
Daniel Craig has returned as Benoit Blanc within the Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion. Though there are no cozy sweaters like the primary movie, the sequel delivers the old-school whodunit items. In the identical Agatha Christie-style of the primary movie, Glass Onion each revels in murder-mystery cliches, whereas additionally subverting just a few, too. It might not be as excellent as its predecessor, however it’s nonetheless a rollicking good time, with a number of incredible twists.
However, why is Knives Out 2 referred to as Glass Onion? The quick reply is that the idea of a “glass onion” — a clear construction that nonetheless has layers — is central to the film. Nonetheless, what some might not know is that director Rian Johnson lifted this concept from the Beatles music of the identical title; “Glass Onion.”
A deep-cut album observe, “Glass Onion” seems on the self-titled 1968 album “The Beatles,” extra generally often known as The White Album. “Glass Onion,” not often makes it into anybody’s high Beatles songs ever. Actually, two distinguished Beatles books on this creator’s residence library — The Love You Make and Dreaming the Beatles — don’t even point out the music of their detailed indexes. So, you’ll be forgiven in the event you forgot that “Glass Onion” was the third observe, on the primary facet of the primary report of The White Album.
With that in thoughts, listed below are 5 stuff you most likely don’t learn about “Glass Onion,” the marginally underrated Beatles music that impressed Glass Onion: A Knives Out Thriller.
5. “Glass Onion” is a Beatles music about Beatles songs
John Lennon is credited with the first authorship of “Glass Onion,” and wrote it as a teasing response to followers who have been analyzing Beatles songs for hidden messages. On this sense, “Glass Onion,” is a parody of different Beatles songs. The music begins with the road “I informed you about Strawberry Fields,” after which references “I Am the Walrus,” “The Idiot on the Hill,” “Woman Madonna,” and “Fixing a Gap.” Lennon had initially supposed for the music to reference “Yellow Submarine” as nicely.
Though written as a joke to debunk numerous theories followers had about hidden messages in Beatles songs, “Glass Onion,” had the other consequence. When Lennon sang: “Right here’s one other clue for you all/the Walrus was Paul,” this helped gasoline the weird “Paul is dead” theory.
4. “Glass Onion” was nearly the title of an important rock band
The rock band Badfinger was, famously, one of the profitable bands that the Beatles signed to their very own report label, Apple Data. Breaking Dangerous followers most likely affiliate Badfinger with the music “Baby Blue,” which performs within the closing episode of that TV sequence.
However, in 1969, John Lennon instructed that Badfinger — beforehand referred to as “The Iveys” — be named Glass Onion as a substitute. He was overruled.
3. Hazard Mouse remixed “Glass Onion” in 2004
In 2004, Danger Mouse launched the mega-popular DIY mashup album The Gray Album, which mixed The Beatles White Album with Jay-Z’s The Black Album. The break-out hit from this mash-up album was “Encore,” which weaves collectively the Jay-Z music of the identical title with, you guessed it, “Glass Onion.”
The good factor Hazard Mouse did for his model of “Encore” was to pattern and loop Lennon’s “Oh yeah” from “Glass Onion.” Mainly, Hazard Mouse found out that within the entirety of the Beatles’ discography, the perfect “Oh yeah” was in a random album observe all people forgot about. Curiously, as a result of The Gray Album violated all kinds of copyrights, it’s kinda arduous to track down.
2. “Glass Onion” was Ringo’s White Album return
Nearly all of The White Album was written whereas the Beatles have been in India, initially on a retreat with the Maharishi. Infamously, the Beatles had blended opinions about this expertise, however at one level, drummer Ringo Starr stop the band. This resignation was not everlasting. However, just a few tracks on The White Album don’t characteristic Ringo on drums. “Glass Onion” is nestled in between two rather more well-known tracks: “Expensive Prudence,” and “Obla Di Obla Da.” Ringo doesn’t play drums on “Expensive Prudence” in any respect, and most sources point out Paul performed drums on “Obla Di Obla Da.”
The duvet of the Oasis single “Do not Look Again In Anger”; impressed by Ringo’s return to the Beatles on “Glass Onion.”
The opposite three Beatles finally satisfied Ringo to return to the band, and, apparently, showered his drumkit in flowers to point out their appreciation. This story is such a giant deal for Beatles followers, that it impressed the only cowl artwork for the Oasis single “Don’t Look Again Anger,” which includes a {photograph} of a drumkit lined in flowers. (In fact, “Don’t Look Again In Anger” additionally has a number of Beatles references, and lifts the opening piano chords from Lennon’s “Think about.”)
The bigger level is, Ringo, coming again to the band was a giant deal, and “Glass Onion” is the primary music on The White Album that options Ringo on drums, as he must be.
The Beatles in animal costumes for Magical Thriller Tour.
Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Photos
1. The Walrus Was Not Paul
Though John sings “the Walrus was Paul,” in “Glass Onion,” he later revealed this wasn’t true. Within the movie model of Magical Thriller Tour (1967) The Beatles seem in animal costumes. One in every of them is dressed as a Walrus. However in 1980, John Lennon revealed “It was really me within the walrus swimsuit.”
This was one other little bit of misdirection, which Lennon supposed as a joke. So, in the event you’re peeling again the layers of the film Glass Onion, and you end up laughing, that’s sort of the purpose. The unique Beatles’ “Glass Onion,” was supposed as a joke. And maybe, Rian Johnson’s film is identical approach: One thing enjoyable that we’re not meant to take too severely.
Glass Onion is streaming on Netflix.
Snag the 2018 White Album remastered version on vinyl right here.