A Stretcar Named Desire

We’ll start our story about ‘Grow Old With Me’ at its earliest kernels. In the mid-1970s, John Lennon wrote an unreleased song called ‘Tennessee,’ based on playwright Tennessee Williams. He had reportedly recently read Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’

Elliot Mintz, Lennon confidant and host to the ‘80s/90s radio show The Lost Lennon Tapes (TLLT), said of ‘Tennessee,’ “John was inspired to write this one during the mid-‘70s after reading works by legendary playwright Tennessee Williams. I clearly recall John playing ‘Tennessee’ for me during one of my visits to the Dakota back then.” (TLLT Episode 8: Elton John Thanksgiving Concert. The Lost Lennon Tapes. February 22, 1988.)

Early lyrics to ‘Tennessee’ are below. Lennon changed them in later versions.

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Tennessee, oh Tennessee what you've shown to me

Your words like water pure and clear

The sadness of your soul reveals the music of the sphere

And sealed beyond your spirit mind

Your poet's love and feel

America, America

Your heroes are alive

Your faded fear and glory will survive

The madness in your soul supplies the all-consuming fire

Beneath your spirit chestnut lies the Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee, oh Tennessee

Your southern belle'll win

Music traveled far from New Orleans

Sling an arrowed mirror in the magic of your dream

It's the age-old harmony of the naked human being

It's the twenty-years-old harmony of the cold and lonely naked human being

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Lennon did not use any of the music or lyrics in ‘Tennessee’ for ‘Grow Old With Me.’ However, he would incorporate this music into another song that would.