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turned into a near recluse, rarely appearing from her hut. John Lennon was asked to “contact her and make sure she came out more often to socialize.” As a result, he wrote the song, “Dear Prudence.” In the song, Lennon asks Bruns to “open up your eyes” and “see the sunny skies,” re← minding her that she was “part More than just of everything.” a name, Prudence Farrow Bruns was Not surprisingly, the the inspiration song deeply influenced for a timeless song and, in many ways, defined by the iconic Beatles. Bruns. Her award-winning memoir, “Dear Prudence: The Story Behind the Song,” offers her personal telling of the story of the iconic song written during one of America’s most tumultuous decades. “It didn’t mean much to me at the time,” she reflects. “I was grateful and it was positive and very beautiful, but I was preoccupied.” And she still is. It has been 48 years since The Beatles released “Dear Prudence” into the universe, but Prudence Farrow by ZANDRA WOLFGRAM Bruns, the speaker, author, scholar, actress Mia Farrow — Prudence has film producer and music muse, still never been a seeker of the spotlight. relishes time spent in reflection. She Quite the opposite, in fact, as the formed the Prudence Foundation to now-famous song laments. further support the study of yoga and Bruns’ father died when she was TM and is currently a director of the just 15 years old. At this time, she exNorthwest Florida TM Program. She perienced “a very powerful spiritual leads TM workshops near her home experience that set (her) sails.” She twice a month and at local studios began a personal quest to fill the void along the Emerald Coast several she felt with spiritual peace. At 16, she times a year. was reading “Siddhartha,” by HerShe and her husband, Albert, live man Hesse, and became “fascinated quietly in Seagrove Beach, where they and enthralled” with India, Hinduism honeymooned in 1969 and where they and Buddhism. While a student at spent their summer vacations with UCLA, she pursued her passion for their three children. “Seagrove has yoga and began practicing Transcenbeen an anchor in our lives,” Bruns dental Meditation (TM). says. “It’s a very spiritual place and Bruns had studied with Swami definitely has got something special Satchidananda for two years and had going on. We like that it attracts the begun teaching TM in a church in Boskind of people who care more about ton when she met up with The Beatles nature and less about waterslides and in India during their six-week sojourn big buildings.” to study with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. As for music, it’s still a “proShe was just 19 years old and one of found” influence in Bruns’ life. “It’s few Westerners who had even heard of a very powerful medium and one of Transcendental Meditation. the closest things to the spiritual we In India, Bruns became so intently have,” she says. “It reminds us that we focused on her meditation that she are connected; we are one.” EC
DEAR PRUDENCE The muse behind the song
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t was 1968. The Vietnam War was raging. Martin Luther King was silenced by a bullet. Apollo 7 was the first aircraft to launch human life into space. Women’s Liberation groups began to target the Miss America beauty contest. And The Beatles four-member boy-band phenomenon was at its pinnacle, trying to make sense of the world through song. The band harmonized a lot about women — which is, perhaps, one reason why they had such a strong following of female fans. In 1968 they released “Hey Jude,” “Sexy Sadie,” “Julia,” “Heather” and dozens of other songs. But it was “Dear Prudence,” written by John Lennon and recorded in London over three sultry summer days in August of 1968, that seemed to instantly intrigue a generation that was filled with angst. The lyrical ballad was inspired by Prudence Farrow Bruns. Although she grew up in a Hollywood family — her father was film director John Farrow, her mother was actress Maureen O’Sullivan and her older sister is
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February–March 2017 EMERALDCOASTMAGA ZINE.COM
PARTIAL LYRICS
OF “DEAR PRUDENCE” Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play? Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day The sun is up, the sky is blue It’s beautiful and so are you Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play? Dear Prudence, open up your eyes Dear Prudence, see the sunny skies The wind is low, the birds will sing That you are part of everything
DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT “DEAR PRUDENCE”? John Lennon is said to have selected it as one of his favorite songs by The Beatles. In 1987, Lennon’s original handwritten lyrics of the song, containing 14 lines and some “doodles” in the margin, sold at auction for $19,500. “Dear Prudence” is one of 17 songs recorded by The Beatles that mentions the words “sun” or “sunshine.” English postpunk band Siouxsie and the Banshees released a cover version of the song as a single in 1983, which became one of their biggest hits. photography by CHASE YAKABOSKI