February 21, 2025

Music Friday: The Beatles Tell Story of Desmond Jones’s 20-Carat Golden Ring

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great throwback songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Paul McCartney and The Beatles tell the story of Desmond Jones and his memorable trip to a jewelry store in the 1968 singalong, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.”

In this song written by McCartney and John Lennon, we’re introduced to Jones, a hardworking bloke who sells his wares from a barrow in the marketplace, and his girlfriend, Molly, who is a singer in the band. On this particular day, Jones hops a trolley downtown to secure a special bauble for his girlfriend.

McCartney sings, “Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler’s store / Buys a 20-carat golden ring / Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door / And as he gives it to her she begins to sing: / Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra / La-la how their life goes on / Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra / La-la how their life goes on.”

Because the main character seems to be of modest means, we wonder if McCartney might have intended to write karat with a “k” instead of carat with a “c.” With a “c,” McCartney was referring to a 20-carat gem in a gold setting. With a “k,” he would be describing a simpler ring — perhaps without a precious stone — made of 20-karat gold.

Over the years, a lot has been written about how “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” came about, and the production woes that followed.

According to McCartney, the title was inspired by his friend, Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor, a Nigerian conga player who performed at a London nightclub the Beatle regularly frequented.

McCartney would say, “What’s happening, Jimmy?” and Scott would answer, “Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra.”

As the Beatles experimented with their first reggae-inspired song, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” became a production nightmare. The band couldn’t agree on the tempo or style that would work best. They spent a great deal of time recording and overdubbing, but after 60 takes, the band members were exhausted and the song still wasn’t right.

McCartney continued to make adjustments on his own, while the rest of the Beatles — George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon — took a break in a side room, but continued to listen to McCartney’s tweaks that seemed to be going nowhere.

Finally, a frustrated Lennon stormed back into the studio, pushed McCartney aside at the piano and banged out the opening chords of a louder, faster version. That rendition became the fourth track of Side 1 of The Beatles (also known as The White Album), a classic work that would spend 155 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and sell 24 million copies worldwide.

Beatles Trivia: In the last verse, McCartney flips the roles of the main characters as “Molly lets the children lend a hand” at the marketplace, while “Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face.” The Beatles considered the flub a “happy accident” and left it in.

The Beatles went on to become what many agree is the greatest and most influential act of the rock era. The Beatles have sold more than 600 million albums worldwide.

We invite you to enjoy the audio track of the Beatles performing “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Performed by The Beatles.

Desmond has a barrow in the marketplace,
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:

Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their life goes on.
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their life goes on.

Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler’s store,
Buys a 20-carat golden ring.
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door,
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing:

Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their life goes on.
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their 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.

Happy ever after in the marketplace,
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.

Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their life goes on.
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their 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.

Happy ever after in the marketplace,
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.

Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their life goes on.
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, life goes on, bra,
La-la how their life goes on.

And if you want some fun, take ob-la-di-bla-da.