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[Buttmunker]

There's either "a" voice or voices at the very beginning of George Harrison's "It's All Too Much."  Is that because the song before it just ends when that is starting, or is it a glitch that they just decided to keep in?

[Andy Smith]

I've always wondered what John shouted at the beggining of that song, i
assumed it was John.

[Chris]

It's backwards. When I had a phonograph and the Apple LP, I was curious, so I put the speed switch in "neutral" and revolved the record in the wrong direction. I heard George Harrison saying "I'm Irish!" in a funny voice. I tried it a few times, just to be sure.

So it's George being silly. Just more smart-ass Beatle fun that they made sound "weird" so listeners would wonder what the hell it was! Cheeky.

[harihead]

Really cool info, Chris. Thanks!

[BlueMeanie]

It's backwards. When I had a phonograph and the Apple LP, I was curious, so I put the speed switch in "neutral" and revolved the record in the wrong direction. I heard George Harrison saying "I'm Irish!" in a funny voice. I tried it a few times, just to be sure.

So it's George being silly. Just more smart-ass Beatle fun that they made sound "weird" so listeners would wonder what the hell it was! Cheeky.

I'm not sure I'd agree with that. I just did the same test, but digitally. I'll agree it sounds more like George than anyone else. I think it sounds like 'I'm Irish' by association, because you said it was. When played backwards the I'm Irish' bit sounds itself like it's backwards. Meaning that it was the right way round to start with. I think what's at the beginning is just a snippet of conversation that was going on when the song started.

[Bobber]

It sounds like 'To Your Mu...' and there's some more spoken words a bit further, but it's impossible to hear what's being said.

[BlueMeanie]

On further listening I think he's probably saying 'To your mother'. There is some whispering afterwards that goes: Paul "What was that, George?" and George responds, "I don't know".

[zipp]

I agree that he doesn't say anything backwards though it still sounds like John!
I don't think he's saying 'To your mother' because that's an Americanism and the final word can't really be heard.
It's been suggested on another site that Lennon is just fooling around with the words of the song, so 'All too much' has become 'Too your mu..ch'.

[BlueMeanie]

I agree that he doesn't say anything backwards though it still sounds like John!
I don't think he's saying 'To your mother' because that's an Americanism and the final word can't really be heard.
It's been suggested on another site that Lennon is just fooling around with the words of the song, so 'All too much' has become 'Too your mu..ch'.

It could be. Nothing I said was meant to sound definitive. But it's definitely not backwards. Probably. And yes, it could be John. It could be anyone, to be honest!!

[blackmath]

i'm actually sure that it's george & i listened to it backwards and it sounds nonsense.

[BlueMeanie]

I slowed it down to 50%, and it really is nonsense.

I've always wondered what John shouted at the beggining of that song, i
assumed it was John.

yeah me too...sounds like "To your mother" LOL

It's backwards. When I had a phonograph and the Apple LP, I was curious, so I put the speed switch in "neutral" and revolved the record in the wrong direction. I heard George Harrison saying "I'm Irish!" in a funny voice. I tried it a few times, just to be sure.

So it's George being silly. Just more smart-ass Beatle fun that they made sound "weird" so listeners would wonder what the hell it was! Cheeky.

that's cool, Chris..I did the 'ol backwards thing many times back then (on stuff like the proverbial Strawberry Fields fade--who didnt ? and that little bit at the end of "I'm So Tired") but NEVER thought of trying it for "All Too Much"...cool..it that what George seems to be saying?? Makes sense in a way, because George DOES have Irish blood--so do ALL the Beatles.)  thx 4 info. (but it definitely sounds like Lennon--the "to your mother" part lol)

[Flaming Pie in the Sky]

sounds like "To your mother" LOL

Yes it does

[Chris]

that's cool, Chris..I did the 'ol backwards thing many times back then (on stuff like the proverbial Strawberry Fields fade--who didnt ? and that little bit at the end of "I'm So Tired") but NEVER thought of trying it for "All Too Much"...cool..it that what George seems to be saying?? Makes sense in a way, because George DOES have Irish blood--so do ALL the Beatles.)  thx 4 info. (but it definitely sounds like Lennon--the "to your mother" part lol)

Hard to tell...knowing the Beatles' penchant for funny voices, they might've just been screwing around in the studio, and decided to reverse a snippet of anything random to start the song in a surprising way. For all we know, it's half of one thing and half of another (such as how they assembled the babble on the Pepper run-off groove by splicing together a bunch of fraction-second bits of conversation).

Who knows. Either way, the song's underrated.

[real01]

It

[zipp]

The song's underrated but that doesn't mean George is saying anything backwards.
"To your mother" still seems likely.

[Chris]

Mentioning that the song was underrated was a separate thought.

And it's "I'm Irish" in a silly voice, backwards.  

(Since I heard that while spinning a record by hand, you guys have made me curious about how it sounds in perfect time -- i.e. digital. I'm going to do that this weekend and see if it's really anything backwards besides "amoomshhhht.")

[BlueMeanie]

It could say anything. Like a lot of the Beatles backwards stuff, we read that such-and-such played backwards says this, or that. And once we have that phrase in our head, we can hear it. Otherwise it's just mumbo jumbo.

Here's one for you. About 25 years ago, a bloke I worked with was playing 'Bad Moon Rising', and he said when it gets to the bit where he sings 'there's a bad moon on the rise', in your head say: 'there's a bathroom on the right'. That song has never sounded the same since!!

[Chris]

At least it's a very helpful lyric now!