Turn Me On, Dead Man: A Book Review

My personal favorite PID clue photo

 

Before I begin this book review, I want to state that I do not believe that Paul McCartney died in 1966 and was replaced by a look alike.  I believe Paul is alive and well and touring right now in South America right now.  The same Paul McCartney who recorded the Please Please Me album in 1963 recorded Band on the Run in 1973 and worked on Now and Then in 2022.   Same guy the entire time.   He did not die.  

Having said that, I read the book Turn Me On, Dead Man: The Complete Story of the Paul McCartney Death Hoax by Andru J. Reeve.  This book does NOT claim that Paul died, nor is it a 'Paul is Dead' believer book.   It gives the history of the hoax. The book I read was published in 1994, and the author interviewed many of the people who helped spread the rumor of Paul's death and the clues found in the Beatles songs and album covers. 

What is interesting is that it really hasn't been discovered how the story really started.  There are several theories, but most people who helped spread the rumors had heard about it from somewhere else.  The first sight of the Paul is Dead story in print was found in September of 1969.   Also interesting is that every time the story was spread on the radio or in a newspaper -- the creator of that version of the story added more to it.   For example -- the person who told the part about the Paul McCartney look-alike contest being won by a man named William Campbell who took Paul's place admits that he completely made that up.   He was going to call the winner by the name Glenn Campbell, but since that is a singer, he changed it to William.   

The book explains that in October 1969, the story of Paul's death spread quickly throughout the United States and took college campuses by storm.   Groups were gathering together to examine Beatles album covers in-depth, calling radio stations and discussing all of the clues that proved that Paul was dead.  The Beatles album sales were through the roof -- record stores couldn't keep up with the demand for the Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, White Album, and Abbey Road.   

Most people either believed that Paul was really dead, and the Beatles put clues into their records to prove that Paul was no longer alive. Or they believed that Paul McCartney was alive, but John Lennon began in 1967 to put clues in Beatles songs and album art to make it look like Paul had died.  They claimed John did this as a way to "get back" at everyone who took offense to his "Jesus statement" from 1966.   They felt that there were too many coincidences in the lyrics, artwork, and playing of Beatles songs backward for it not to have been done on purpose.  

One of the most interesting parts of the book explains how there is a song by Terry Knight called "Saint Paul" that is all about Paul McCartney, and some felt it spoke of Paul's death.  The song was released in 1968 and was written and performed by Terry Knight, an American who came to the UK and met with Paul to possibly be signed to Apple Records.  The odd thing about this record is that it is on Capitol Records and credited to MacLen Music -- the Lennon-McCartney publishing company.   The author of the book thinks this record may have been the starts of the Paul is Dead rumor, and finds it suspicious that there is a unknown connection to  MacLen Music.   

In 1994, some of the Paul is Dead "cluesters" (as they called themselves at that time) admitted that Paul was not dead but said how, for a short period of time in October 1969, they were able to focus on something fun and light-hearted.   While combing through Beatles songs and album covers for clues, they weren't worried about their draft numbers or the war.   They got a chance to get together with friends and focuses their energy on something else. 

It is now the 55th anniversary of the Paul is Dead hoax that went wild for a time in the United States and this book was well-written and I learned a lot about the history of the hoax that I did not know.  Like it or not, Paul is Dead is part of the Beatles history.   It is one that I find interesting.   If you do as well, you will want to read this one. 

This link is for the 2004 edition of the book (which seems to be all that is currently available).  I read the 1994 version, but I assume they are the same.   As always, the Amazon Affiliate link is used to help raise money to pay for the site.  I get a very small amount of money for each sale through the link.  I appreciate your support.  

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