PAUL IS DEAD HOAX:
According to the “Paul Is Dead” theory, Paul McCartney stormed out of a recording session on November 9, 1966. Upset with the band, he got into his car and drove off into the night. At some point, McCartney got into a terrible accident that killed — and decapitated — him.
But this put the other members of The Beatles in a bind. By 1966, the band had released their albums Rubber Soul and Revolver to critical acclaim. They had played to 55,000 fans at Shea Stadium. The Beatles were on an upward trajectory, and they couldn’t let something like death stop them.
As the theory goes, Lennon, Harrison, and Ringo decided to keep on playing without McCartney. But they also resolved to hide his death from the public. So, the remaining Beatles hired a Paul McCartney lookalike named William Campbell, also known as Billy Shears.
Campbell, luckily, not only bore a striking resemblance to McCartney — he could sing like him and even write good songs.
However, the other Beatles felt guilty about swapping out McCartney and never mourning his death. So, they began to leave subtle clues in their album artwork and songs.
Proponents of the “Paul Is Dead” theory point to a number of these clues as proof that Paul McCartney died in 1966.
Clues in the Songs
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Album
All the people on the album cover are supposed to be the people Paul looked up to or admired. There is also a photo of the “early” Beatles who look like they’re in mourning. Some theorize they’re not just mourning Paul’s death but also the end or death of the original band itself.
1 A hand is over Paul’s head, as though he were being blessed by a priest before being interred.
2 While the rest of the Beatles are holding brass band instruments, Paul is holding a black and wooden instrument. Referencing a dark wood coffin?
3 The strings of the yellow flower bass are made of sticks but there are only three sticks rather than four, just as there would only be three Beatles without Paul.
4 If you hold a mirror across the middle of the words “LONELY HEARTS” written across the center of the bass drum, you will see “IONEIX HE<>DIE”. You could read this, then, as “1 ONE 1 X”, meaning that one of the four is gone, and then the “HE DIE” points to Paul as the missing Beatle.
5 The Shirley Temple doll with “WELCOME THE ROLLING STONES”, refers to if Paul was indeed dead and the Beatles were no more, The Rolling Stones might be now “the spotlight”.
6 Paul’s OPD left arm badge. “Officially Pronounced Dead” Paul said “it was just something I picked up in Canada, it was a police badge” The badge Paul was wearing actually reads “O.P.P.”, which stands for the Ontario Provincial Police. The angle of the photograph makes the final “P” look like a “D”.
7 The headstone is the stone statue to the right of the drum.
8 The floral display in the front is in the form of a left-handed bass guitar and spells out Paul or “P.” Above, it spells “LIES.”
9 To the right of the “headstone” is a woman looking at a car that’s on fire. The woman is supposed to be “Lovely Rita the Meter Maid.” She supposedly saw and was the cause of Paul’s accident.
10 The number 5 is next to the word “Beatles,” hinting that there are five Beatles members: John, George, Ringo, Paul, and “fake” Paul.
11 The four-armed doll on the bottom is holding a bouquet of flowers, and one arm is pointing at Paul.
12 The Back cover features all four Beatles but Paul has his back to the camera, perhaps a hint?
Record version
The inside sleeve looks like it was soaked in blood.
The Songs
On the back of the album, George is pointing at a line that reads, “Wednesday morning at five o’clock,” the day and time of Paul’s accident.
Lovely Rita – The line “standing by a parking meter / when I caught a glimpse of Rita” refers to Paul’s accident.
Good Morning, Good Morning – The lines “nothing to do to save his life,” “you’re on your own / you’re in the street,” “people running ’round / it’s five o’clock” (the supposed time of the accident), and “watching the skirts you start to flirt, now you’re in gear” are all said to reference Paul’s accident.
With a Little Help From My Friends – The intro announces “Billy Spears,” a play on words for “Billy’s here,” introducing the man who replaced Paul, William.
The Magical Mystery Tour Album
The stars that spell out “Beatles,” when viewed upside down, reveal a phone number. (Some say it’s 5371438, others say it’s 2317438.) The number 2317438 is reported to be a mortuary in London. Some have even claimed they got a recorded message of a voice saying, “You’re getting closer.”
In the movie (also in a photo in a booklet that came with the record version), Paul is sitting at a desk with a sticker that reads, “I WAS.”
On page 12 in the booklet mentioned above, Paul’s shoes are to the left of him and covered in blood. There are tire tracks leading right up to Paul. In the same picture, the kick drum reads, “LOVE The 3 Beatles.”
In the booklet, there’s a picture of Paul wearing a black carnation while the rest of the band is wearing a red one.
There are numerous photos of a hand over Paul’s head in the booklet.
The Songs
I Am the Walrus – At the end of the song, there are voices of men saying, “bury me…bury my body” and “Paul you’re darn near death…rest you.”
Hello Goodbye – Some think the line “you say goodbye, I say hello” refers to the “new” or fake Paul addressing the “original” Paul.
All You Need Is Love – People think when John sings the word “yesterday,” he’s purposely making it sound like he’s saying “yes he’s dead.” Then the chanting of “we love you yeah, yeah, yeah” comes in. Notice “yeah” is said three times? Supposedly, it’s each of the three remaining original band members sending “dead” Paul their love.
Strawberry Fields Forever – At the end of the track, when the music fades back in, John is said to be saying, “I buried Paul.”
Abbey Road Album
The album cover is supposed to represent a funeral procession. John is dressed like a preacher. Ringo represents the pallbearer. Paul is the corpse. George is supposed to symbolize the gravedigger.
Paul’s eyes are closed, symbolizing he’s dead.
In the background, there’s a Volkswagen Beetle with a license plate that reads “28IF,” rumored to symbolize or state that “if” Paul was still alive, he would’ve been “28” years old when Abbey Road was released.
Paul is walking out of step with the other members. All the other members are leading with their left foot, and Paul with his right, supposedly representing the same thing as when he is facing away from the rest of the band on the other covers. He is not one of them.
Paul is walking with a cigarette in his right hand. (Rumor has it the “real Paul” was left-handed.) Also, cigarettes were/are known to be called coffin nails.
There are eight circles next to the “Beatles” sign. When the circles are connected, they make the number 3. This is supposed to represent that there are only three original Beatles members.
That same Beatles sign has a crack running through the “S.” People think it represents a fracture of the band (Paul’s death).
In keeping up with the funeral theme, the record sleeve is black.
The Songs
Come Together – “He got early warning” is supposed to reference Paul’s recurring dream about his death. “One and one and one is three” refers to the three Beatles. “He’s got to be good-looking ’cause he’s so hard to see” refers to the “fake” Paul. It could also be referring to “dead” Paul.
I Want You (She’s So Heavy) – The abrupt stop to the song is said to symbolize the sudden death of Paul.
The Beatles Album (White Album)
Revolution 9 – Little bits of chatter and muffled words say things like, “Paul died” and “maybe even dead.” The weirdest part, though, is there’s a clip or sample in the song of a car crashing and catching on fire. A voice can be heard saying “Get me out!” When you play the voice at the beginning of the song that is repeating “number 9” backwards, it says, “turn me on dead man.”
I’m So Tired – At the end of the song, when John is mumbling, play it backwards and it says, “Paul’s dead man, miss him, miss him.”
Don’t Pass Me By – “You were in a car crash and you lost all your hair,” sung by Ringo. Supposedly, Paul’s hair was burned off in the crash.
