DEAR PRUDENCE

"'Dear Prudence'" is a song written by John Lennon,^[1] and credited to Lennon/McCartney. It was initially performed by The Beatles and is the second track on the 1968 double-disc album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "The White Album").

Contents

Origins

Credits

Siouxsie & The Banshees version

Other cover versions

Cultural references

Notes

Origins

The song is about actress Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence, who was present when the Beatles visited Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India. Prudence, focused on meditation, stayed in her room for the majority of their stay. Lennon, who was worried that she was depressed, wrote this song for her, inviting her to ''"come out to play"''. While the Beatles left the course, Mia, Prudence, Mike Love of the Beach Boys, and others, stayed and became Transcendental Meditation (or TM) teachers. Prudence now teaches elementary school along with her husband, and they both still practice TM, and advanced versions of it, and may still teach TM.
This song, along with the preceding track "Back in the U.S.S.R.", features Paul McCartney on drums rather than Ringo Starr, who had recently walked out. Starr returned after the recording of this song to find flowers waiting for him on his drumkit.^[2]
Lennon considered this song to be one of his favorite Beatles songs, and his son Julian Lennon has named it his favorite.
In 1987, Lennon's original handwritten copy of the lyrics was sold at auction for $19,500.

Credits

★ John Lennon – double-tracked lead vocal, backing vocal, guitar

★ Paul McCartney – backing vocal, drums, bass, piano, flügelhorn, tambourine, handclaps

★ George Harrison – backing vocal, lead guitar, handclaps

★ Mal Evans – backing vocal, handclaps

★ Jackie Lomax – backing vocal, handclaps

★ John McCartney – backing vocal, handclaps
:''Credits per Ian MacDonald.''^[3]

Siouxsie & The Banshees version

English rock band Siouxsie & the Banshees released "Dear Prudence" in 1983. It was produced by the Banshees and was given a gothic rock twist by the band, while still retaining the song's pop feel.
Siouxsie & the Banshees have repeatedly mentioned the Beatles as musical influences, and the band had previously recorded a cover version of the Beatles' "Helter Skelter". "Dear Prudence" became Siouxsie & the Banshees' biggest hit, peaking at number three in the UK singles chart during 1983.

Other cover versions

The Five Stairsteps released a version of the song as the B-side of their 1970 hit "Oooh Child"; it reached #49 on its own on the R&B music charts.
Jaco Pastorius covered the song with a band in a live performance recorded for the album titled (?).
The Jerry Garcia Band was known to have covered the song regularly during the 1980s and 1990s. It was thought to be one of Jerry Garcia's favourite Beatles songs. JGB's rendition was often extended and improvised (with many versions exceeding ten minutes) in accordance with their musical style.
Australian rocker Doug Parkinson released a cover of the song in 1973 on the Polydor label, which was a top twenty hit in that country.
Alanis Morissette also covered the song in some of her live shows.
Jazz Pianist Brad Mehldau covered the song in his 2002 album entitled "Largo."
Canadian band Our Lady Peace has covered the song in live shows.
Carbon Leaf has covered the song in concerts and also recorded a version for an iTunes-only set of covers.

Cultural references

The song's line "won't you come out to play?" was adapted by Elton John and Bernie Taupin in their 1982 song "Empty Garden", written as a tribute to Lennon.
In a 2007 Sharpie commercial, a man is writing a love letter expressing his love for his "Dearest Prudence" and ends up crossing it out and writes "Love Ya Babe!".
The Slate advice column, "Dear Prudence," is named after the song.

Notes

1. All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, , David, Sheff, St. Martin's Press, 2000,
2. Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties, , Ian, MacDonald, Pimlico (Rand), 2005,
3. Revolution in the Head, , Ian, MacDonald, , 2005,