Thursday, June 19, 2008

Superman

Will Paul come back as Superman? Some people have been asking that question. It does put a new twist on the Paul Is Dead scenario.

Like everyone else during the heyday of Beatlemania, the writers of the Superman spin off, "Jimmy Olsen" found a way to work the Beatles into the story in the September 1964 issue.



Another issue of "Jimmy Olsen" has created a great deal of interest because of its appearance in several Rotten Apple videos.



Everybody wants to know the origin of that picture. I was hoping that I would find it in one of the Beatles Monthlies from 1965, but I didn't. I did find another picture of that comic book however. It is the third one from the left on Paul's organ in "Help."



This leads me to believe that the picture from the Rotten Apple videos was taken during the filming of "Help." Ironically, Dick Lester, the director of "A Hard Days Night" and "Help" along with Beatles solo efforts "How I Won the War" starring John Lennon and "Get Back," the Paul McCartney concert film, has directing credits on two Superman movies.

Superman turns up again on Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, if you play it backwards. There is some disagreement over what the inner groove actually sounds like backwards, but the word "Superman" or "Supermen" seems to be heard by almost everyone who listens to it. Paul told Rolling Stone Magazine in an interview from 1974 that some visitors to his house on Cavendish Avenue pointed out an obscene phrase that could be heard if you played the groove after "A Day In The Life" backwards.



Paul explains:
I said, "No, you're kidding. I haven't heard it, but I'll play it." It was just some piece of conversation that was recorded and turned backwards. But I went inside after I'd seen them and played it studiously, turned it backwards with my thumb against the motor, turned the motor off and did it backwards. And there it was, sure as anything, plain as anything.

Paul recounts the same story in "Many Years From Now" but adds:
That kind of stuff does happen. That's why you can explore the accident. But that was far out. We had certainly had not intended to do that but probably when you turn anything backwards it sounds like something ... if you look hard enough you can make something out of anything.

One YouTuberculosis looked hard enough to hear the phrase "Will Paul be back as Superman?."
In relation to Paul Is Dead theory, this phrase has been cited by those who believe the original Paul will return from hiding or will be resurrected from the dead.

Superman, or somebody who looked just like him turned up again in the fantasy of the Buster Bloodvessel character in the Magical Mystery Tour booklet.



Superman remained in Paul McCartney's consciousness to some degree after the Beatle years. In 1995, McCartney used the famous Superman introduction (Faster than a speeding bullet, etc.) in the premier of his "Oobu Joobu" radio program. In 1998, he taped a special performance of "Calico Skies" for the ABC Television Special "A Celebration of Hope," which was a benefit for Superman actor Christopher Reeve.

The tragic stories of Superman actors Christopher Reeve (who died young from complications related to injuries he suffered from a horse riding accident) and George Reeves (who died of an apparent suicide) have led some to believe that there is a Superman Curse. It turns out that every single individual who has ever been involved with Superman has either died or will die some day. If Paul McCartney did die in 1966 and is resurrected, he will put an end to the Superman Curse. Will Paul come back as Superman?????

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

You must be a mind reader. Mere seconds after I posted this in your last blog entry:


"km, just a guess here but it looks like the mark on the floor is just that....the "mark", meaning "stand here so you'll be in the shot". The photo could be from the set of "A Hard Days Night" or "Help". I have a feeling it might be "Help" because the circle would indicate where the ashtray is supposed to be placed on the set right before the incredible shrinking Paul scene. I'll see if it matches up with any more behind-the-scenes photos from "Help"."

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Iamaphoney's approach is to look at a photo and think to himself "yeah, I could make that look like it has some sybolism to it" or if he genuinely doesn't know what's doing and just throws everything at the wall and hopes something will stick. I also wonder if he is furious or delighted when the truth about his source material is exposed on this blog. Care to chime in, Iaap?

Anonymous said...

Like in the RA68T he compares the stances of the Beatles as if they are supposed to be LIBER O's Signs of the Grades, when in fact only 2 beatles match up with any of those signals.

As GFA/JB33 pointed out, it is much more likely that they are doing Semaphore flag signals.

Semaphore Flag Signaling System

Anonymous said...

Yes, IAAP's technique is classic "torture the data to fit the theory."
Like Cinderella's step-sisters trying on the glass slipper, IAAP and the spin-offs want us to think the shoe fits. While we're in pattern-making mode, Macca was a big Marvel comics fan for a while (not so much DC), and he wrote "Magneto and Titanium Man" as evidence. IAAP could run with that, since Magneto was a villain in the X-Men, and the Pepper drum has the "X" shape in there. Paul might be a supervillain himself, since he once sang, "In my green metal suit I'm preparing to shoot up the city."

Anonymous said...

And, to add to my last comment, Paul also sang in Magneto and Titanium Man that "you were involved in a robbery (the stealing of Paul's identity), which happened at "a quarter to three in the Main Street". He then says, "she's a five-star (Pentagram) criminal breaking THE CODE." Then, he sings "dip dee do dip dee do" which is PID eed od PID eed OD (Officially Dead). All of this, of course, is nonsense, but shows how easily one can play association games. JCharles

Anonymous said...

Last thing. The issue Paul is reading is #75 from March 1964, and the tag line is "When Supergirl replaced Jimmy Olsen." So Jimmy Olsen is JPM, and PM is Supergirl, if you wanna run with that. JCharles

Tafultong said...

Wow, JCharles, that was pretty good. You had me until the "dip de doo" part of Magneto and Titanium Man." Everybody knows that Dip De Doo is the shampoo of demons.

Anonymous said...

My take on the Superman line at the end of Sgt. Pepper is that the other three put that on while Paul was out of the studio. Naughty boys they were.

Anonymous said...

Another great post!!

They put a lot of work into that gobbledygook on the runout groove. Unfortunately I can't remember the source, but I can remember reading somewhere how they put more time into perfecting that little snippet of audio than had gone into many of their earlier songs.

To me, It has always sounded like "Ah will (pop/paul/fall) in as you (pause) (feel/real) bad hahahahaha"

...I have trouble getting the 'superman' stuff out of it, but maybe that's just me.

Anonymous said...

Me thinks the revalation will come about when the newely remastered Beatles back catologue is realeased.... which is in a few months time.

Anonymous said...

Do you know what I find rather irritating is that I've been reading comments on YouTube of people who have seen a few spooky videos of "Help" album covers and then consider themselves the World's foremost authority on everything. Not only does it completly blemish the good name of a band that musically changed the World, but also shines of mind numbing ignorance as Help was released in 1965. A year before his supposed "Death".

Anonymous said...

To the previous poster,
Vince here,
I can't speak for anyone here but myself, but I feel as if I should say something to your, 'ruining the good name ' comment:
I think it was the simple fact that 'the boys' DIDN'T take themselves seriously MADE them the great institution they are today.
We have NO IDEA if this subject is the product of an 'inside job' or not.
I feel the evil 'angle' is an interesting way for The Beatles 'myth' to sell itself after all of the music industry is gone. ('the way things are going', you know?)
This SEPARATES them from 'the rock world', you see? Music comes..... music goes.... but FREAKY OCCULT SHIT? That's forever!

Worst case senario, as I've mentioned before, this is just a talented man's attempt to SCARE people towards JEEBUZ!
"All of you Beatle-fans," , I can imagine PHONY saying, "You're ALL SINNERS! REPENT! YOU ALL MADE PAUL THIS WAY, WITH YOUR FAN WORSHIP!"

Like I said, i hope I'm wrong.
But the minute George put his stamp of approval on "The Rutles", I understood that ridiculing The Beatles is not only WELCOMED, it's appeciated !

So, there shouldn't be anyone here being offended, right?
peace.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Vince, and I suppose you're right. Over and out!

Anonymous said...

Well, I wouldn't say, "I'm RIGHT." I'm just trying to figure this all out, like you.

After "Star Wars" came out, Coppola said to George Lucas, "You should consider making "The Force" an actual RELIGION!"
Maybe Mr. PHONY is looking more towards THE FUTURE than you and I are.
Making sure "The BEATLES" are considered more than just another rock 'n' roll band is a challenge, and, 50 years from now, a bunch of kids will find these little videos, insuring interest in The Beatles.

........ maybe.

Your pal, Vince.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Iamaphoney's approach is to look at a photo and think to himself "yeah, I could make that look like it has some sybolism to it" or if he genuinely doesn't know what's doing and just throws everything at the wall and hopes something will stick. I also wonder if he is furious or delighted when the truth about his source material is exposed on this blog. Care to chime in, Iaap?


Ohh, Delighted, really.
Thanks.
Obviously.

23 june 1970

Anonymous said...

Huh?

Anonymous said...

Wow!Some celebrities dropped by.The deceased creators of Superman and the enigmatic Iamaphoney!Nice to know he's a happy guy.Thanks everyone for clearing up the mystery of the mark on the floor.I had not paid much attention to that.JCharles,you could easily come out with your own videos series.That was funny.But still the bigger mystery is did Paul hang on to those comic books from 1965?I bet they're worth a fortune now.

-Aja

Pablo said...

"It turns out that every single individual who has ever been involved with Superman has either died or will die some day."


Oh yes... everybody dies, related to Superman or not...
;)