Talk:Paul is dead

List of "clues"

I apologize if this issue has already been settled in all of the preceding posts, but I don't think I have the time to read through all of them....

I agree whole-heartedly that this article is not the place for a myriad of "clues," especially since this could very easily degenerate into a mess of individual opinions about how you can interpret a particular lyric, photograph, etc. Nonetheless, as this is a very well-known urban legend, and one of the more unsual bits of Beatles lore, would it be possible to have a separate article that was a list of supposed clues? It would have to be monitored fairly closely, to avoid becoming a trainwreck...so in the end, maybe it would be more trouble than it's worth...any thoughts??? PurpleChez (talk) 19:34, 31 May 2012 (UTC)

You have accurately summarized the entire history of the issue. A list of "clues" was once part of this article; it grew so unwieldy that it was pulled out into a separate article (figuring out what to call that article was a tough one - List of Clues That Show Paul Is Secretly Dead Even Though He Isn't or something like that) which turned into such a cesspit of fanboy/conspiracy/I-was-once-told-something/joking glop that it was killed by an AFD vote. (It even included "clues" from songs recorded *before* Paul supposedly died!) If you want to restart it, please be prepared to devote most of your wikipedia time to patroling it! - DavidWBrooks (talk) 21:09, 31 May 2012 (UTC)

I laughed out loud reading your post. I've gotten a kick out of the whole Paul is Dead thing since I was a young fan in the late 70s. But your wise counsel makes it appear that it would all be more trouble than it's worth. The existing article could always link out to other sites with lists...maybe it already does. Either way...thanks for the input!!! PurpleChez (talk) 17:30, 1 June 2012 (UTC)

Happily, today he just "proved" he isn't dead, yet again. What's significant about the whole episode is that people were so concerned, the conspiracy theorists came out and were able to get a wide hearing. People were that afraid of losing him.

While it's a good textbook example of how uncertain information can run away with you, I do think the details are overdone. 76.102.1.193 (talk) 05:15, 19 June 2012 (UTC)

Reading this I can understand why a comprehensive list of clues isn't feasible, but there are such things as notable clues. The Sgt. Pepper Inner Groove that played backwards says "Will Paul come back as Superman" (it's on YouTube, you can hear it for yourself or find an MP3 of it and play it backwards with software), or the "clues" on the Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road covers. Just adding a list willy nilly is a bad idea because anyone could just say "well I saw this..." but there are clues that have received non-trivial media coverage, as well as reference in biographies, histories of the Beatles, etc. I don't see why a list couldn't be placed here by simply following the sourcing criteria Wikipedia already has in place. 68.146.52.234 (talk) 17:57, 10 June 2014 (UTC)

(A) no it doesn't - you've been fooled by pre-loaded auditory suggestions. If somebody had told us it said "My toe runs backwards often" then we'd hear that - it's how those ghost-hunting people rig the game ... (B) the topic of listing "clues" has been discussed often and many alternatives have been tried, including a separate article. The current situation has been consensus for quite a while. This doesn't mean it can't change, but it require a lot of discussion and effort to change it. - DavidWBrooks (talk) 00:21, 11 June 2014 (UTC)

I tried your pre-loaded auditory suggestion, "My toe runs backwards often," and it doesn't work. All I hear is "will Paul be back as Superman." And quite clearly. In contrast I hear nothing intelligible when the clip is played forward. Though if somebody has an auditory suggestion for that I'd be happy to try it. (I'd always wondered what the purpose or meaning of that short segment was about.)

This is a new clue for me (I thought I'd heard them all. The reasonable ones, that is.) Thanks 68.146.52.234 for bringing it to my attention.

(And no, I don't believe Paul is dead. I do, however, believe that most the clues were intentionally done, to increase sales or add intrigue. It's pretty obvious that's the case, and one of the songs pretty much admits it.) SDLarsen (talk) 16:25, 16 July 2015 (UTC)

The Wired Italia article

This is a jarring piece of evidence that goes against expectations. As I understand it, Gabriella Carlesi, an Italian forensics expert who specializes in examining evidence from photographs, was assigned the project of examining the photos in the McCartney case, for an article in Wired Italia magazine. She, and the co-author of the article, expected to demonstrate that the photos taken before and after McCartney's alleged death were photographs of the same man. Instead, there were substantial differences in the two sets of photos. Carlesi examined parts of the body that were not modifiable by plastic surgery, such as the tragus, and the teeth in the mandible. I've added some info to the existing place in the Wikipedia article where the Wired Italia piece was mentioned and tagged each bit I added with tags. Perhaps what is needed more than anything is a good translation of the Wired Italia article into English.99.57.128.122 (talk) 04:10, 29 April 2014 (UTC)

This issue was previously discussed at Talk:Paul is dead/Archive 2#Recent edits and the conclusion was that the Wired article could be mentioned as an example of continuing interest in the rumor but that its contents were not suitable for Wikipedia per WP:FRINGE. Piriczki (talk) 13:59, 29 April 2014 (UTC)

Article found that says that The Beatles cooked up the idea for Paul's death

Right here Paul McCartney Admits Beatles Planned Death Hoax — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:9:3A80:11B:F90C:8F7F:BF19:FD25 (talk) 21:07, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

You did read the black box at the bottom, didn't you? Britmax (talk) 21:33, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

A new version

World News Daily, <wink, wink> Yngvadottir (talk) 22:38, 1 March 2015 (UTC)

Just to be clear, World News Daily Report is a fictional news site and none of its content can be included in this article. Ringo Starr never said anything purported by that web site and no such interview ever took place. Piriczki (talk) 13:59, 2 March 2015 (UTC)

Yes, hence wink, wink. Yngvadottir (talk) 17:55, 2 March 2015 (UTC)

Poe's law detected : -) Jonpatterns (talk) 19:21, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

I have to ask

This has been bothering me. Assume for a moment that the article is true: that Paul died and the Beatles decide to cover it up. Then why in God's name would they leave clues about it? What do the believers in this conspiracy theory claim in answer to that? Kimpire (talk) 10:04, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

Don't bring logic to this party, my friend - you will be very lonely. - DavidWBrooks (talk) 19:14, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

One explanation was that they were testing the fans' perceptiveness. Another was that they were breaking the news slowly to save fans from overwhelming grief. Look at what happened when they just blurted out that Zayn was leaving One Direction, you can't have that. Piriczki (talk) 22:03, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

If by "explanation" you mean "wild, groundless flights of fancy" then, yes, those are explanations. - DavidWBrooks (talk) 23:02, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

Do you have sources for those explanations? Because I think it's a large hole in the article (not to mention the theory ;) ) and would be valuable additions. Perhaps a "Why they left clues" sort of subsection. Kimpire (talk) 04:32, 4 June 2015 (UTC)