Lennon later reflected that the lyrics of "I'll Cry Instead" represent his then newfound feelings of frustration with success and the sense that he had lost his freedom. Lennon's wife, Cynthia Lennon, similarly described the lyrics as a cry for help, explaining that "[i]t reflects the frustration he felt at that time", being "the idol of millions... [while] the freedom and fun of the early days had gone." McCartney later suggested the song referred to difficulties in Lennon's marriage with Cynthia.
