How An Iconic Beatles Song Was Inspired By The Monkeys

The Beatles were the type of people who always find inspiration everywhere when writing songs. An example of such doing occurred during their famous stay in India when Paul McCartney was inspired to write a song about monkeys.

Paul McCartney said that the inspiration for “Why Don’t We Do It on the Road?” came from the fab four’s time in India in the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. He recalled: “The idea behind ‘Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?’ came from something I’d seen in Rishikesh.”

While on retreat in Rishikesh, India with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, McCartney witnessed two monkeys fornicating in the street, which inspired the song.

“A male [monkey] just hopped on the back of this female and gave her one, as they say in the vernacular,” he added. “Within two or three seconds he hopped off again and looked around as if to say ‘It wasn’t me!’ and she looked around as if there’d been some mild disturbance … And I thought … that’s how simple the act of procreation is … We have horrendous problems with it, and yet animals don’t.”

When compared to the complexity of human connections, he was amazed by the ease of this natural scene. He continued: “There is an urge, they do it, and it’s done with. And it’s that simple. We have horrendous problems with it, and yet animals don’t.”

“Why Don’t We Do It in the Road” was released inside the band’s 1968 White double album; it is short and simple, clocking in at a minute and forty-two seconds.

Listen to the song below.