Paul Is Dead 'Clues'

[okstevens]

After reading Gords last post I figured this could be a great new topic. I was always was intrigued by this little promotion by The Beatles.And I'm sure that this crowd could contribute clues that passed me by. I'll start;

If you play Number Nine backwards it is suppose to say "Turn Me On Dead Man "

Next...

[MAM]

And ... it does! Then there is the license plate mounted on the car on the Abbey Road cover that says 29IF, which would have been how old Paul was had he not "died".

[MAM]

Ooohh yeah, then there is Paul's bass made out of flowers on the Sgt. Pepper cover.

[marvin]

1. Billy Shears "blew his mind out in a car":

allegedly about how Paul 'died.'

2. The patch on the arm of Paul's Sgt Pepper uniform reads "OPD" - "officially pronounced dead." The letter is somewhat hidden and is actually a "P", making the patch "Ontario Provincial Police."

By the way, when I was in England, I made a point of visiting the most famous landmark in St Johns Wood - Abbey Road Studios. I have a picture of myself crossing the world's most famous crosswalk and guess what's in the background in that picture? A volkswagen! I think that it's always parked there!

Marvin

[LostControl]

As an odd coincidence, it looks like Paul might actually turn out to be the last Beatle ALIVE! It's down to him and Ringo, and seeing that Paul just recently married a model who's almost as young as his children, and they had a baby girl just last year, he's certainly living like a 30 year old, instead of a 60 year old! On the other hand, as a mom myself, I know having a child sure wears you out, so maybe it'll be the cause of his demise! Of course, having a sexy 30 year old wife might wear him out too. At least he'll die happy.

Living like he is, it's very likely he'll be the last Beatle to go. Odd how a rumor could be so wrong.

Michelle

[Guest]

At the end of Strawberry Fields if you listen close someone says I Buried Paul

[marvin]

Well actually the person is saying "Cranberry sauce."

Marvin

[darlene]

Is there anyplace on the 'Berries' albums that says "RASPberry sauce?!"

--D

[JuliaD]

On the Rubber Soul Album:

The title "Rubber Soul" is in the shape of a upside-down heart, indicating a "false soul" amongst them. Also notice that the Beatles are all peering downwards (at/in a grave?!). The photograph is somewhat distorted so that no one can tell that the person in the picture is not really Paul, but a look-alike!

On Revolver:

This is the first cover with an open palm above Paul's head. An open palm signified that the person below was departed from this world. The album cover was drawn because the absence of Paul made taking pictures of him difficult. It is interesting that "Revolver" could refer to a revolving door through which Paul leaves and William Campbell enters.

Ever wonder why Paul's head is sideways while the others face forward?

On Sgt. Pepper:

Here, the The Beatles display a mischievious talent not unlike their talent in the studio, simply masterfull. The crowd includes faces (and bodies) of many famous people who passed away or have become outdated. Even the wax figures of the "early" Beatles stand in. They're overlooking a grave site and each of the Beatles is facing Paul who is facing forward into the grave (indicating his significance). The drum that they surround plays an eerie role, place a mirror accross the middle of the drum so that the reflective side is facing the top of the album. Read what the reflection has created by looking at the words split by the edge of the mirror: HE ^ DIE (Note that the arrow points to Paul). Its ironic that each Beatle is holding an instrument: John, a brass French Horn; George, a brass Flute; Ringo, a brass Trumpet; and Paul, a woodwind black Cor Anglais. The flowers spell out the word "BEATLES" and there is a left handed bass guitar there with 3 sticks upon it indicating that there are 3 remaining Beatles. Some even believe that the guitar appears to spell, "PAUL?" Above the Red "S" (of Beatles) is a doll wearing a green dress, she is watching a burning car fall from a cliff (see the yellow below the Rolling Stones doll?). There is another open palm above Paul's head. A doll sits off to the side (Jane Asher?!) with red lines (blood) running down her dress. A small car sits on her lap, a model of the car Paul was driving.

On the back cover, the Beatles are all facing forward except for Paul, who's turned around. George is pointing a "sixth finger at him, a sign of ill-omen. If you read across the back cover, from left to right, you can find all sorts of clues. Starting with "Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly" (from Lucy), continue to read across "Wednesday Morning at five o'clock as the day begins", "life flows on within you and without you" (funny that the "without you" seems to extend from Paul's head), "you're on your own you're in the street". Inside the album, Paul has a patch on his left arm "O. P. D.", Officially Pronounced Dead? (Remember, these are rumors, it actually says: O. P. P. -- You down with that?)

Hmm, looks like William Campbell again . He always had a mustache or slight beard.

One last note, the paper sleeve that held the vinyl record looked like it had been soaked inblood! At the bottom it's bright red but then fades into a light pink at the top. Subsequent releases of this album did not have the red-faded-into-pink color scheme on the inner sleeve.

On Magical Mystery Tour:

Paul is in the black walrus costume on the cover, each of the other Beatles is wearing white. The walrus is a sign of death in certain cultures. Ironically, the other Beatles are dressed in white and hovering above him.

The word "Beatles" when held to a mirror is actually a phone number! The number is: 2317438. When the number was called, way back then, the person get this strange, cryptic message "You're getting closer.." and then the call would cut off abruptly. Inside the album is a booklet with pictures from the movie. Page 3 has a picture of Paul seated at a desk with a banner in front of him stating "I was". Also looks like Campbell again, you can see the scar on his lip here. Page 15 has a cartoon of Paul playing with a car on his desk. On page 18 and on the last page of the booklet there's that open palm again above Paul's head. Page 23 has Paul wearing a black flower, not a red one like the others are wearing. Another photograph shows Ringo's bass drum which reads, "Love the 3 Beatles." Behind that is a group of doctors and police officers.

On Hey Jude:

The picture above the Beatles, on top of the doorway in front of which they are standing, is supposedly a picture of where Paul is buried. Notice that his hands are clasped in front of himself.

On the White Album:

This album has little to do with the cover and much to do with the lyrics. To be honest, the album cover only, once again, highlights the theory that they were avoiding having to take pictures of William Campbell since he didn't quite look exactly like Paul. Inside the album though, the 4 glossy pictures of the Beatles are John, George, Ringo, and William! On the White Album poster, Paul is in the bathtub, with his head tipped back and his eyes closed in a bathtub. There is a small picture of William on the poster that comes with the album, as previously mentioned, and William appears to have two skeletal arms reaching out from him.

On Yellow Submarine:

The open palm appears above Paul's head on the front cover, while the yellow submarine is pictured beneath the land, stationary, coffin-like.

On Abbey Road

This album cover is, without doubt, our favorite, the clues are obvious:

The cover shows the Beatles walking across Abbey Road. John is dressed in white, as the preacher. Ringo is dressed as pallbearer, Paul, who is out of step, barefoot, and the only one holding a cigarette in his right hand when he is left handed, is obviously a corpse. It is rumored, although we aren't sure, that people are buried barefoot in England. We've had numerous people account that the rumor is true and just as many verify that it is false; so, Can anyone send proof? George is dressed like the grave digger. A Volkswagen has a license plate that says "28 if" followed by "LMW." At the time of the release of the album, Paul would have been 28 if he were alive (counting 9 month pregnancy) and hmm... Linda McCartney Weeps? See the hearse in the background?

On the back cover, the word "Beatles" is broken, and a glimpse of a woman (Lovely Rita?!) can be seen walking by. A group of holes that form the number "3" hmm... the remaining Beatles? If you look at the word Beatles vertically the B gives the eerie appearance of a skull.

On Let It Be:

This one is short and simple. Let it Be, being their last album, was released at a point in their career when they no longer cared to support the rumors. The cover of Let it Be has a black frame surrounding The Beatles; notice that not only is Paul the only Beatle looking directly at us instead of to the side but Paul's is the only photo without a white background.

Misc:

In regards to Sgt. Pepper's, there never was a person named "Billy Shears", the Beatles were using a play on words to express that William Campbell was in the group:

Billy Shears = BillyS hears = Billys hear = Billys here

Billy was there, and the Beatles were introducing William (Billy) Campbell.

[BadfingerBarb]

The license plate actually says "28 1F" and Paul was actually 27 at the time. I've always been puzzled why people look for clues in things that have no significance. There are loads of people who will swear that the so called clues were intentionally planted by the Fabs as a gag when in reality none of it means anything. The only clue I've ever seen that suggested Paul was dead was the "Speed of Sound" album. What else but Paul's death could explain how tepid that album is!

[MAM]

Yeah ... what she said. 28IF oops!

[marvin]

Barb, "Speed of Sound" had some strong songs on it ("Must Do Something About It", "Silly Love Songs" - great bass line, "Beware My Love", but overall you're right, it was 'tepid.'

Marvin

[Matthew C. Clark]

The song "She's My Baby" (from "At The Speed Of Sound") is one of my favorites from Paul & Wings. Like gravy, down to the last drop, I keep moppin' it up, moppin' it up yeah she's my baby. Matt

[marvin]

My 2yr old daughter and 5 yr old son sing "She's My Baby" all the time. Must be dad's influence!

Marvin

[gordharris]

The cloning of Paul McCartney, Elvis Presley,

maybe Micheal Jackson.

[Tony Cartmill]

Gord, I think Michael Jackson IS a clone...that just didn't quite come out right.

[pierson]

Originally posted by BadfingerBarb:

The only clue I've ever seen that suggested Paul was dead was the "Speed of Sound" album.

MY THOUGHT EXACTLY... even "wildlife" has a weird charm to it (and arguably his greatest solo song ever, "dear friend")... There is a book about all the "Paul Is Dead" stuff called "The Walrus Was Paul: The Great Beatle Death Clues" written by R. Gary Patterson in 1996...

other Paul is dead clues: "ebony & ivory" and "pipes of peace"

[marvin]

The song "Pipes Of Peace" or the album "Pipes Of Peace"? Personally, I like the album. As far as the song "Ebony & Ivory" goes, it's disposable, but fits nicely into the fine album "Tug Of War."

Marvin

[pierson]

i meant "pipes of peace" the album (arguably Paul's weakest)-- I think "ebony & ivory" stands out as very bland song amongst the superior material on "tug of war"

[Jeff Engel]

Concerning the clue about the drum head on the Sgt Peppers album... With the mirror running down the center of the drum... not only does it say "he die" it also has the date at the beginning. It says one, 1, IX - which stand for

11/9 the date on which Paul may have been killed in a car accident.

Also... look at the picture booklet from the Magical Mystery Tour. There is a black and white picture of people sitting at a dining table. Turn the picture sideways, with the bottom of the picture to the left. Stand back 10 feet, pay attention to the person wearing the beret. The beret becomes an eye of a badly damaged skull. Is this Paul's skull, that was damaged in the accident ?

[marvin]

I wish I had been old enough when these 'clues' first came out. It would have been interesting to read/decipher some of this stuff.

Marvin

[JoAnne Marie]

Paul McCartney was not that great. It was John Lennon that made the Beatles.

[pierson]

Paul McCartney was not that great. It was John Lennon that made the Beatles.

Not really, although I think Lennon's breakthroughs were far superior and more important. McCartney's energy and pop sense pushed Lennon much harder than if he was left to his own devices. McCartney's greatness is all over "Sgt Pepper" where the "core" material (bar "A Day In The Life"--Lennon & the band's crowning acheivement) is made up of Paul's work...

[Gregkevinw]

let's face it, they needed each other. paul would've released "lame" pop records his entire life w/o john & john would have infinite volumes of "primal screaming" records for us to listen to.

they complimented each other better than any other song writing duo in the history of rock n roll....and it was our good fortune that they did. this web site would'nt exist for starters!

[marvin]

It bugs the **** out of me when people put Paul down and give John all the credit for the Beatles. Greg is right: In the Beatles, Paul needed John and vice versa. They clicked in a way no two other songwriters ever have - even if they wrote a lot of the stuff separately. JoAnne you seem intent on putting everyone down these days. Find me another pop musician who has been writing and recording for over 40 years! You can have your opinions about his music (personally I love his stuff), but in my opinion, Paul wrote the template for Pop songwriting and as a songwriter and musician in Pop music, he is as prolific as they come.

Marvin