This One : “I Do”
A song about the importance of telling people now how much they mean to you, rather than waiting for a better moment that might never come. Pretty sure, as many have suggested, John is in there. Also in there, I think, quite specifically, is someone he might have been expected to say “I do” to.
“Did I ever take you in my arms, look you in the eye, tell you that I do?”
There is also the Indian reference in the lyrics, “I liked this image of a swan, like in Hindu art—Krishna and the swan gliding over water lilies.”
This Indian element is reflected in one of the two videos made for the track, with meditation scenes reminiscent of The Beatles in Rishikesh, India with the Maharishi.
I wonder if there is some association for Paul with the phrase “I do” and India.
Speaking of the track ‘I Do’ from his 2001 ‘Driving Rain’ album, Paul said:
“I Do’ was the third of the India songs. It was one of those ‘if you only knew’ songs, like just talking to someone; ‘if you only knew, that it’s OK from my side’. It’s like a communicative statement to someone – ‘whatever you think at any given time, remember this – I do’. Like I may be goofing off but essentially I wrote this song to say it’s OK. That was another afternoon in Goa song; my three little Goaers.”
Pick the bones out of that…
These lyrics hit hard:
“Just remember this, after a time it’s through and nevermore will there be days for me and you”
The Beatles Bible site tells us that this holiday in Goa in January 2001 with Heather Mills was Paul’s first trip to India since Rishikesh in 1968. I wonder if it triggered a particular memory.
