In the summer of 1965, John and George had been introduced to LSD by a London dentist who slipped it into their coffee after an evening meal. In August, while in America, they took their first trip by choice, and from then on John confessed that he "just ate it all the time".

The title was a typical play on words by John, who wanted to reflect the influence of the growing drug culture within a Beatles' song. It was his way of referring to those who couldn't, like him, afford the luxury of being almost permanently tripped out. "It's just a rock'n'roll song," commented John. "Day trippers are people who go on a day trip right? Usually on a ferryboat or something. But (the song) was kind of ... you're just a weekend hippie. Get it?"

The song is about a girl who leads the singer on. His oblique description of the girl as a "big teaser", was a knowing reference to the term "prick teaser", a phrase sometimes used about women who encourage sexual arousal with no intention of having sex.

Day Tripper was released in both Britain and America as a double A sided single with We Can Work it Out. It was the more popular song in Britain, reaching No 1, but in America it peaked at five. The Beatles later said that We Can Work it Out was their choice for the A side.