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Paul mccartney: six feet under? essay

Paul McCartney: Six Feet Under? I read the news today, oh boy, about a lucky man who made the grade…heblew his mind out in a car. He didn’t notice that the lights had changed.(theBeatles, 1967) These lyrics proved to fans that Paul McCartney had indeed diedin a tragic auto accident in late 1966. Some people were skeptical about theexplanation, but upon investigating the album covers and the lyrics of theBeatles’ songs, the story seems to make sense. Some of the lyrics have to be atwisted in order to make sense in the prank, but after an explanation, the cluesare perfectly coherent.

For thirty-one years, the “ Paul Death Hoax” has intrigued a horde ofBeatles’ fans and fanatics alike. While it’s difficult to point to an absolutepoint of origination, there is no evidence whatsoever that the Beatlesthemselves had anything to do with the story, although many claim that theBeatles intended it to be a joke the their fans. However, clues, which seem socleverly arranged, are random coincidences or inaccurate interpretations ofexisting facts, and all Beatles have denied that they were in any way involvedwith the deceit. This leads people to believe that maybe Paul did die in thatalleged accident.

In the late summer 1969, the Northern Illinois University campusnewspaper, Northern Star, obtained a list of clues from a student who wrote aresearch paper on the hoax. (Saki) Russell Gibb, a disc jockey for the Detroitradio station, WNKR, then got a copy of it from a friend of his, and on hisradio show, proceeded to read them and even make up his own on the spot. Withina few days, Gibb and his coworkers were astonished to see that newspapers andreporters took his on-air joke too seriously and spread the story more widely.

(Saki) More clues came about when Fred Labour, arts reviewer of the Universityof Michigan’s student newspaper, The Michigan Daily, was asked to review “ AbbeyRoad.” He had listened to Gibb’s radio show a few days before this, and wasinspired to write his own article, based on “ clues” from Gibb and making up hisown. The newspaper published the article under the title, “ McCartney Dead; NewEvidence Brought to Light.” (Saki) Labour and the editor, J. Gray, assumed thateveryone knew it was a joke. The rest of the world took it seriously, and soonLabour was swamped with phone calls from media who wanted more information abouthis findings. However, these two men are not “ responsible” for the hoax, theywere the ones who figured it out from the clues.

James Paul McCartney was born in Liverpool, England, on June 18, 1942, in Ward Hospital. His mother, Mary Patricia, had given up hospital work justover a year previously and became a health visitor. Jim McCartney, his father, worked for Napiers, the engineering works in Liverpool, at the time of Paul’sbirth.

Paul started primary school at Stockton Wood Road Primary when thefamily moved to Speke, near Liverpool. He then went to the Liverpool Institute, the best-known of Liverpool’s grammar schools. (Davies, 24) At age thirteen, theMcCartneys moved to a little house in Ardwick, also near Liverpool. A yearlater, Mary died of breast cancer, a tragedy that was extremely painful to thefamily, especially Paul’s little brother, Michael. The boys were then moved tostay with one of Jim’s sisters, Aunt Jinny, so Jim could start over with thehousehold work. The boys eventually moved back home, but not without help fromJinny and Aunt Milly, another one of Jim’s sisters.

It was most likely because of his mother’s death that Paul decided tostart playing guitar. (Davies, 26) He was influenced by the skiffle phase andBill Haley’s early rock numbers, but like his fellow Beatles, he was impressedby Elvis Presley. It wasn’t until the summer of 1956 that Paul finally saw thefirst performance of his future co-lyricist, John Lennon. Paul was the one whoshowed them the chords and words to the popular tune, “ Twenty FlightRock.”(Davies, 33) His first real performance with the Quarrymen was at a danceat the Conservative Club in Broadway. A few years later, with the addition ofanother guitarist named George Harrison, the group changed their name to Johnnyand the Moondogs, a name thought of at the spur of the moment by the host of atelevision show at an audition. (Davies, 58) In 1959, they changed their name tothe Silver Beatles for an audition for the king of British rock and roll, LarryParnes. Through a gig in Hamburg, Germany, they met their permanent drummer, Ringo Starr, who was then in the group Rory Storme and the Hurricanes. Finallyin 1960 they shortened their name to the Beatles, the name that stuck. (Davies, 92)On Wednesday, November 11, 1966, Paul was driving through town at fiveo’clock in the morning. He was staring at a meter maid named Rita, and didn’trealize that he was coming up to a red light. A gathering of people stared atthe end result. Paul died of massive head trauma suffered in the crash. TheBeatles later held a Paul look-alike contest to replace him. The winner wasnamed William Campbell, a dead ringer for Paul, except for a scar on his upperlip.

The title on the cover of the album “ Rubber Soul,” released in 1965, isin the shape of a heart, indicating a lost soul among the four Beatles. (Saki)The group (including “ Paul”) is looking down, possibly peering into a grave.

The picture is somewhat distorted so no one can tell there is an imposter Pauland not the real one. Even though this album came out before Paul’s death, itis still referred to for clues.

In the song “ I’ve Just Seen a Face,” the words indicate what might havebeen going through Paul’s mind at the time of the crash: …-had it been anotherday, I might’ve looked the other way and never been aware. In the song, “ Girl,” the lyrics refer to the highly publicized relationship between Paul and JaneAsher. …that a man must break his back to earn his day of leisure will shestill believe it when he’s dead… shows that their relationship wasn’t a verygood one. Most of the lyrics of “ I’m Looking Through You” tell that Paul is inhis grave: I’m looking through you, where did you go? I thought I knew you, what did Iknow? You don’t look different but you have changed, I’m looking through you, you’re not the same…your lips are moving I cannot hear, you don’t sounddifferent I’ve learned the game…you were above me but not today, the onlydifference is you’re down there…you’ve changed, you’ve changed, you’vechanged….

The words in “ In My Life” describe how being alive is better than beingdead …all these places have their moments…. some are dead and some are living, in my life I love you more… The song “ Nowhere Man” describes Paul in hispresent state, dead. He’s a real nowhere man…doesn’t have a point of view, knows not where he’s going to…you don’t know what you’re missing, nowhere mancan you see me at all? The next album that contains any clues is “ The Beatles ‘ Yesterday’…andToday,” released in 1966. This album had two covers, the first being theinfamous “ butcher cover.” In it, the group has lab coats on, and they areholding dismembered dolls. There is a set of teeth on Paul’s right arm, signifying his teeth were knocked out in the car crash, rendering dental recordsuseless for identifying the body. (Gabriel) George is holding a doll’s headnext to Paul’s head. This is supposed to show that Paul was decapitated in theaccident. (Gabriel) The alternate cover had Paul in a box with the other threesurrounding it. When the album was turned on its side, the box looked like acoffin. As a sick joke, George called Capitol Records and just had thealternate covers on top of the original covers, instead of reprinting them.

(Saki) This is the first time “ Paul” is seen with a scar on his upper lip, so ithas to be the imposter, William Campbell.

The album had a couple of songs with lyrics that pointed to the death.

I believe in yesterday…suddenly, I’m not half the man I used to be, there’s ashadow hanging over me. Yesterday came suddenly are to signify that either Paulis no longer himself or he is not who he thinks he is. (Gabriel) He doeseverything he can, Dr. Robert… from the song “ Dr. Robert” means that thedoctor did everything he could to save Paul’s life after the accident. Areference to Paul being buried is in the song “ And Your Bird Can Sing”: youcan’t see me…you can’t hear me.

“ Revolver” was released in August, 1966. This is the first coverpicturing an open hand above Paul’s head, signifying that the person below wasdeparted from this world. (Gabriel) Paul’s name is sideways, as if it didn’tfit with the rest of the names, indicating he doesn’t fit in with the rest ofthe band.

There are three lines of “ Taxman” that have clues: …if you drive a car*Paul*…, reinforcing the fact that he died in a car accident, …if you gettoo cold, *Paul*…, saying that bodies become cold after they die, and …myadvice to those who die, taxman…, could be a shortened form of taxidermist, who preserves the remains of dead animals. The word “ Paul” is in asterisksbecause they really say “ ohhh,” but it could be interchanged with “ Paul.” Instead of using Father McKenzie in “ Eleanor Rigby,” the lyrics were going to beFather McCartney, but the group figured that Paul’s father wouldn’t be too happywith his surname being used. Father McKenzie, writing the words of a sermonthat no one will hear…was buried…Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from hishands as he walks from the grave, no one was saved… “ For No One” tells of alove of Paul’s (possibly Jane Asher) who is no more: …she says her love isdead…she says that long ago she knew someone but now he’s gone. The song “ Gotto Get You Into My Life” tells what happened that tragic day, in nutshell: Iwas alone I took a ride I didn’t know what I would find there…and thensuddenly I see you (the metermaid). (Saki) Even though the lyrics of “ TomorrowNever Knows” don’t have Paul’s name in them, it could be substituted for theword “ all” in this line: …*Paul* played the game existence to the end.

The front and back covers and inside gatefold of “ Sgt. Pepper’s LonelyHearts Club Band,” released in 1967, depict the most clues of any other album.

Each of the wax figures on the front cover is of a deceased celebrity or someonewho was outdated by then. There appears to be a freshly dug grave in front ofall the people. The wax figures of the early Beatles show them facing Paul, whois facing forward into a grave. (Saki) Each Beatle is holding an instrument, John, a brass french horn, George, a brass flute, Ringo, a brass trumpet, andPaul, a black Cor Angelis clarinet. The flowers spell out “ Beatles”, and thereis a left-handed bass guitar with three sticks upon it, indicating the threeremaining Beatles. Some even believe that the guitar appears to spell “ PAUL?”(O’Brien). On the right side of the cover, there is a doll with red lines(blood) running down her dress (Jane Asher or the metermaid), and there is asmall car on her lap, the model of the one Paul was driving. Below the “ T” inthe word “ Beatles,” there is a statue of the Hindu god Shiva, “ The Destroyer,” whose hand points directly at Paul. (O’Brien). If a mirror is held upperpendicular to the drum on the front, so the words “ LONELY HEARTS” are splitin half, the combined writing of the drum and the mirror says, “ 1 ONE 1 X HEDIE.” It says that there are three original Beatles left, the “ X” crosses outthe deceased Paul, and the arrow between “ HE” and “ DIE” points directly to Paul.

There is another open palm above Paul’s head.

On the inside gatefold, the Fab Four are seen facing the camera. OnPaul’s left shoulder, there is a patch whose identification is wrong at firstglance. Some say it says “ O. P. D.” which means “ officially pronounced dead” inCanada, but it really says “ O. P. P.” which stands for “ Ontario ProvincialPolice.” This could also be interpreted in the song “ She Came in Through theBathroom Window” that William Campbell was once a police officer.

The vinyl copy of “ Sgt. Pepper’s…” has lyrics printed on the backcover, layered over a picture of the Beatles. Paul is facing backwards, tosignify he is an imposter, and he appears to be taller than everyone else, eventhough he, John, and George are the same height. The lyrics “ Within You WithoutYou” from the song of the same title are coming out of Paul’s head. George’sthumb is pointing to the line, “ Wednesday morning at five o’clock,” the time ofPaul’s death. The word “ LOVE” is spelled out by the Beatles, Paul’s “ O” beingleft out. (O’Brien) George is pointing a “ sixth finger” at Paul, indicating anill-omen. (Saki)“ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is an actual idea taken fromhistory where a man can replace another man without anyone catching on. (Saki) .

.. so let me introduce to you, the one and only Billy Shears and Sgt. Pepper’sLonely Hearts Club Band… introduces William Campbell to the world as Paul’sreplacement. The lyrics to “ Fixing a Hole” show how William is adjusting to hisnew position: …and it really doesn’t matter if I’m wrong I’m right, where Ibelong I’m right where I belong. See the Beatles standing there, theydisagree…silly Beatle run round, they worry me… “ She’s Leaving Home” tellsthe day of the week and time of day Paul died: Wednesday morning at five o’clockas the day begins… The metermaid he was looking at when he died is found tobe named Rita, as in “ Lovely Rita”: .. standing by a parking meter when I caughta glimpse of Rita… “ Good Morning” tells of the chaos that followed theaccident. …nothing to do to save his life…you’re on your own you’re in thestreet…. people running around it’s five o’clock…watching the skirts youstart to flirt now you’re in gear… The tragedy is finally told in the song,“ A Day in the Life” : …he blew his mind out in a car, he didn’t notice thatthe lights had changed. A crowd of people stood and stared, they’d seen hisface before. Nobody was really sure if he was from the house of Paul…

However, the lyrics on the album cover say “ house of Lords.” On side B of theBritish release, there is a statement called “ The Inner Groove” that says, “ WillPaul come back as Superman?” (Saki)On the cover of “ Magical Mystery Tour,” also released in 1967, thewalrus is Paul, something not discovered until “ The White Album.” Paul is alsothe only one in black, and is in front of the other three Beatles. According tothe Lewis Carroll story, the walrus ate oysters and died, and the walrus is asign of death in certain cultures. (O’Brien) When a mirror is held up to theword “ Beatles,” it reveals a phone number (2317438). When called, the callergets this cryptic message: “ You’re getting closer…” and the call wouldabruptly end. (O’Brien) Throughout the booklet issued with the vinyl album, Paulis shown without shoes on. Generally people are buried without their shoes on.

On the first page, Paul’s magician hat is pulled down over his face, hiding itbecause it is not really him. Page three finds Paul sitting under crossedflags; crossed flags are placed over caskets at British military funerals.

(O’Brien) On the same page, a sign sits in front of him at the desk, reading “ IWAS YOU.” It is this picture that the scar on his upper lip is noticed, indicating that William has successfully replaced Paul in the band. Paul’s hatis crushed on page four, indicating he suffered head injuries in the crash. Thereference to head injuries comes up again on page nine, when the drawing of Paulshows a crack in his head. Page thirteen shows Ringo’s drum reading, “ LOVE THE3 BEATLES,” and a pair of bloody shoes right next to it. On page 23, the threeremaining Beatles have red carnations, while Paul has a black carnation. Page24 shows yet another open palm over Paul’s head. (Gabriel)Day after day, alone on a hill, the man with a foolish grin is keepingperfectly still…but nobody ever hears him and the sound he appears to make…

are the lyrics of “ Fool on the Hill.” On page nine in the booklet, there is acartoon of Paul labeled ‘ fool on the hill’, with the word “ hill” running downPaul’s head. Nobody ever hears him because he is gone. In “ I am the Walrus,” the eggman equals life, while the walrus equals death: I am the eggman they arethe eggman I am the walrus…(no you’re not, said little Nicola). “ HelloGoodbye” tells how William had to adjust: …you say goodbye and I say hello.

There is some conflict about the line I buried Paul, signifying that he wasthere with Father McKenzie (“ Eleanor Rigby”), at the end of “ Strawberry FieldsForever.” Some say John says that, others say John says cranberry sauce, butwhy would there be a pause between the syllables? …No one you can save thatcan’t be saved…nothing you can see that isn’t shown…yes, he’s dead…weloved you yeah, yeah, yeah from “ All You Need is Love” confirms to listenersthat Paul is indeed dead, and will be sorely missed. (Gabriel)The album cover for “ Hey Jude” shows the four Beatles standing in adoorway. On top of the doorway is a picture of where Paul is supposed to beburied. In the song, “ Lady Madonna,” the lyrics say the newspapers that day ofthe accident were recalled: …Wednesday papers didn’t come… At the end of“ Revolution,” some of the all rights sound just like Paul died, and occasionallya background vocal dubs in that phrase. The song “ You Know My Name, Look Up theNumber,” cites the phone number found on the “ Sgt. Pepper’s…” album cover.

There is a cuckoo clock that rings five times (possibly for the four Beatles andWilliam) when the phone number is called and a gruff voice saying, “ BEWARE OFABBEY ROAD.” (O’Brien)“ White Album”, the mysterious double album, was released in 1968. Onpage seven of the CD booklet, there is a picture of Paul dancing in the bottomright corner. Looking closely, there appears to be two skeletal hands reachingfor him. There is a large picture of Paul that clearly shows the scar on hisupper lip, on page fourteen. William Campbell’s face is finally shown, beforeplastic surgery to look more like Paul, on page eighteen.

As mentioned before, in the song “ Glass Onion,” the lyrics figure outvery important evidence about Paul: I told you about Strawberry Fields…wellher’s another place you can go…to see how the other half live looking througha glass onion… tells of looking at the coffin; “ glass onion” is a term usedfor a coffin that has a glass panel over the top so people can see in. …I toldyou about the walrus and me man, you know that we’re as close as can be man, well here’s another clue for you all, the walrus was Paul… confirms thewalrus’s identity, as well as John and Paul’s friendship. I told you about thefool on the hill…listen to me fixing a hole in the ocean… tells about Paul’spassing. He is referred to in the album “ Magical Mystery Tour” as the fool onthe hill. The ocean reference comes from the album “ Yellow Submarine” when thelyrics tell of Paul buried under the grass. The hole is his grave. Georgesings “ While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and at the fade-out, he can be heardsinging Paul, Paul, Paul, Paul… The end of the song “ I’m So Tired” and thebeginning of the song “ Blackbird,” played backwards, says Paul is dead man, misshim, miss him. “ Mother Nature’s Song” is sung by “ Paul,” and he says find me ina field of grass, Mother Nature’s Son, referring to he being buried. Ringolaments Paul’s accident in the song “ Don’t Pass Me By”: you were in a car crashand you lost your head (the lyrics say hair)… “ Revolution #9” is thespookiest of any of the songs mentioned. .. his voice was low and his eye washigh and his eyes were closed…*Paul* died…my fingers are broken and so is myhair, I’m not in the mood for wearing clothing…maybe even dead…you becomenaked… are heard playing the song forward, among other things, and the droningnumber 9 refers to Paul’s last name, which has nine letters in it. Playedbackwards, there is a nasty car crash heard, the car catches fire, and Paul isheard screaming get me out! get me out! The words number nine played backwardsreally are turn me on, dead man. (O’Brien)“ Yellow Submarine”‘ s album cover shows another open palm above Paul’shead, and the yellow submarine is stationery under the land. In the song“ Yellow Submarine”, John shouts various naval orders, which include Paul isqueer, an attempt to divert Paul’s fan’s attentions from Paul’s eternal absenceso it wouldn’t be so traumatic. …sky of blue, sea of green, in our yellowsubmarine…in the land of submarines… tell that Paul was buried in a yellowcoffin, under the green grass in the land of coffins, a cemetery. (Saki) Thename of the publishing company for the Beatles is called Northern, the song“ Only a Northern Song” was written because of that. When you’re listening lateat night you may think the band is not quite right…you may think the band’s alittle dark and out of key, you’re correct, there’s nobody there… shows thatthe group really missed Paul because he played bass, and in a band the lower-pitched instruments keep rhythm, as well as percussion. Obviously since Paul’sbass-playing abilities were absent, the group suffered musically. Peopleoblivious to Paul’s untimely death were made aware of it in “ Hey Bulldog”: .

.. you think you know me but you haven’t got a clue… (O’Brien, Gabriel)The album cover for “ Abbey Road,” released in 1969, was the clincher.

The front shows a funeral procession with each of the Beatles taking a role: John, the preacher in white, Ringo, the mourner in black, and George, thegravedigger in work clothes. Paul is out of step with the rest and in bare feet.

In his right hand he holds a cigarette, even though he is left-handed, and heis the only one smoking. The Volkswagen in the background on the left has alicense plate that reads “ 28IF,” meaning that would be Paul’s age at the album’srelease, if he lived. Because he would actually only be 27, it is pointed outthat in many Indian religions, a person is one year older than he or she reallyis. On the back cover, a crack runs through the word “ BEATLES” signifying asplit in the group, and a glimpse of a woman (possibly Rita) can be seen walkingby. To the left of the woman’s arm, a shadow of a skull is present. There arethree holes of very similar shape beneath the word “ BEATLES,” representing thethree remaining Beatles. To the left of the word, there is a curious pattern ofcircles cut in the stone–four are grouped together, but one is a differentcolor (William), and one is the same color as three of the four (Paul).

(O’Brien)“ Come Together” describes Paul: …he got early warning… meaning he diedearly in his life. …one and one and one is three… mentions the threeremaining original Beatles. The fact that he lost his hair in the crash isimplied in this line: …here come ol’ flattop… Paul’s eyeballs were replacedby the undertaker as portrayed by this: …he got Joo Joo eyeballs… He isknown to be in heaven because the song calls him holy roller. The song “ YouNever Give Me Your Money” has this at the end: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. Apparently Paul was good enough in hislife to get to heaven. (Saki)So, did James Paul McCartney really die on November 9, 1966? Are theclues just coincidental? The much better question is who really was behind thestory. It’s a big puzzle, and the Beatles relied on their true fans to cling tothe clues until the story was revealed. So, it has to be true, or everyone elsehas wasted a huge amount of energy finding the clues. This is not an attempt togather all available clues, new ones being invented by well-meaning fans whothink they’ve found something new. For the time being, Paul is dead, and thatis that. Case closed.

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