John was under a hard deadline and needed a song for the Sgt. Pepper album. So he used whatever was in front of him. There was an amusing poster he found in a junk store of an old circus event from the 1800s, and he literally took the advertisement and used it for the lyrics, with a few minor adjustments.
He used everything from Pablo Fanques, to the Hendersons to Henry the Horse (although the poster called him Zanthos) was directly taken from the poster.
Almost predictably, radio immediately assumed “Henry the Horse” was a symbol for heroin. John assured us it was not. It seemed by 1967 the Beatles couldn’t do anything without being over-interpreted.
Producer George Martin was charged with doing whatever it took to provide the carnival like atmosphere heard on the record. John told him, “I want to be able to smell the sawdust.” How’s that for musical direction?
John claims it’s his song, and for the most part, it likely is. But Paul, in typical fashion, remembers it slightly differently. He recalls sitting in John’s living room, looking at the poster and discussing the possibilities. There may a some credit due for Paul’s influence, or for just being in the room.
Because anytime there’s a Beatle in the room, the room is influenced.