Paul McCartney: Six Feet Under? Essay Example

too seriously and spread the story further.

(Saki) Fred Labour, an arts reviewer for The Michigan Daily, the student newspaper of the University of Michigan, decided to review "Abbey Road" in a unique way. Inspired by clues from Gibb's radio show, he created his own article titled "McCartney Dead; New Evidence Brought to Light" and published it in the newspaper. Both Labour and editor J. Gray believed that everyone would understand it was meant as a joke. However, the rest of the world took it seriously, resulting in Labour receiving numerous phone calls from media seeking more information on his findings. It is important to note that while these two individuals noticed and deciphered the hoax, they are not responsible for its creation. James Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942, at Ward Hospital in Liverpool, England.

Mary Patricia, Paul McCartney's mother, had quit her job at the hospital about a year before and became a health visitor. Paul's father, Jim McCartney, was employed at Napiers, the engineering works in Liverpool, when Paul was born. When the family relocated to Speke, near Liverpool, Paul attended Stockton Wood Road Primary for his primary school. Later on, he went to the widely recognized Liverpool Institute, one of Liverpool's prestigious grammar schools (Davies, 24). When Paul turned thirteen, the McCartney family moved to a small residence in Ardwick, also near Liverpool.

A year later, Mary passed away from breast cancer, a heartbreaking tragedy for the family, particularly for Paul's younger brother, Michael. As a result, the boys were relocated to live with Aunt Jinny, Jim's sister, to allow Jim to restart his life and take care of household responsibilities.

Eventually, the boys returned home with the assistance of Jinny and Aunt Milly, another of Jim's sisters. It appears that Paul's mother's death was the catalyst for his decision to begin playing the guitar.

(Davies, 26) He was influenced by the skiffle phase and Bill Haley's early rock numbers, but like his fellow Beatles, he was impressed by Elvis Presley. It wasn't until the summer of 1956 that Paul finally saw the first performance of his future co-lyricist, John Lennon. Paul was the one who showed them the chords and words to the popular tune, "Twenty Flight Rock."

(Davies, 33) His first real performance with the Quarrymen was at a dance at the Conservative Club in Broadway. A few years later, with the addition of another guitarist named George Harrison, the group changed their name to Johnny and the Moondogs, a name thought of at the spur of the moment by the host of a television show at an audition.

(Davies, 58) In 1959, they changed their name to the Silver Beatles for an audition for the king of British rock and roll, Larry Parnes. Through a gig in Hamburg, Germany, they met their permanent drummer, Ringo Starr, who was then in the group Rory Storme and the Hurricanes.

Finally, in 1960, the Beatles changed their name to the name that would stick - the Beatles (Davies, 92). On a Wednesday morning on November 11, 1966, at five o'clock, Paul was driving through town. He became fixated on a meter maid named Rita and failed to notice the approaching red light. The incident attracted the attention of a crowd of people.

Paul passed away from a severe head injury

sustained in the accident. Subsequently, The Beatles organized a contest to find a replacement who resembled Paul. The victorious candidate, William Campbell, bore an uncanny resemblance to Paul, save for a scar on his upper lip. The cover title hinted at a lost presence within the group of four Beatles.

(Saki) The group (including "Paof the album "Rubber Soul," released in 1965, is in the shape of a heartul") is observing downwards, possibly peering into a grave. The image is slightly distorted, making it difficult to distinguish the imposter Paul from the real one. Although this album was released before Paul's demise, it continues to be analyzed for possible clues. The lyrics of the song "I've Just Seen a Face" hint at what might have been on Paul's mind during the crash: -if it had been another day, I might have ignored it and remained oblivious. Additionally, the song "Girl" alludes to the heavily publicized relationship between Paul and Jane Asher. The line stating that a man must toil endlessly to earn moments of leisure raises questions about whether she still held this belief when he passed away, implying that their relationship was not a particularly strong one.

The lyrics of "I'm Looking Through You" suggest that Paul is no longer alive. The song expresses confusion and changes in the person being addressed. The words in "In My Life" compare different experiences, implying that being alive is preferable. The song "Nowhere Man" portrays Paul as a directionless figure. "Yesterday and Today," released in 1966, is an album that contains potential clues. It has two covers, one of them being the well-known "butcher cover" featuring the group wearing

lab coats and holding dismembered dolls.

Paul's right arm features a set of teeth, indicating that his teeth were knocked out in the car crash, making dental records ineffective in identifying the body (Gabriel). Additionally, George is depicted holding a doll's head next to Paul's head, symbolizing his decapitation in the accident (Gabriel). The alternate album cover displays Paul enclosed in a box, with the other three members surrounding it. When the album is rotated horizontally, the box takes on the appearance of a coffin.

George played a sick prank by calling Capitol Records and putting alternate covers on top of the original covers instead of reprinting them. This is the first time "Paul" is seen with a scar on his upper lip, indicating that this must be the imposter, William Campbell. The album featured songs with lyrics that alluded to death. The phrases "I believe in yesterday," "suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be," and "there's a shadow hanging over me" are meant to suggest that either Paul is no longer himself or he is not who he believes himself to be. (Gabriel) Dr. does everything he can.

The song "Dr. Robert" implies that Paul's life was diligently attended to by the doctor named Robert after the accident. Another hint of Paul's death is present in the lyrics of "And Your Bird Can Sing," which say, "you can't see me, you can't hear me." The album "Revolver" was published in August 1966.

This first cover features an open hand above Gabriel's head, symbolizing his departure from this world. Paul's name is positioned sideways, suggesting that he doesn't fit in with the rest of the

band. "Taxman" includes three lines providing clues: if you drive a car *Paul*, emphasizing his death in a car accident; if you get too cold, *Paul*, indicating how bodies become cold after passing away; and my advice to those who die, taxman, possibly referencing a shortened form of taxidermist who preserves dead animals. The word "Paul" is marked with asterisks which actually say "ohhh," but it could also be replaced with "Paul." In "Eleanor Rigby," instead of Father McKenzie, the lyrics were initially going to refer to Father McCartney. However, the group realized that using Paul's surname wouldn't be appreciated by his father.

Father McKenzie is writing a sermon that will not be heard as he lies buried. He wipes off the dirt from his hands while walking away from the grave, but no salvation was achieved. The song "For No One" exposes Paul's lost love (possibly Jane Asher) who claims her affection has perished. She mentions having had a connection with someone in the past, but they are now gone. In "Got to Get You Into My Life," the tragic day is summarized with Paul being solitary and embarking on a journey without knowing what he would encounter, only to suddenly come across the metermaid. Although not explicitly referencing Paul, the lyrics of "Tomorrow Never Knows" could possibly substitute his name for the word "all" in the line regarding playing the game of existence. Released in 1967, the album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" offers an abundance of clues compared to all other albums. Both its front and back covers and inside gatefold showcase wax figures portraying deceased celebrities or individuals who were considered

outdated at that time.

In front of all the people, there is an apparent freshly dug grave. The figures of the early Beatles consist of wax, with each member holding a different brass instrument. John holds a brass french horn, George holds a brass flute, Ringo holds a brass trumpet, and Paul holds a black Cor Angelis clarinet. Surrounding the grave are flowers arranged to spell out "Beatles". On top of a left-handed bass guitar are three sticks, symbolizing the three remaining Beatles. Some even speculate that the guitar's arrangement reads "PAUL?". Positioned at the right side of the cover is a doll with red lines resembling blood running down her dress, possibly representing Jane Asher or the metermaid. The doll also has a small car on her lap, modeled after the one Paul was driving.

The statue of the Hindu god Shiva, "The Destroyer," is situated below the "T" in the word "Beatles," with its hand pointing directly at Paul (O'Brien). If a mirror is placed perpendicular to the drum on the front, splitting the words "LONELY HEARTS" in half, it reveals a combined message that reads, "1 ONE 1 X HE DIE." This message indicates that there are three original Beatles remaining, with the "X" marking out the deceased Paul. Additionally, an arrow between the words "HE" and "DIE" points directly at Paul. Above Paul's head, there is another open palm. Inside the gatefold, the Fab Four can be seen facing the camera. On Paul's left shoulder, there is initially an incorrectly identified patch.

Some individuals argue that it reads as "O.P.D." signifying "officially pronounced dead" in Canada, but it actually reads as "O.P.P."

representing "Ontario Provincial Police." This can also be interpreted in the track "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" that William Campbell used to be a police officer. The vinyl version of "Sgt. Pepper's" showcases lyrics printed on the rear cover, superimposed on an image of the Beatles. Paul is depicted facing backwards, indicating that he is an imposter, and he seems to be taller than all others, despite he, John, and George sharing the same height.

The lyrics "Within You Without You" from the song of the same title are originating from Paul's mind. George is indicating the line, "Wednesday morning at five o'clock," the specific timing of Paul's death. The Beatles spell out the word "LOVE," but Paul's "O" is excluded. (O'Brien) Additionally, George points to Paul with a symbolic "sixth finger," suggesting a negative sign. (Saki) The concept of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is based on a historical idea where one person can replace another undetected.

(Saki) Allow me to introduce to you, the unique and incomparable Billy Shears and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band unveils William Campbell as Paul's replacement. The lyrics of "Fixing a Hole" demonstrate William's adaptation to his new role: and it does not really matter if I am incorrect I am correct, where I rightfully belong. Observe the Beatles standing over there, they disagree foolishly Beatle frantically runs around, they distress me. "She's Leaving Home" divulges the precise day and time of day Paul passed away: Wednesday morning at five o'clock when the day commences. It is revealed that the traffic warden he was looking at when he passed is named Rita, as depicted in

"Lovely Rita": ...standing by a parking meter when I caught sight of Rita. "Good Morning" narrates the turmoil that ensued after the incident.

There is nothing to be done to save his life. He is alone, standing in the street with people running around at five o'clock. As he watches the skirts passing by, he starts to flirt and gets into a confident state. The tragedy that unfolds in "A Day in the Life" song is now being narrated.

(O'Brien) When dialing the phone number (2317438) found when a mirror is held up to the word "Beatles," the caller receives a cryptic message saying "You're getting closer" before the call abruptly ends. (O'Brien) The booklet accompanying the vinyl album depicts Paul without shoes, which is commonly seen when people are buried. On the first page, Paul's face is concealed by his magician hat, suggesting that the person shown is not actually him. Page three reveals Paul sitting beneath crossed flags, a symbol often seen at British military funerals placed over caskets.

(O'Brien) William has successfully replaced Paul in the band. On page four, Paul's hat is crushed, indicating he suffered head injuries in the crash. Page nine depicts a drawing of Paul with a crack in his head, referencing the head injuries again. Page thirteen features Ringo's drum reading "LOVE THE 3 BEATLES" and a pair of bloody shoes nearby. On page 23, the three remaining Beatles have red carnations while Paul has a black carnation. Page 24 shows another open palm over Paul's head.

Gabriel occupies the hill alone every day, appearing motionless, with a foolish grin on his face. However, nobody perceives the lyrics he seems

to produce, which are from the song "Fool on the Hill." In the booklet's ninth page, there is a drawing of Paul labeled as the 'fool on the hill,' with the term "hill" descending along Paul's head. No one hears Gabriel because he has disappeared. In "I am the Walrus," the eggman symbolizes life, while the walrus represents death: I am the eggman they are the eggman I am the walrus (no you're not, said little Nicola). "Hello Goodbye" narrates William's need for adaptation: you say goodbye and I say hello. There is some controversy concerning the line I buried Paul, indicating that he was present with Father McKenzie in "Eleanor Rigby," towards the end of "Strawberry Fields Forever." Some assert that John utters this phrase, while others claim he says cranberry sauce, but why would there be a pause between those syllables? Nothing can be rescued that cannot be salvaged, nothing can be observed that isn't exhibited yes, he's deceased we adored you yeah, yeah, yeah from "All You Need is Love" verifies to listeners that Paul is unquestionably dead and will be profoundly missed.

(Gabriel) The album cover for "Hey Jude" features the four Beatles standing in a doorway. Above the doorway, there is a picture representing Paul's supposed burial site. In the song "Lady Madonna," the lyrics mention the recall of newspapers reporting on the accident that day: "Wednesday papers didn't come". Towards the end of "Revolution," some parts of the vocals resemble Paul's death, and occasionally, a background vocal adds in that phrase. Additionally, in the song "You Know My Name, Look Up the Number," the phone number mentioned is found

on the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's" album.

There is a cuckoo clock that rings five times (possibly for the four Beatles and William) when the phone number is called and a gruff voice saying, "BEWARE OF ABBEY ROAD." (O'Brien) "White Album", the mysterious double album, was released in 1968. On page seven of the CD booklet, there is a picture of Paul dancing in the bottom right corner. Looking closely, there appears to be two skeletal hands reaching for him. There is a large picture of Paul that clearly shows the scar on his upper lip, on page fourteen. William Campbell's face is finally shown, before plastic surgery to look more like Paul, on page eighteen. As mentioned before, in the song "Glass Onion," the lyrics figure out very important evidence about Paul: I told you about Strawberry Fieldswell her's another place you can goto see how the other half live looking through a glass onion tells of looking at the coffin; "glass onion" is a term used for a coffin that has a glass panel over the top so people can see in.

I previously mentioned the close relationship between the walrus and myself, indicating that we are inseparable. In addition to this, I confirm that the walrus in question is indeed Paul, which further emphasizes the bond between John and Paul. Another hint I provided relates to a character known as the fool on the hill, who is also associated with Paul. The mention of fixing a hole in the ocean is a reference to Paul's passing as described in the song found in the album "Magical Mystery Tour". Similarly, the allusion to Paul being

buried under the grass stems from the album "Yellow Submarine".

The hole is his grave. George sings "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," and at the fade-out, he can be heard singing Paul, Paul, Paul, Paul. The end of the song "I'm So Tired" and the beginning of the song "Blackbird," played backwards, says Paul is dead man, miss him, miss him. "Mother Nature's Song" is sung by "Paul," and he says find me in a field of grass, Mother Nature's Son, referring to he being buried. Ringo laments Paul's accident in the song "Don't Pass Me By": you were in a car crash and you lost your head (the lyrics say hair). "Revolution #9" is the spookiest of any of the songs mentioned...his voice was low and his eye was high and his eyes were closed *Paul* died. My fingers are broken and so is my hair, I'm not in the mood for wearing clothing maybe even dead, you become naked are heard playing the song forward, among other things, and the droning number 9 refers to Paul's last name, which has nine letters in it.

When played in reverse, a disturbing car crash can be heard and the car ignites, prompting Paul to scream for help. The reversed words "number nine" actually say "turn me on, dead man" (O'Brien). The album cover of "Yellow Submarine" depicts an open palm positioned above Paul's head, while the stationary yellow submarine rests on land. In the song "Yellow Submarine," John shouts various naval commands, including a claim that Paul is queer, in an attempt to distract fans and cope with Paul's permanent absence. The lyrics mention a sky

of blue, a sea of green, and our yellow submarine in a place known as the land of submarines. According to Saki, it is said that Paul was buried in a yellow coffin under the green grass of a cemetery located in the land of coffins. The Beatles' publishing company is called Northern, which inspired the creation of the song "Only a Northern Song." Late-night listeners may feel that there is something off about the band's performance as they may believe it to be dark and out of tune; this perception is accurate because there is nobody present. This further implies that the group deeply missed Paul, as he played the bass which provides rhythmic support along with percussion in a band.

The group suffered musically due to Paul's absence in his bass-playing abilities. The song "Hey Bulldog" brought awareness to Paul's untimely death for those who were unaware: "you think you know me but you haven't got a clue" (O'Brien, Gabriel). The album cover for "Abbey Road" was released in 1969 and solidified the belief. The cover depicts a funeral procession with each Beatle playing a specific role: John as the preacher in white, Ringo as the mourner in black, and George as the gravedigger in work clothes. Paul stands out by being out of step with the rest and barefoot. Holding a cigarette in his right hand (despite being left-handed), he is the only one seen smoking.

The Volkswagen on the left in the background has a license plate with the text "28IF," indicating that it would be Paul's age at the release of the album if he were alive. However, due to the concept

in many Indian religions where a person is considered one year older than their actual age, he would actually only be 27. On the back cover, there is a visible crack running through the word "BEATLES," symbolizing a split in the group. Additionally, a woman, possibly Rita, can be seen walking by. Next to the woman's arm, there is a shadow in the shape of a skull. Beneath the word "BEATLES," there are three holes of similar shape, representing the three remaining Beatles. To the left of the word, there is an intriguing pattern of circles carved into the stone, with four circles grouped together. One of the circles is of a different color (William), while one matches the color of three out of four circles (Paul).

(O'Brien) "Come Together" describes Paul: he received early warning, meaning he died prematurely. The line "one and one and one is three" refers to the three remaining original Beatles. The lyrics also imply that he lost his hair in a crash: "here come ol' flattop." The undertaker, symbolized by the mention of "Joo Joo eyeballs," replaced Paul's eyeballs. The song refers to him as a holy roller, implying that he is now in heaven. Additionally, the song "You Never Give Me Your Money" concludes with the line "one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven." This suggests that Paul's virtuous life granted him entry into heaven.

According to Saki, the question of whether or not James Paul McCartney died on November 9, 1966 remains a matter of speculation. The presence of coincidental clues adds intrigue to the story, but the true mystery lies in identifying

who is behind it all. The Beatles sought the help of their loyal fans to decipher the clues until the truth was uncovered. Therefore, if the clues turn out to be false, it would mean that everyone has wasted a significant amount of time and effort in searching for them. This is not an exhaustive collection of clues as new ones continue to emerge from well-intentioned fans who believe they have discovered something groundbreaking. At this moment, it is accepted that Paul McCartney is deceased, and the case is considered closed.