To have only just realised this about Norwegian Wood?

[StVincent]

This song was on the radio earlier - how have I not noticed before that it's about a man burning a woman's furniture/house as revenge for her not sleeping with him?

Tell me I'm not the only one!

hmm? maybe he lit a fire in the fireplace? it was the morning after all.

hahah...me neither; I thought he was being kind by lighting the fire and bunging a bit coal and wood on to bank it up!!! I just hum along and think "what a nice, charming song" etc etc. I walk through life missing all nuances

I read that "Norwegian Wood" really means "i knew she would." Will look at the rest of the lyrics

It was originally called 'no Virgin should' I believe, or that may be urban myth....

? I thought he didn't want to sleep with her.

I originally thought you meant the book. And was interested to discover what yoù's realised as I couldn't fathom it...

I've always read that John wrote it about a particular affair he had, but was trying to be opaque so as to not hurt Cynthia. I think he was just warming the flat and all the "Norwegian wood" talk was simply referencing her taste in furnishings (as Danish modern was all the rage then).

according to wiki its about an affair Lennon had with some unknown woman. The end section is abouit him burning her house down.
I think the lyrics are shite but i'm not allowed to say it because its Lennon and McCartney.

The lyrics feel a bit ambiguous but I think McCartney confirmed that the song did describe arson.

I once had a girl,
Or should I say
She once had me.
She showed me her room,
Isn't it good
Norwegian wood.
She asked me to stay
And she told me to sit anywhere,
So I looked around
And I noticed there wasn't a chair.
I sat on a rug,
Biding my time
Drinking her wine.
We talked until two
And then she said,
"It's time for bed."
She told me she worked in the morning
And started to laugh
I told her I didn't
And crawled off to sleep in the bath
And when I awoke
I was alone;
This bird had flown.
So I lit a fire,
Isn't it good
Norwegian wood

It's pretty clear! I wonder if I subconsciously picked up on this when I was a kid as I never liked this blooming song either.

www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-beatles-songs-20110919/norwegian-wood-this-bird-has-flown-19691231

It was about how they were surprised and maybe slightly intimidated by Scandinavia's liberal attitudes towards sex

But she went to bed and he slept in the bath. Unless the bath is some kind of euphemism? !

That's what I always thought it was about Enthusiasm

Think the other definitions are a bit too literal

It was one of the first proper songs I learned to play on the piano, I love it!

It's about being turned down by a lesbian.
The fire bit is metaphorical though.

I thought this was going to be about the yawnfest that is the book as well. I have 20 pages to go and can't bloody wait.

Thought it was about Christmas trees....

He slept in the bath as there wasn't a spare room and sofas were shit in the 60's

It was 1965

He couldn't write about having sex with her

And he was married

Britian and the USA were still very conservative societies at the time

Hahaha and hearty apologies to all those hoping for an explanation of the book. I started it once and then realised life was too short :)

I thought the I lit a fire was about smoking a joint

I thought there was a narrative gap, she said it's time for bed, they had it away and then he had to sleep in the bath afterwards.

I wish I'd burnt the book rather than reading it. [Joke!]

oh do you think so nugget?