The Science of Conspiracy Theories

Paul McCartney conspiracy

Paul McCartney conspiracy

I find this one creepy. The theory goes that Paul has been dead since 1966 (this date seems wrong), which means all the news about him involved a look-alike. Supposedly, Paul was killed in a car crash that occurred in January 1967 involving his car. Allegedly, he got angry after an argument during a Beatles recording session and drove off and died in a crash. William Campbell, the winner of a McCartney look-alike contest, replaced him. The rumor spread quickly and has become viral in the popular culture, especially when people heard 'turn me on, dead man' when the song 'Revolution 9' in the White Album was played backwards.

The following added fuel to the rumor: The Abby Road album cover shows Paul leading with his right leg while the other three Beatles are leading with their left legs. John Lennon leads the walk across the zebra crossing and wears a white suit, symbolizing a preacher. George Harrison wears scruffy shirt and trousers, symbolizing a gravedigger. Paul is the only one who is barefooted. Paul McCartney holds a cigarette in his right hand even though he's left handed, symbolizing a coffin nail. The VW Beatle has a registration number of LMW 28IF. Paul would have been 28 if he hadn't died. This is wrong because he would have been 27 when the Album was made. There are many more symbolisms in this cover, but they are a stretch at best.

This rumor spread and became gospel so extensively other performers incorporated it into several songs, including 'The Ballad of Paul,' by the Mystery Tour; 'Brother Paul,' by Billy Shears and the All Americans; and 'So Long Paul,' by Werbley Finster, who was Jose Feliciano. This sounds to me like other performers taking advantage of the rumor.
Of course all of it was debunked and denied by the Beatles. If he had died, Paul would not have had a fight with Yoko Ono, his double would have been knighted by queen Elizabeth and it wasn't him who divorced his wife and paid all that alimony.

None of this makes sense. After the Beatles break up, Paul McCartney formed Wings, the Band that went on to put out some awesome records. I doubt that they could have found a double that looked and sang and performed the same as the original Paul.

Thanks for reading.