Just as a peace sign (my ankle tattoo) represents my generation and the ideals we held in our youth, so does my choice of new tattoo reflect several things. One of them, one of the simpler ones, is the Beatles and all the Beatles stood for for my generation and youth, and it does so without being the words "The Beatles" or something equally obvious, like a yellow submarine. (Although that would be cute.) I think Obladi Oblada carries a sense similar to Que Sera, Sera (which I've also considered for tattoo-dom). Although the latter is, allegedely, literal Italian for "what will be, will be" -- I doubt the accuracy of that -- obladi oblada is intrinsically meaningless, nonsense sounds, unless they prompt the person who sees or hears them to carry forward with the next line of the song: Life Goes On. So in that sense, to say "obladi oblada" is to express the philosophy that life goes in, it will continue to do so and we are to see life in that way, as a continuing adventure, no matter how mundane.
There is a great deal in the song that is nonsense and a great deal that is mundane. Much like life. To whit:
Desmond has a barrow in the market place...
Molly is the singer in a band...
Desmond says to Molly "girl I like your face"
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand...
Obladi oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on...
Obladi Oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on.
Desmond takes a trolley to the jewelry store...
Buys a twenty carot golden ring... (Golden ring)
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door...
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing... (Sing)
Obladi oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on...
Obladi Oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on.
In a couple of years they have built a home sweet home,
With a couple of kids running in the yard,
Of Desmond and Molly Jones... (Ha ha ha ha ha)
Happy ever after in the market place...
Desmond lets the children lend a hand...
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face...
And in the evening she still sings it with the band...
Obladi oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on...
Obladi Oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on.
In a couple of years they have built a home sweet home,
With a couple of kids running in the yard,
Of Desmond and Molly Jones... (Ha ha ha ha ha)
Happy ever after in the market place...
Molly lets the children lend a hand...
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face...
And in the evening she's a singer with the band...
(Yeah), Obladi oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on...
(Yeah), Obladi Oblada life goes on brahhh...
Lala how the life goes on.
And if you want some fun...take Ob-la-di-bla-da (Thank you)
P.S. I can read it right side up; I just have to raise my heel backward a little bit and look down at the back of my leg.
