 The Beatles had just retired from touring after one of the most difficult periods of their career , including the " more popular than Jesus " controversy and the band 's unintentional snubbing of Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos . Lennon talked about the song in 1980 : " I was different all my life . The second verse goes , ' No one I think is in my tree . ' Well , I was too shy and self @-@ doubting . Nobody seems to be as hip as me is what I was saying . Therefore , I must be crazy or a genius – ' I mean it must be high or low ' " , and explaining that the song was " psycho @-@ analysis set to music " . 
