known as layering) is a technique used in audio recording in which audio tracks that have been pre-recorded are then played back and monitored, while simultaneously recording new, doubled, or augmented tracks onto one or more av ...
. Harrison then added his lead vocal, together with harmony vocals on the last verse, creating a mock
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
tic chorus over the latter section. Through the combination of studio effects and overdubs, his vocal performance on the song consists of three contrasting segments; in Inglis' description, these comprise a "naturalistic" approach at the start of the track, "a distorted middle", and chorus singing at the end. To produce the sharp nasal sound over the middle eight, Harrison sang through a filter that limited the signal to a narrow, 3.5-kilohertz band. Described by Everett as "remarkable", the pitch of Harrison's vocals in the final verse ranges from a low E bass note in one of the harmony parts, to a descant falsetto B4 in the high harmony part. Lennon created a tape loop of pre-recorded pig noises, sourced from EMI's library, as well as supplying his own grunting sounds. Drum beats were also added, marking the transition from the solo into the third verse. Final overdubs on the song were carried out on 10 October, during the last week of recording for ''The Beatles''. Having returned from his extended holiday, Martin wrote a string arrangement for four violins, two
viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
s and two cellos. These parts were recorded during the same orchestral overdubbing session as for Lennon's track "
Glass Onion A glass onion is a shape of bottle developed in the 17th century. The term may also refer to: * "Glass Onion" (song), a 1968 song by the Beatles. * '' Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'', a 2022 film by Rian Johnson ** ''Glass Onion: A Knives ...
". Towards the end of "Piggies", Harrison added the spoken words "One more time", before the orchestra played the last two chords. In his overview of the recording, author and critic Tim Riley interprets the "thick scouse" delivery of this introduction to the "final grand cadence" as Harrison "smearing social elitists with their own symbols of 'high' culture". Everett refers to the contrast between the various classical elements and the combination of pig sounds and "rude" final cadence as representing an "Orwellian comparison of pigs to socially horrid, though outwardly refined, tyrants". Mixing on "Piggies" was completed on 11 October. The
mono Mono may refer to: Common meanings * Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease" * Monaural, monophonic sound reproduction, often shortened to mono * Mono-, a numerical prefix representing anything single Music Performers * Mono (Japanese b ...
mix has the animal sounds appearing at different points in the song, relative to the
stereo Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...
version. In addition, Harrison's guitar is more prominent in the mono mix.


Release and reception

Apple Records, the Beatles'
EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...
-distributed record label, released ''The Beatles'' on 22 November 1968, with "Piggies" sequenced as the fourth track on side two of the double LP. It appeared between two other songs with animal names in their titles – " Blackbird" and "
Rocky Raccoon "Rocky Raccoon" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album ''The Beatles'' (also known as the "White Album"). It was primarily written by Paul McCartney, although credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. M ...
". The animal-themed sequencing was a deliberate decision on the part of Lennon and McCartney, who prepared the running order of the album's 30 tracks, with Martin, after Harrison had left for Los Angeles to work with Apple signing Jackie Lomax. According to author
Mark Hertsgaard Mark Hertsgaard (born 1956) is an American journalist and the co-founder and executive director of Covering Climate Now. He is the environment correspondent for ''The Nation'', and the author of seven non-fiction books, including ''Earth Odyssey ...
, "Piggies" " eptthe Beatles' countercultural flame alive", as the song was embraced as an anti-authoritarian anthem by the counterculture, following a year of protests and civil unrest in many Western countries. Among many such events in the United States, police officers clashed violently with anti-Vietnam War demonstrators at the
Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...
in Chicago in August 1968.
David A. Noebel David A. Noebel (born August 27, 1936) is an American religious leader and writer. He is the former director oSummit Ministries in Manitou Springs, Colorado in the United States. Since the 1960s, he has written widely on the relationship between r ...
, an American arch-conservative, paired the song with "
Back in the U.S.S.R. "Back in the U.S.S.R." is a song by the English rock band the Beatles and the first track of the 1968 double album ''The Beatles'' (also known as the "White Album"). Written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, ...
" when he accused the Beatles of being pro-Communist and leading a move towards
revolutionary socialism Revolutionary socialism is a political philosophy, doctrine, and tradition within socialism that stresses the idea that a social revolution is necessary to bring about structural changes in society. More specifically, it is the view that revolut ...
with the White Album. Along with McCartney's "Rocky Raccoon", however, "Piggies" was also criticised by the radical
New Left The New Left was a broad political movement mainly in the 1960s and 1970s consisting of activists in the Western world who campaigned for a broad range of social issues such as civil and political rights, environmentalism, feminism, gay rights, g ...
as an example of the Beatles resorting to whimsical parody instead of directly addressing contemporary issues. Among the more conservative elements of the British establishment and the public, the release of ''The Beatles'' coincided with a less tolerant attitude towards the band. On 19 October, two days after the 24-hour session to sequence the album, Lennon, along with
Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...
, was arrested for possession of
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
; Lennon described the bust as a "set-up" by the London Drug Squad. During a radio interview shortly afterwards, in Los Angeles, Harrison questioned the local police department's motto "To serve and protect" when asked about the criminality of smoking marijuana. In mid November, he represented the Beatles on ''
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'' was an American comedy and variety show television series hosted by the Smothers Brothers and initially airing on CBS from 1967 to 1969. The series was a major success, especially considering it was sched ...
'', which was in conflict at the time with the CBS television network over its
political satire Political satire is satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where Political discourse analysis, political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing ...
and regularly subjected to censorship. Author John Winn describes Harrison's guest appearance as "an important show of support" following
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
's recent US election win. Writing in the ''
International Times ''International Times'' (''it'' or ''IT'') is the name of various underground newspapers, with the original title founded in London in 1966 and running until October 1973. Editors included John "Hoppy" Hopkins, David Mair ...
'', Barry Miles found "Piggies" "unsubtle" and likely to appeal to "those involved with Chicago's pig-police". William Mann of ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' noted the recurring nature theme throughout the album, from brief mentions of monkeys, lizards, elephants and tigers, to song titles such as "Blackbird" and "Piggies", and asked of Harrison's characters: "are they Chicago police or just company directors?" ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
''s Alan Walsh admired the instrumentation on the recording and deemed "Piggies" to be "The Beatles' satire track ... a kick at upper-class reactionaries or journalists (or both)". In his unfavourable review of the White Album, in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'',
Mike Jahn Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documenta ...
considered that many of the tracks were "either so corny or sung in such a way that it is hard to tell whether
he Beatles He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
are being serious", among which the words of Harrison's song served as "an act of lyrical overstatement". ''
Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...
'' remarked that the birdsong effects of "Blackbird" were replaced by "snorts and grunts" on "Piggies", which the reviewer described as "a society beef (or pork if you like)" in the style of folk singer Roy Harper. Writing in ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'',
Jann Wenner Jann Simon Wenner ( ; born January 7, 1946) is an American magazine magnate who is a co-founder of the popular culture magazine ''Rolling Stone'', and former owner of '' Men's Journal'' magazine. He participated in the Free Speech Movement while ...
considered the song to be "an amazing choice to follow 'Blackbird'", given the contrast between the two pieces – "'Blackbird' so encouraging, 'Piggies' so smug (though accurate: 'what they need's a damn good whacking'). Ha!" Wenner paired it with Starr's "
Don't Pass Me By "Don't Pass Me By" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album ''The Beatles'' (also known as the "White Album"). A country rock song, it was the first solo composition written by drummer Ringo Starr. The song w ...
", as lesser tracks beside the "superb numbers" found elsewhere on the album, but added that "on their own, they're totally groovy." Alan Smith of the ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' praised the melody and the use of classical instrumentation, and described the song as "a telling piece about modern life" and "a fascinating piece of humorous cynicism".


Charles Manson interpretation

Musician and cult leader
Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934November 19, 2017) was an American criminal and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California, in the late 1960s. Some of the members committed a series of nine murders at four loca ...
interpreted several songs on ''The Beatles'' as an inducement for his followers, known as the Manson Family, to carry out a series of murders in Los Angeles in August 1969. Inspired by the line "What they need's a damn good whacking", Manson adopted "Piggies" as one of the tracks to justify such attacks on the White
bourgeoisie The bourgeoisie ( , ) is a social class, equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguished from, and traditionally contrasted with, the proletariat by their affluence, and their great cultural and financial capital. They ...
. Believing that the Beatles were instructing him through their music, Manson envisioned these attacks as the prelude to an apocalyptic racial war between the establishment and the Black community that would leave him and his followers to rule America on counterculture principles. At the scenes of the murders of
Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski (January 24, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover ...
,
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...
, Gary Hinman and others, the words "Political Piggy", "Pig" and "Death to Pigs" were written on the walls with the victims' blood. In the case of Leno LaBianca, items of cutlery were inserted into his body in reference to the lyric "Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon". Speaking to ''Rolling Stone'' co-founder David Dalton before his trial, Manson also drew parallels between the pig noises that close the track and a similar sound, followed by machine-gun fire, that appears in Lennon's White Album sound collage " Revolution 9". Like its rival counterculture publications '' Los Angeles Free Press'' and '' Tuesday's Child'', ''Rolling Stone'' initially supported Manson, Dalton contending that it was a case of the conservative-minded authorities framing "some poor hippie guru". According to author
Steve Turner Steve or Steven Turner is the name of: Sports * Steve Turner (rugby league) (born 1984), Australian rugby league footballer * Steve Turner (Australian rules footballer) (born 1960), Australian rules footballer * Steven Turner (born 1987), Canadi ...
, "Piggies" "became notorious" as a result of the Manson Family's 1971 murder trial, which was successfully prosecuted by Californian attorney
Vincent Bugliosi Vincent T. Bugliosi Jr. (; August 18, 1934 – June 6, 2015) was an American prosecutor and author who served as Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office between 1964 and 1972. He became best known for s ...
. Harrison was appalled at Manson's interpretation of the song. He also found it disturbing that Manson came to define the long-haired hippie type in the public's eyes, after the prosecution's case had resulted in widespread condemnation of rock music and the idealism associated with the late 1960s hippie movement.Paytress, Mark. "Family Misfortunes". In: . In his 1974 book '' Helter Skelter'', Bugliosi says he was denied permission to quote from the lyrics of "Piggies" in the book, yet not so for relevant Lennon–McCartney songs, such as " Helter Skelter", "
Revolution 1 "Revolution" is a song by the English Rock music, rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Three versions of the song were recorded and released in 1968, all during sessions for the Beatl ...
" and "Blackbird". The connection between Manson's interpretation of the White Album songs and the August 1969 murders was introduced by Bugliosi in Manson's trial. Mike McGann, the lead police investigator on the Tate-LaBianca murders later stated: "Everything in Vince Bugliosi's book is wrong. I was the lead investigator on the case. Bugliosi didn't solve it. Nobody trusted him." Police detective Charlie Guenther, who investigated the murders, and Bugliosi's co-prosecutor Aaron Stovits have also discredited this as the motive for the murders.


Retrospective assessment and legacy

Writing in 1977, Nicholas Schaffner said that, despite the "merciless stereotypes" presented in its lyrics, "Piggies" and Harrison's three other White Album compositions "firmly established him as a contender" beside the Beatles' principal songwriters, Lennon and McCartney. Four years later, Philip Norman described the song as "mordantly humorous". Among more recent Beatles biographers, Ian MacDonald views "Piggies" as a "bludgeoning satire on straight society", dismissing it as "dreadful" and "an embarrassing blot on arrison'sdiscography". According to author Doyle Greene, writing in his 2016 book on the 1960s counterculture, the Beatles and Manson are "permanently connected in pop-culture consciousness" as a result of Manson having founded his theory of race war on McCartney's "Helter Skelter", "Piggies" and other tracks from the 1968 double album. In his book ''Revolution: The Making of the Beatles' White Album'', David Quantick recognises the song's musical qualities – describing it as "a powerful song, full of angry climaxes" with "a fine
ocal Ocal or OCAL may refer to: * Öcal, Turkish surname * Öçal, Turkish surname * Open Clip Art Library Openclipart, also called Open Clip Art Library, is an online media repository of free-content vector clip art. The project hosts over 160,000 ...
performance ... nda charming baroque feel" – yet he bemoans its "arrogant" and misanthropic message. Quantick concludes: "Although the Beatles preached peace and love and meant it, large parts of the White Album indicate that they could be a bit selective about it." Ian Inglis considers that the intentions behind Harrison's send-up of capitalist consumerism were reasonable, and acknowledges the sinister connotations that the song gained through Manson. He says that the track fails, however, melodically and lyrically, and lacks cohesion in its musical arrangement as well as "any subtlety or charm". Reviewing Harrison's career in a 2002 issue of '' Goldmine'' magazine, Dave Thompson termed "Piggies" "whimsically foreboding" and grouped it with late-period Beatles songs such as "
Something Something may refer to: Philosophy and language *Something (concept) *Something, an English indefinite pronoun Music Albums * ''Something'' (Chairlift album), 2012 * ''Something'' (Shirley Bassey album), 1970 * ''Something'' (Shirley Scott a ...
" and "
Long, Long, Long "Long, Long, Long" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). It was written by George Harrison, the group's lead guitarist, while he and his bandmates were attending ...
" that anticipated Harrison's successes as a solo artist after the group's break-up in 1970. Tim Riley describes the song's narrative as "smug anti-elitism outdone only by the dourness of John's 'Glass Onion' and ' Sexy Sadie'". With regard to George Martin's contention that ''The Beatles'' should have been edited down to a single disc, however, he views "Piggies" as one of the White Album "essentials" contributed by Harrison, along with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and " Savoy Truffle". Among reviewers of the 2009 remastered album, Sean Highkin of '' Beats Per Minute'' cites the track as evidence that, despite the disharmonious atmosphere within the group during 1968, "All four Beatles were working at their highest levels", with Harrison "at his most acerbic on 'Piggies'". Mark Richardson of '' Pitchfork'' highlights the song as one of ''The Beatles'' "iffy jokes" that nevertheless succeed, due to the high standard of the band's songwriting and the effective sequencing of the double album. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its release, Jacob Stolworthy of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' listed "Piggies" at number 14 in his ranking of the White Album's 30 tracks. He admired the harpsichord passage as a "highlight" of the album and wrote: "On first listen, 'Piggies' is too strange to enjoy. Once its Orwellian nature is embraced, however, it becomes a joyous two fingers in the face of establishment told by Harrison in baroque pop form." ''
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
'' writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine, commenting on ''The Beatles'' as a whole, described "Piggies" as a "silly" song that nonetheless demonstrates Harrison's development as a songwriter, along with his other contributions to the album.


Other versions

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, an actor, folk singer and
activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...
who was a delegate at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, covered "Piggies" on his 1969 album ''A New Day''. Reviewing the opening night of Bikel's residency at the
Troubadour A troubadour (, ; oc, trobador ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a ''trobairit ...
in Los Angeles, in June 1970, ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' magazine described the song as one of "the more meaningful titles" that the singer had adopted from the work of popular acts such as the Beatles,
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
and
Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...
. The 1976 television adaptation of Vincent Bugliosi's book, also titled '' Helter Skelter'', features several Beatles songs, including "Piggies" and Harrison's White Album track "Long, Long, Long", both performed by the group Silverspoon. The song was also covered by
Danbert Nobacon Chumbawamba () were a British rock band formed in 1982 and disbanded in 2012. They are best known for their 1997 single "Tubthumping", which was nominated for Best British Single at the 1998 Brit Awards. Other singles include " Amnesia", " Enou ...
, lead singer of the
anarcho-punk Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, hardcor ...
band
Chumbawamba Chumbawamba () were a British rock band formed in 1982 and disbanded in 2012. They are best known for their 1997 single "Tubthumping", which was nominated for Best British Single at the 1998 Brit Awards. Other singles include "Amnesia", " Enou ...
. Titled "Piggies in Revolution 9", Nobacon's version appeared on the 1989 album ''Fuck EMI'', a multi-artist compilation protesting EMI's business practices, particularly the company's involvement in
cruise missile A cruise missile is a guided missile used against terrestrial or naval targets that remains in the atmosphere and flies the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhe ...
production. Having become available on
bootleg Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to: * Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially * Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence: ** Moonshine, or illicitly made ...
albums from 1991 onwards, Harrison's 1968 demo was released on the Beatles' '' Anthology 3'' compilation in October 1996. Recorded on an
Ampex Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff as a spin-off of Dalmo-Victor. The name AMPEX is a portmanteau, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence.AbramsoThe History ...
four-track recorder, the demo features Harrison playing two acoustic guitar parts, and a double-tracked lead vocal. Harrison performed "Piggies" throughout his 1991 Japanese tour with
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
and at his
Natural Law Party The Natural Law Party (NLP) is a transnational party founded in 1992 on "the principles of Transcendental Meditation", the laws of nature, and their application to all levels of government. At its peak, it was active in up to 74 countries; it con ...
concert in London in April 1992. With
synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
s replicating the classical arrangement, a version recorded at the Tokyo Dome on 15 December 1991 appears on Harrison's '' Live in Japan'' double album.
Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...
included "Piggies" in their performance of ''The Beatles'' on Halloween 1994, which was released in 2002 as ''
Live Phish Volume 13 ''Live Phish Vol. 13'' was an album recorded live at the Glens Falls Civic Center in Glens Falls, New York on Halloween night, 1994. It was released on October 29, 2002, along with '' Volume 14'', '' Volume 15'', and '' Volume 16''. It marks the ...
''. The harpsichord from the original Beatles recording was
mashed Mashed may refer to: * Mashed, that created from mash ingredients * Mashed, the result of a mashing * Mashed, the result of a mashup (music) * ''Mashed'' (album), a 2007 mashup album * ''Mashed'' (video game), a vehicular combat video game * ...
with
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
's "Change Clothes" for a track on
Danger Mouse Danger Mouse may refer (or appear in) to: * ''Danger Mouse'' (1981 TV series), a 1981 British animated television series * ''Danger Mouse'' (2015 TV series), a 2015 reboot of the British animated television series * Danger Mouse (musician) (born ...
's '' The Grey Album'' in 2004. For the Beatles' 2006 remix album ''
Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
'', compiled by Martin and his son Giles, the harpsichord and cello parts were mixed into the ending of " Strawberry Fields Forever". The song was covered by
Pumajaw Pumajaw are a Scotland-based electronic duo, composed of Scottish singer-songwriter Pinkie Maclure (vocals, synths, samples, concertina) and English musician/producer John Wills (guitar, samples, synths, drum programming). The duo met in London i ...
for ''The White Album Recovered'', a CD distributed with the September 2008 issue of ''
Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...
'' magazine. That same year, former Cars keyboardist
Greg Hawkes Gregory A. Hawkes (born October 22, 1952) is an American musician best known as the keyboardist for the rock band The Cars. Hawkes, a native of Fulton, Maryland, United States, attended Atholton High School where he played in a band called Teeth ...
issued a
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rendition on his album ''The Beatles Uke''.


Personnel

According to Ian MacDonald, except where noted: The Beatles *
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
– lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, backing vocals, vocalised grunting *
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
– tape effects, vocalised grunting, backing vocals *
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
– bass, backing vocals *
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
– tambourine, bass drum Additional musicians * Chris Thomas
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
* Henry Datyner –
violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
* Eric Bowie – violin * Norman Lederman – violin * Ronald Thomas – violin * John Underwood –
viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
* Keith Cummings – viola * Eldon Fox –
cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
* Reginald Kilby – cello *
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the B ...
– string arrangement


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Full lyrics for the song at the Beatles' official website

Chris Thomas discussing "Piggies" and other White Album recordings
on Robert Rodriguez's ''There's Something About the Beatles'' podcast {{Authority control 1968 songs The Beatles songs Songs written by George Harrison Song recordings produced by George Martin Music published by Harrisongs Baroque pop songs Satirical songs Political songs Songs about pigs British folk songs Manson Family it:The Beatles (album)#Piggies