Ethos of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Rebecca Tomilchik

Ethos is the rhetorical term used to describe the credentials of an author.  Basically, it explains why the author is a trustworthy and credible source of information.  In the case of the song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, the ethos of this piece comes from the past experiences and reputation of the members of The Beatles.  This band is incredibly well-known, and its music is still very popular today, which speaks to its extrinsic ethos.  Extrinsic ethos comes from the track record of the author(s).  The Beatles have released around 27 albums, almost all of which have been incredibly successful, which allows you to confidently say that they are a popular band that has captivated the minds and ears of millions.  Furthermore, The Beatles were also known to experiment with hallucinogens, such as marijuana and acid, so they are able to easily create songs that reflect those experiences.  On the other hand, the Beatles have intrinsic ethos as well, which is demonstrated through presentation.  When it comes to songs, it can be challenging to identify intrinsic ethos since songs, this one in particular, are not educational or informative documents that need to have a reliable author.  My approach is to look at the creative aspect of the song, such as the tune and lyrics.  To put it plainly, it’s a good song!  For example, the following stanza exemplifies the talent of the band members:

Picture yourself in a boat on a river

With tangerine trees and marmalade skies

Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly

A girl with kaleidoscope eyes

These lyrics are clearly well-crafted, which contributes  to the intrinsic ethos of the song and of the writers.  Although it is challenging to define a song’s writers as “credible”, as ethos dictates, it is possible to establish the trustworthiness of The Beatles through their past experiences, drug use, and musical talent.