Sexy Sadie

Coyright - 1968 EMI Records Ltd.

Sexy Sadie" is the name of a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in India.

Originally titled "Maharishi", the Beatles changed the title to "Sexy Sadie" to avoid the potential for litigation as the song's lyrics portray the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in a less than favourable light. Lennon became discouraged after the Maharishi had allegedly made a pass at one of the female members of their entourage. Lennon once said of the song: "That was inspired by Maharishi. I wrote it when we had our bags packed and were leaving. It was the last piece I wrote before I left India. I just called him, 'Sexy Sadie,' instead of (sings) 'Maharishi what have you done, you made a fool...' I was just using the situation to write a song, rather calculatingly but also to express what I felt. I was leaving the Maharishi with a bad taste. You know, it seems that my partings are always not as nice as I'd like them to be."

In a 1969 interview, John Lennon stated one of his favourite songs was "I've Been Good To You" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. The Miracles song begins with the line Look what you've done / You made a fool out of someone, compared to Sexy Sadie's What have you done? / You made a fool of everyone.

Influence
The Spanish band Sexy Sadie took their name from this song.

As described in Vincent Bugliosi's Helter Skelter, Charles Manson took the title of this song as a reference to Manson Family member Susan Atkins, who was nicknamed Sadie Mae Glutz, prior to the release of the White Album.

Songs deemed similar to "Sexy Sadie" include Australian rock group Jet's "Look What You've Done", which has similar (occasionally identical) lyrics and style to the song. Oasis lifts a remarkably similar intro on their b-side, "Sitting Here In Silence (On My Own)." Also, Jack Johnson's song, "Cocoon" (from the On and On album), is strikingly similar to this song and parts of the piano are similar to Radiohead's song "Karma Police", and the band has apparently acknowledged the similarity.

Lyrics:
Sexy Sadie what have you done
You made a fool of everyone
You made a fool of everyone
Sexy Sadie, ooh, what have you done

Sexy Sadie you broke the rules
You laid it down for all to see
You laid it down for all to see
Sexy Sadie, ooh, you broke the rules

One sunny day the world was waiting for a lover
She came along to turn on everyone
Sexy Sadie the greatest of them all

Sexy Sadie how did you know
The world was waiting just for you
The world was waiting just for you
Sexy Sadie, ooh, how did you know

Sexy Sadie you'll get yours yet
However big you think you are
However big you think you are
Sexy Sadie, ooh, you'll get yours yet

We gave her everything we owned
just to sit at her table
Just a smile would lighten everything
Sexy Sadie she's the latest
and the greatest of them all

Ha, She made a fool of everyone
Sexy Sadie
Ha, However big you think you are
Sexy Sadie