<P> "I Am the Walrus" was the first studio recording made by the Beatles after the death of their manager, Brian Epstein, in August 1967 . The basic backing track featuring the Beatles was released in 1996 on Anthology 2 . George Martin arranged and added orchestral accompaniment that included violins, cellos, horns, and clarinet . Paul McCartney said that Lennon gave instructions to Martin as to how he wished the orchestration to be scored, including singing most of the parts as a guide . A 16 - voice choir of professional studio vocalists named the Mike Sammes Singers took part in the recording as well, variously singing "Ho - ho - ho, hee - hee - hee, ha - ha - ha", "oompah, oompah, stick it up your jumper!", "everybody's got one" and making a series of shrill whooping noises . The "stick it up your jumper" refrain originated with the 1930s novelty song "Umpa, Umpa (Stick It Up Your Jumper)" by The Two Leslies . </P> <P> In 2015, founding Moody Blues member Ray Thomas said in an interview that he and fellow band member Mike Pinder contributed backing vocals to the song, as well as harmonicas to "The Fool on the Hill". </P> <P> The dramatic reading in the mix is Shakespeare's King Lear (Act IV, Scene 6), lines 219--222 and 249--262 . It was added to the song on 29 September 1967, recorded directly from an AM radio Lennon was fiddling with . Lennon tuned around the dial and settled on the 7: 30 pm to 11 pm broadcast of the play on the BBC Third Programme . </P> <P> The first excerpt (ll. 219--222) moves in and out of the text, containing fragments of lines only . It begins where the disguised Edgar talks to his estranged and maliciously blinded father the Earl of Gloucester (timings given): </P>

Meaning of lyrics to i am the walrus by beatles