10 Darkest Songs John Lennon Ever Wrote

Featured on: Imagine (1971)

Lennon uses a jangly and uplifting Rockabilly musical style to contrast against dark lyrics which address internal struggle. Crippled Inside was partly inspired by Black Dog, a folk song by Blues group Koerner, Ray & Glover.

It has been suggested that the song is a self-parody of Lennon’s earlier offerings. There has been much debate about the subject of the song. Whether it is Lennon, or somebody else. Many believe the line “You can live a lie until you die” is believed to be a jab at Paul McCartney.

The lyrics address the futile attempts of the subject to hide being “crippled inside”. He mockingly sings about the subject’s efforts such as shining their shoes, wearing a suit, combing their hair, and hiding their face behind a smile. Lennon uses the myth that a cat has nine lives to remind the song’s subject that they only have one, even if a “dog’s life ain’t fun”.

Lennon’s lyrics do not conclude with an answer, or even a semblance of hope. The song ends with the repeated refrain “One thing you can't hide is when you're crippled inside."