A Word About the "Paul is Dead" Myth
The Beatles were one of the world's greatest bands and have earned titles such as "The Lads Who Shook The World," "The Fab Four," and others. They have forever changed the sound of rock as we know it introducting effects such as fedback (a la I Feel Fine), using tape loops on songs such as I Am The Walrus, and even being one of the first adapters of the melotron as heard on Strawberry Fields Forever.
But The Beatles have also made a name for themselves for something completely unrelated to their sound. An urban legend known today as "Paul is Dead." The legend began circulating around 1966 and had continued for most of the rest of their career.
How did it get started?
While fans created this urban legend since the mid 60s, it officially came to light in the fall of 1969 (about six months prior to their break-up). A report was issued that claimed that McCartney died in November of 1966 after his car ran off road due to icy conditions and was shortly replaced by a look-alike by the name of "Billy Shears," (Shears, is one of the characters of the fictious Lonely Hearts Club Band).
Clue #1: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The pictures above show the infamous front, and back covers of the Sgt. Pepper's lonely Hearts Club Band LP. Many fans regarded the front cover as depicting a funeral. In fact, Paul has a badge on his shirt reading "O.P.D..", which in British English is a term for "Officially Pronounced Dead." Truth is, it's really just a badge of the Ontario Provincial Police in Ontario, Canada.
The back cover also shows Harrison pointing to the words "Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock," the opening words to the track She's Leaving Home, and a reference to Macca's time of death - Wednesday November 9, 1966 at 5 AM.
Clue #2 The Magical Mystery Tour
The most common giveaway on this record is at the very end of Strawberry Fields Forever. Lennon can be heard saying, what sound to many like "I buried Paul." In an interview after the Beatles breakup, Lennon explained the lyrics were actually "Cramberry Sauce."
Clue #3: The Beatles (White Album)
Fans have subitlted the Fab Four's tenth self-titled LP as The White Album. The cover of the album is a dead giveway. White, in Asian cultures, is used as a symbol for mourning unlike black in Western cultures. This could have been tied to the Beatles' recent stay in India.
The album also features Revolution #9 which features "Number 9, Number 9," repeated in the background in the beginning. If played in reverse, it sounds like "Paul is Dead Man." During the track Glass Onion, basically a reference to several other Beatles songs, Lennon states, "Well here's another clue for you all. The walrus was Paul." A walrus is a marine animal which in British ancient European culture symbolized death.
Between I'm so Tired and Blackbird, what sounds like nonsense mumbling can be heard. If backmasked, it sounds like "Paul is Dead man. Miss him, miss him, miss him." However, it was really Lennon saying "Monsieur, monsieur. Can I have another one?"
Clue #4 Abbey Road
Folks this has got to be the culmination of clues. This spectacular cover shows the Fab Four cross the street outside Abbey Road studios. It was here that fans concluded that the picture depicts a funeral procession. Lennon is dressed in white as a priest, while Harrison is dressed as a gravedigger. However McCartney (Shears?) is walking out of step, and is even barefoot!
Also take a good heard look at the Wolkswagon (you guessed it a Beetle). Its custom plate reads IF28 - suggesting that the following year McCartney would be 28 years old if he was still around.
McCartney made a parody of this cover to debunk the "Paul is dead" myth. The album is also titled Paul is LIve as a pun on the myth.
McCartney is still alive and well. In fact, in late 1969, he began recording his solo debut titled McCartney followed by 1971's Ram. That very year, he also hooked up with Denny Laine of Moody Blues fame to form Wings. McCartney still tours regularly today although his most recent tour was cancelled.
Avril Lavigne...a repat of Paul is dead?
In 2010, a simillar rumor reccurred regarding Canadian singer Avril Lavigne. Suggesting the singer died in late 2003 and was replaced by Melissa Vandella. Despite that, there were no suggested clues in Avril's music. As it is, "Paul is dead" remains one of the biggest celebrity hoaxes in pop culture.
But The Beatles have also made a name for themselves for something completely unrelated to their sound. An urban legend known today as "Paul is Dead." The legend began circulating around 1966 and had continued for most of the rest of their career.
How did it get started?
While fans created this urban legend since the mid 60s, it officially came to light in the fall of 1969 (about six months prior to their break-up). A report was issued that claimed that McCartney died in November of 1966 after his car ran off road due to icy conditions and was shortly replaced by a look-alike by the name of "Billy Shears," (Shears, is one of the characters of the fictious Lonely Hearts Club Band).
Clue #1: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The pictures above show the infamous front, and back covers of the Sgt. Pepper's lonely Hearts Club Band LP. Many fans regarded the front cover as depicting a funeral. In fact, Paul has a badge on his shirt reading "O.P.D..", which in British English is a term for "Officially Pronounced Dead." Truth is, it's really just a badge of the Ontario Provincial Police in Ontario, Canada.
The back cover also shows Harrison pointing to the words "Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock," the opening words to the track She's Leaving Home, and a reference to Macca's time of death - Wednesday November 9, 1966 at 5 AM.
Clue #2 The Magical Mystery Tour
The most common giveaway on this record is at the very end of Strawberry Fields Forever. Lennon can be heard saying, what sound to many like "I buried Paul." In an interview after the Beatles breakup, Lennon explained the lyrics were actually "Cramberry Sauce."
Clue #3: The Beatles (White Album)
Fans have subitlted the Fab Four's tenth self-titled LP as The White Album. The cover of the album is a dead giveway. White, in Asian cultures, is used as a symbol for mourning unlike black in Western cultures. This could have been tied to the Beatles' recent stay in India.
The album also features Revolution #9 which features "Number 9, Number 9," repeated in the background in the beginning. If played in reverse, it sounds like "Paul is Dead Man." During the track Glass Onion, basically a reference to several other Beatles songs, Lennon states, "Well here's another clue for you all. The walrus was Paul." A walrus is a marine animal which in British ancient European culture symbolized death.
Between I'm so Tired and Blackbird, what sounds like nonsense mumbling can be heard. If backmasked, it sounds like "Paul is Dead man. Miss him, miss him, miss him." However, it was really Lennon saying "Monsieur, monsieur. Can I have another one?"
Clue #4 Abbey Road
Folks this has got to be the culmination of clues. This spectacular cover shows the Fab Four cross the street outside Abbey Road studios. It was here that fans concluded that the picture depicts a funeral procession. Lennon is dressed in white as a priest, while Harrison is dressed as a gravedigger. However McCartney (Shears?) is walking out of step, and is even barefoot!
Also take a good heard look at the Wolkswagon (you guessed it a Beetle). Its custom plate reads IF28 - suggesting that the following year McCartney would be 28 years old if he was still around.
McCartney made a parody of this cover to debunk the "Paul is dead" myth. The album is also titled Paul is LIve as a pun on the myth.
McCartney is still alive and well. In fact, in late 1969, he began recording his solo debut titled McCartney followed by 1971's Ram. That very year, he also hooked up with Denny Laine of Moody Blues fame to form Wings. McCartney still tours regularly today although his most recent tour was cancelled.
Avril Lavigne...a repat of Paul is dead?
In 2010, a simillar rumor reccurred regarding Canadian singer Avril Lavigne. Suggesting the singer died in late 2003 and was replaced by Melissa Vandella. Despite that, there were no suggested clues in Avril's music. As it is, "Paul is dead" remains one of the biggest celebrity hoaxes in pop culture.
Comments
Post a Comment