Hey, readers. Last month, I wrote about how United States Presidents weren’t exempt from being the subject of supposed curses. Singers, such as those in the 27 Club, have also been a part of folklore. Even a member of my all-time favorite group, The Beatles, was once the subject of an urban legend.
The Beatles in 1964 (Public Domain)
Rumors alleging Paul McCartney was dead began circulating in 1967. Proponents of the rumor claimed he died in a car crash on November 9, 1966. They further stated that in order to spare the public from grief, the remaining Beatles replaced him with a look-alike.
This look-alike was “an orphan from Edinburgh named William Campbell.” Others say his name was William Shears Campbell, which was shortened to Billy Shears. The name Billy Shears is included in the words of the song, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
These conspiracy theorists claimed the group began leaving subtle messages in their music and album artwork. Among these “supposed clues” are:
- The song “Glass Onion” includes the words, “The walrus was Paul.”
- At the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever,” listeners can hear John murmuring some words. Many claimed he was saying, “I buried Paul.”
- The White Album track “Revolution 9,” when played backward, supposedly includes the message, “Turn me on, dead man.”
- The cover of Magical Mystery Tour shows one unidentified band member dressed in a dark costume while the other three wear white.
- The back cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band shows George, John, and Ringo facing forward. Paul has his back to the camera.
The rumor continued to spread and grew rampant in the United States in 1969. That same year, the Beatles released Abbey Road. The album cover has become extremely famous in that visitors to London want to mimic the group walking across the street. However, the “Paul is Dead” theorists liken this cover to a “funeral march.”
- John, dressed in white, is symbolic of a heavenly being.
- Ringo, dressed in black, symbolizes an undertaker
- George, dressed in denim, represents a grave digger.
- Paul, barefoot and walking out of sync with the others, is the corpse
The license plate on the Volkswagen Beetle seen in the photo contains the characters LMW 28IF. Many say this is further evidence of Paul’s death, stating Paul would have been twenty-eight if he had lived until 1969. In fact, Paul was twenty-seven years old at the time the album was recorded. They also noted that left-handed Paul held a cigarette in his right hand, which was further proof the person in the photo was an imposter.
The main entrance of EMI, now Abbey Road, Studios (Public Domain)
Radio station WMCA in New York City sent talk show radio host Alex Bennett to Apple Corps. Ringo Starr told him, “If people are gonna believe it, they’re gonna believe it. I can only say it’s not true.”
In a radio interview, John Lennon called the rumors “insane” but added it was good publicity for the Abbey Road album.
The Beatles’ press office issued a rebuttal on October 21, 1969, calling the rumors, “a lot of rubbish.”
Apple Corps building at 3 Savile Row, site of the 1969 rooftop concert (Public Domain)
More than half a century has passed since these rumors circulated. Sir Paul McCartney is still very much alive today. He celebrated his 80th birthday on June 18 and recently completed a tour.
If you want to hear something that will send chills down your spine, watch the Peter Jackson documentary Get Back. (If you’re a Beatles fan and haven’t seen it, you really should.)
In 1969, George walked out of a rehearsal session saying he was leaving the group. John was late getting to the studio one morning. That left Paul and Ringo patiently (or maybe impatiently) waiting. At one point, Paul says, “And then there were two.”
Prophetic?
The two remaining Beatles, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney in 2009.
Photo by Antonio Fucito, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
35 Responses
How interesting, Joan. I did not know this.
I remember hearing this when I was young, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. Goes to show anyone can make something out of nothing.
These days, rumours abound, but this one gave me the creeps… really makes you wonder…
In 1969, we didn’t have the technology of today, yet the rumor kept spreading. Insane. (But I still miss George.) 🙁
Whoa, I never heard this. Getting kinda eerie feelings running up my spine!
Certainly Paul’s words made me have chills. Thanks, Priscilla.
I was pretty young, but I remember when this was going on. Seems there is a fringe that will believe anything. I like to capitalize on that.
The phrase, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” is so true. Some people will believe anything.
I find a lot more intrigue in Paul’s words, “And then there were two.” Of course he had no way of knowing he and Ringo would outlive John and George, but it sent chills down my spine.
Did the same thing to me when I watched it.
Interesting. I’d never heard of this before. It kinda reminds me of the recent trend of the occasional rumor that some celebrity or other has died, leaving said celebrity to discount the rumor.
It’s crazy, Jeannie. The other thing I see on social media is someone will post that a certain celebrity has died like it just happened when the celebrity had been dead for years.
I’ve seen that a few times too
I’d heard of this when I was young, but I wasn’t really a fan of the Beatles back then, so I didn’t give it much thought. I guess “fake news” has always been around!
It seems that way, Jill.
How crazy! Rumors run rampant about a lot of famous people. Willie Nelson has been reported to be dead for years, yet he still lives. 🙂 As John said, though, it was great publicity for the album. Thanks for sharing, Joan.
Yep he’s still alive and kicking. Amazing how rumors get started.
I remember all of this clearly, being of a “certain” advanced age, myself. (Hint … I’ll be hitting Paul’s current age in a year and a half! Eeeep!). I didn’t believe any of it then, and as history has shown, I was right not to. I mean, where else would they ever have found a duplicate of that “choir boy” face of Paul’s? He was always my favorite Beatle, and still is! So glad he and Ringo are still around!
Thanks for a great post, Joan! A super walk down Memory Lane! (Or maybe it was Penny Lane???)
And now I have an ear worm. But it’s a good one. George was my favorite. Sadly, he left us too soon. A highlight for me was seeing Ringo in concert a few years ago.
I remember the Paul is dead kerfuffle very well! I never believed it myself.
I’m just glad it wasn’t true, Liz.
Yes.
i wasn’t into the Beatles so much until later. Missed the rumor. But isn’t it interesting how people can read meanings into all sorts of things? I often wondered in college lit. classes if writers actually meant a lot of the interpretations and symbolism professors told us were in their stories.
I come from a long line of superstitious people. It does make you wonder.
I remember this happening. People are so impressionable and some will believe anything. So glad this wasn’t true.
I’m glad it wasn’t true. The world would have been deprived of a lot of good music.
Thank you, Joan. This was terrific. I do remember the Paul is dead rumor. Some folks were really into it.
They really were, John. Amazing what some people will believe.
Yes it is.
I never heard these rumors, Joan. Thank you for sharing and for including the photos. Those were the days, right? 😊
The good old days, Gwen!
I remember that rumor even though I was only ten years old. I guess conspiracy theories have been around a long time, and it’s amazing how the theorists make meaning out of every detail. Great share.
I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time. Later I learned about all the weird things people were saying. Some people will believe anything.
That’s for sure. Ha ha. I’m sure conspiracy theories will provide you with a few decades worth of these posts!
You know how I love the Beatles, Joan, especially Sir Paul. This was an awesome post, hitting on all the little details of the Paul is Dead rumors.
I did watch Get Back, but forgot about that bit with “and then there were two.”
Chills indeed!
That still gives me chills. When I first saw it, I had to back up and listen again. And I still miss George. 🙁