"PLAYBOY: "Across the Universe."
LENNON: The Beatles didn't make a good record of "Across the Universe." I think subconsciously we -- I thought Paul subconsciously tried to destroy my great songs. We would play experimental games with my great pieces, like "Strawberry Fields," which I always felt was badly recorded. It worked, but it wasn't what it could have been. I allowed it, though. We would spend hours doing little, detailed cleaning up on Paul's songs, but when it came to mine -- especially a great song like "Strawberry Fields" or "Across the Universe" -- somehow an atmosphere of looseness and experimentation would come up.
PLAYBOY: Sabotage?
LENNON: Subconscious sabotage. I was too hurt. . . . Paul will deny it, because he has a bland face and will say this doesn't exist. This is the kind of thing I'm talking about where I was always seeing what was going on and began to think, Well, maybe I'm paranoid. But it is not paranoid. It is the absolute truth. The same thing happened to "Across the Universe." The song was never done properly. The words stand, luckily."
From THE LENNON PLAYBOY INTERVIEW (1980)
He also thought that is was too uptempo .. he liked the Let It Be version.
It's the so called Wildlife version ... was on a charity album...
The album was titled No One's Gonna Change Our World and was released by Starline Records On December 12, 1969. The track listing is as follows:
Side A:
1. Across the Universe - The Beatles
2. What the World Needs Now is Love - Cilla Black
3. Cuddy Old Koala - Rolf Harris
4. Wings - The Hollies
5a. Ning Nang Nong - Spike Milligan
5b. The Python - Spike Milligan
Side B:
1. Marley Purt Drive - The Bee Gees
2. I'm a Tiger - Lulu
3. Bend It - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
4. In the Country - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
5. When I See an Elephant Fly - Bruce Forsyth
6. Land of My Fathers - Harry Secombe
The back cover reads:
A personal message from H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh:
A meeting of the World Wildlife Fund was convened at Buckingham Palace on the 21st December, 1967. It was in the nature of a 'Talk In' with the view to stimulating new ideas. Among those present were several people form the entertainment world, on whose behalf Spike Milligan suggested making a long-playing record on which the Aritsts, Composers, Publishers, and Recording Companies would waive all fees. This record is the result of that idea. Royalties for its sale will go towards funds dealing with rare animals in danger of extinction. This in itself makes this a unique record. I can do no more than wish it great success.