October 12, 1969The great “Paul Is Dead” rumor/hoax/conspiracy turned phenomenon – and then folk legend – began in earnest on this day in 1969.
It’s roots go back to September 17, 1969, when a mid-west college student newspaper published a story titled “Is Paul McCartney Dead?“
Responding to a buzz currently circulating among students around campus, the article referred to a line in a song from The Beatles 1968 double album, The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) called Revolution 9. Evidently, when the track is played backwards, the words “turn me on, dead man” can be heard.
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Then, on this day in 1969, WKNR (Keener 13)/Detroit DJ Russ Gibb received a call on his show from a listener alerting him to the story, and further told the air personality that during the last few seconds of the The Beatles‘ song Strawberry Fields Forever (the B-side of 1967’s Penny Lane) John Lennon is heard saying what appears to be the words “I buried Paul.”
[Note] Lennon at one time offered that what he’s really saying is “cranberry sauce.”
Gibb ran with the story on his show, laying out the potential “evidence” of McCartney possibly being dead. That garnered huge attention from other media outlets, and the breaking story spread worldwide.
Adding further fuel to the fire was a rumor circulating around the UK that Macca had been killed in a car crash, after a reported traffic accident involving his car in January of 1967 – and that The Beatles had replaced him in the band with a look-alike.
By late October of ’69, the hoax had grown to such proportions that McCartney came out of seclusion at his Scottish farm to deny the story. When asked by the media about the rumor, he replied: “Do I look dead? I’m as fit as a fiddle.”
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One of the opportunistic music magazines that exploited the conspiracy to further fuel speculation.
But on October 21, 1969, Beatles press office flatly denied the rumor, and on November 7th of ’69 Life magazine offered its own rebuttal with a cover story.
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[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices. A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be required for optimal enjoyment.
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STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER (“I Buried Paul”)
(Enhanced Audio)
The Beatles
[1967]
House of the Hits has taken those last few seconds of “Strawberry Fields” and digitally enhanced them by isolating the left channel from the “stereo” mix (the side where the words are primarily heard), to create a “mono” mix of that channel only.
The clip you’ll hear also has been “looped” so you can listen multiple times. Admittedly, Lennon appears to be first saying the words “I buried Paul”, then followed by a final “I buried..” (I increased the volume level on the latter in order to have a better listen.
“I buried Paul?” or “Cranberry Sauce?” What do you think?
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“PAUL IS DEAD” (Part One)
(Video)
[2011]
This interesting vid was posted in 2011 by TommyGarcia2. It puts together some of the supposed “clues” – in particular on The Beatles 1967 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
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I tend to believe that Sir Paul was and still is alive and well – bringing us all the great music he’s turned out for the past 49 years (since his supposed death in ’67). And I’m glad that I got to see him both in August of 1966 as a Beatle (when DEFINITELY alive) and again solo in 2007 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit; I had pretty good seats at that one, and it sure LOOKED like the real Macca! :0
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Song Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
