Paul is Dead...Again
or On Abbey Road, Just Off Penny Lane, You Can See Strawberry Fields Forever
Darron Young
Issue date: 10/27/06 Section: FreeStyle
The Beatles are one of the most notable musical groups of the 20th century, and beyond. Theirs is a body of work that has stood the test of time, with their songs being just as timely (and timeless) now as they've ever been. Now is as good a time as ever for anyone to rediscover the group widely thought to be the greatest rock band ever. (But more on that in a later article.)
Most people are doubtlessly familiar with this very famous image. It has graced everything from stickers to buttons to t-shirts and posters, and everything in between. It is the cover to "Abbey Road," the Beatles' last album recorded together before the band would split up permanently. However, what most people might not be aware of is that there's a much deeper significance and symbolism behind the image as well.
"Abbey Road" the album was recorded at a time when the band was going through numerous problems; both personal differences within the band and ones related to the constant scrutiny of the public eye. It was a very badly kept secret that the group was going through lots of internal strife at the time. (Yes, this is the infamous "Yoko" era.) And yet, this is the album that introduced such memorable songs as "Come Together," "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something." Most people marvel at how the group was able to make such catchy, "happy" sounding pop music during one of the worst times in the band's history.
And it was at this unusual time that a particularly strange rumor surfaced that would spread like wildfire amongst the public at large. A bizarre rumor surfaced that lead guitarist for the group, Paul McCartney, was dead. A man identifying himself only as "Ted" called a Detroit radio station, the Russ Gibb Show, on October 12, 1969, saying he'd heard that Paul had died in a horrific auto accident. Other DJs picked up the story, and soon the national news media took it to be true as well.
People began to claim that the Beatles had knowingly covered up Paul's death and replaced him with a look-alike. A man named William Campbell, who once won a Paul McCartney look-alike contest, was supposedly inserted in place of Paul. Even more incredible, people claim that this was a cover-up that has been going on for years. Paul is supposed to have died on November 8, 1966. (Although the group had released five albums at this point since, presumably with the "imposter," William.)
On the cover to a previous album, "Revolver," Paul is shown looking to the left, only one eye visible, with the rest of the group looking (for the most part) ahead, both eyes visible. There is a tiny hand visible over his head, a symbol for someone who has passed on. And their "Sgt. Pepper's" cover, one of the most famous covers in music history, seems filled with subtle clues. Some said that if you held a mirror to the "Lonely Heart" part, it reads, "1 One 1 X He ^ Die." And the arrow points directly up at Paul. The three 1's are supposed to represent the other three Beatles, while the "X" represents the fourth, Paul, who is "X'd" out.
On the "White Album," there is a song called "Revolution #9." Taken on it's own, it sounds like an oddly distorted combination of sounds and motifs; not so much a song, but a sonic collage of varying motifs thrown together as music. The effect it brings is surreal. At one point in the song, John repeats the words, "Number 9, number 9." However, when the record is played backwards, it sounds like he's saying, "Turn me on, dead man. Turn me on, dead man." Compare this with another song, "A Day in the Life," where Paul sang, "I'd love to turn you on." The "White Album" concept itself further fueled the speculation. Many thought using an all white album cover wasn't so much an artistic statement, but a convenient way of avoiding having to show Paul's likeness on the album cover. And "Revolver" uses a drawing of the Beatles instead of an actual photo. (Further, even in this drawing, the other three Beatles are facing forward, and Paul is looking off to his right, suggesting he is no longer with the group.)
But this is the digital era, right? We don't use records anymore. We use cd's. And these are quickly being phased out to make way for mp3's. So even if we did have a copy of the Beatles' music, how could we possibly listen to it backwards? How does one get to the bottom of this mystery in today's day and age? Well, thanks to the Internet, you can have a listen for yourself: http://www.beatlesagain.com/bpidnew.html.
With this in mind, look at the image again. John Lennon, who leads the pack, has long, flowing hair and a thick beard, wearing all white. In this regard he could represent God, leading the procession. Or perhaps the minister. Next is Ringo, dressed in a black suit, as the priest who presides over the funeral. (Or the undertaker.) Third is Paul, wearing layman's clothes, barefooted and with his eyes closed. He is the person who has died. (Because, according to some Eastern faiths, we go into death barefooted, eyes closed. And it's well-known fact that the Beatles began to be heavily influenced by Eastern culture in their later albums.) Also, he's holding the cigarette ("coffin nail") in his right hand, and Paul McCartney is left-handed, giving further credence to the "imposter" theory. Further, all three of the other Beatles are walking left foot forward, and Paul is leading with his right, symbolizing his being "out-of-step" with the rest of the group. Also, the white VW Bug parked on the curb has the license plate LMW 28IF. Many said that this represented that Paul would be 28 years old if he had lived. (Though he was 27 at the time.) The "LMW" could possibly mean "Linda (his wife) might weep" or "Linda McCartney, Widow."
So, given all these things to consider, one might crave to know the real truth behind all this. Did the Beatles really go through this elaborate hoax, so their fans wouldn't know one of their members had died? Or, knowing Paul is still alive, did they put these subtle clues in their music just to mess with their fans' heads? Let's get down to the bottom of it all. The real secret of this album cover is...
... there isn't one. In truth, it just so happened that John was wearing all white on the day of the shoot. Ringo wore a suit, Paul happened to be barefooted and George wore something very casual.
Considering the personalities of the men, it isn't very surprising. John Lennon has always been more of a flamboyant personality, a sort of eccentric genius type who wouldn't be out of sort at all wearing all white. Ringo chose to wear a suit because he likes suits. Paul McCartney usually wears more subdued dress, and in real life just didn't wear shoes very often. (He claims that he showed up at the shoot wearing sandals, but when it proved too hot outside, he simply took them off.) And left-handed people smoke using their right hands sometime. No mystery there. Further, considering the side the photo was shot on, it's very likely he held it in that hand so people would see it better, as more of an artistic statement. And it wasn't at all unusual for the shy, "grounded" George Harrison to be seen wearing such plain clothes as these. As an interesting aside, the owner of the now infamous "LMW 28IF" license plate had people constantly trying to steal the plate off his car after this album was released, and at the height of the "Paul is Dead" rumors. Originally, the Beatles had intended to entitle the album "Everest," and it would feature them standing near the Himalayas or another mountain range. The idea was scrapped at the last minute, and the photographer in charge of the shoot arranged this now iconic shot in just under ten minutes.
So no, there is no great mystery here, and yes, as of this publication Sir Paul is alive and well. However, even this reporter would concede that such a string of coincidences seems about as unlikely as throwing a bucketful full of different colored paints into the air and having them all come down and take form as the "Mona Lisa" on the sidewalk. However, in this case, that's exactly what happened. (With a little "creative interpretation" from a few overzealous Beatles fans.) Still, one can't help but wonder if the Beatles themselves might have played any part in this string of coincidences. And so, I leave you with this quote from Mr. McCartney himself: "I am alive and well and unconcerned about the rumors of my death. But if I were dead, I would be the last to know."
Darron is a staff writer for the "Hawkeye" and knows that "Helter Skelter" wasn't about violence, nor was it about a Carnival slide. It was about delicious, creamy mashed potatoes. Mmmmm . . . mashed taters. Please send feedback on this column or any other to: powwow@ulm.edu. Please include 'Darron' or 'FreeStyle' in the subject line.
Most people are doubtlessly familiar with this very famous image. It has graced everything from stickers to buttons to t-shirts and posters, and everything in between. It is the cover to "Abbey Road," the Beatles' last album recorded together before the band would split up permanently. However, what most people might not be aware of is that there's a much deeper significance and symbolism behind the image as well.
"Abbey Road" the album was recorded at a time when the band was going through numerous problems; both personal differences within the band and ones related to the constant scrutiny of the public eye. It was a very badly kept secret that the group was going through lots of internal strife at the time. (Yes, this is the infamous "Yoko" era.) And yet, this is the album that introduced such memorable songs as "Come Together," "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something." Most people marvel at how the group was able to make such catchy, "happy" sounding pop music during one of the worst times in the band's history.
And it was at this unusual time that a particularly strange rumor surfaced that would spread like wildfire amongst the public at large. A bizarre rumor surfaced that lead guitarist for the group, Paul McCartney, was dead. A man identifying himself only as "Ted" called a Detroit radio station, the Russ Gibb Show, on October 12, 1969, saying he'd heard that Paul had died in a horrific auto accident. Other DJs picked up the story, and soon the national news media took it to be true as well.
People began to claim that the Beatles had knowingly covered up Paul's death and replaced him with a look-alike. A man named William Campbell, who once won a Paul McCartney look-alike contest, was supposedly inserted in place of Paul. Even more incredible, people claim that this was a cover-up that has been going on for years. Paul is supposed to have died on November 8, 1966. (Although the group had released five albums at this point since, presumably with the "imposter," William.)
On the cover to a previous album, "Revolver," Paul is shown looking to the left, only one eye visible, with the rest of the group looking (for the most part) ahead, both eyes visible. There is a tiny hand visible over his head, a symbol for someone who has passed on. And their "Sgt. Pepper's" cover, one of the most famous covers in music history, seems filled with subtle clues. Some said that if you held a mirror to the "Lonely Heart" part, it reads, "1 One 1 X He ^ Die." And the arrow points directly up at Paul. The three 1's are supposed to represent the other three Beatles, while the "X" represents the fourth, Paul, who is "X'd" out.
On the "White Album," there is a song called "Revolution #9." Taken on it's own, it sounds like an oddly distorted combination of sounds and motifs; not so much a song, but a sonic collage of varying motifs thrown together as music. The effect it brings is surreal. At one point in the song, John repeats the words, "Number 9, number 9." However, when the record is played backwards, it sounds like he's saying, "Turn me on, dead man. Turn me on, dead man." Compare this with another song, "A Day in the Life," where Paul sang, "I'd love to turn you on." The "White Album" concept itself further fueled the speculation. Many thought using an all white album cover wasn't so much an artistic statement, but a convenient way of avoiding having to show Paul's likeness on the album cover. And "Revolver" uses a drawing of the Beatles instead of an actual photo. (Further, even in this drawing, the other three Beatles are facing forward, and Paul is looking off to his right, suggesting he is no longer with the group.)
But this is the digital era, right? We don't use records anymore. We use cd's. And these are quickly being phased out to make way for mp3's. So even if we did have a copy of the Beatles' music, how could we possibly listen to it backwards? How does one get to the bottom of this mystery in today's day and age? Well, thanks to the Internet, you can have a listen for yourself: http://www.beatlesagain.com/bpidnew.html.
With this in mind, look at the image again. John Lennon, who leads the pack, has long, flowing hair and a thick beard, wearing all white. In this regard he could represent God, leading the procession. Or perhaps the minister. Next is Ringo, dressed in a black suit, as the priest who presides over the funeral. (Or the undertaker.) Third is Paul, wearing layman's clothes, barefooted and with his eyes closed. He is the person who has died. (Because, according to some Eastern faiths, we go into death barefooted, eyes closed. And it's well-known fact that the Beatles began to be heavily influenced by Eastern culture in their later albums.) Also, he's holding the cigarette ("coffin nail") in his right hand, and Paul McCartney is left-handed, giving further credence to the "imposter" theory. Further, all three of the other Beatles are walking left foot forward, and Paul is leading with his right, symbolizing his being "out-of-step" with the rest of the group. Also, the white VW Bug parked on the curb has the license plate LMW 28IF. Many said that this represented that Paul would be 28 years old if he had lived. (Though he was 27 at the time.) The "LMW" could possibly mean "Linda (his wife) might weep" or "Linda McCartney, Widow."
So, given all these things to consider, one might crave to know the real truth behind all this. Did the Beatles really go through this elaborate hoax, so their fans wouldn't know one of their members had died? Or, knowing Paul is still alive, did they put these subtle clues in their music just to mess with their fans' heads? Let's get down to the bottom of it all. The real secret of this album cover is...
... there isn't one. In truth, it just so happened that John was wearing all white on the day of the shoot. Ringo wore a suit, Paul happened to be barefooted and George wore something very casual.
Considering the personalities of the men, it isn't very surprising. John Lennon has always been more of a flamboyant personality, a sort of eccentric genius type who wouldn't be out of sort at all wearing all white. Ringo chose to wear a suit because he likes suits. Paul McCartney usually wears more subdued dress, and in real life just didn't wear shoes very often. (He claims that he showed up at the shoot wearing sandals, but when it proved too hot outside, he simply took them off.) And left-handed people smoke using their right hands sometime. No mystery there. Further, considering the side the photo was shot on, it's very likely he held it in that hand so people would see it better, as more of an artistic statement. And it wasn't at all unusual for the shy, "grounded" George Harrison to be seen wearing such plain clothes as these. As an interesting aside, the owner of the now infamous "LMW 28IF" license plate had people constantly trying to steal the plate off his car after this album was released, and at the height of the "Paul is Dead" rumors. Originally, the Beatles had intended to entitle the album "Everest," and it would feature them standing near the Himalayas or another mountain range. The idea was scrapped at the last minute, and the photographer in charge of the shoot arranged this now iconic shot in just under ten minutes.
So no, there is no great mystery here, and yes, as of this publication Sir Paul is alive and well. However, even this reporter would concede that such a string of coincidences seems about as unlikely as throwing a bucketful full of different colored paints into the air and having them all come down and take form as the "Mona Lisa" on the sidewalk. However, in this case, that's exactly what happened. (With a little "creative interpretation" from a few overzealous Beatles fans.) Still, one can't help but wonder if the Beatles themselves might have played any part in this string of coincidences. And so, I leave you with this quote from Mr. McCartney himself: "I am alive and well and unconcerned about the rumors of my death. But if I were dead, I would be the last to know."
Darron is a staff writer for the "Hawkeye" and knows that "Helter Skelter" wasn't about violence, nor was it about a Carnival slide. It was about delicious, creamy mashed potatoes. Mmmmm . . . mashed taters. Please send feedback on this column or any other to: powwow@ulm.edu. Please include 'Darron' or 'FreeStyle' in the subject line.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 12
Cecil Hutto
posted 10/30/06 @ 11:52 AM CST
Paul was the group's bassist. George Harrison was the lead guitarist.
Let It Be was the last studio work accomplished by The Beatles before their split. (Continued…)
Darron Young
posted 3/27/07 @ 9:28 PM CST
Yeah, I actually wrote a corrected version of this article taking out the part about Paul playing lead. I know there are a few songs where he played lead, but yeah the majority of the time the duties did go to George. (Continued…)
Jay Music
posted 4/05/07 @ 2:08 AM CST
There are several blatant errors here. Just two:
(1) It is NOT John singing "Number 9, Number 9" on the 'Revolution #9' track. It is from an EMI Test recording used at Abbey Road studios in 1968. (Continued…)
Caroline Card
posted 3/17/09 @ 3:28 AM CST
Wait for next writes!
Penny Jackson
posted 3/17/09 @ 7:51 AM CST
Nice review! Thanks!
Caroline Card
posted 3/17/09 @ 10:10 AM CST
Wait for next writes!
Monica Ackers
posted 3/17/09 @ 4:04 PM CST
I like articles like this. Great Article! Thanks!
Linda Gangwer
posted 4/16/09 @ 7:48 PM CST
I have to agree with teh poster above... :/ looks like a lot of hot air to me.
Bramer Duszynski
posted 4/19/09 @ 8:36 AM CST
Hello! I am glad that I'v joined your community! See ya!
j
posted 4/23/09 @ 11:14 PM CST
.
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