November 7th 1969 Life Magazine published an article on the recent "Paul
Is Dead" fiasco. The article contained the now famous clues, select album
cover photos, and Paul's own brief comments on the death rumors. Life
magazine's London correspondent waded through a Scotland bog to find Paul
and Linda at their secluded farm, hoping to be granted a photo or a brief
interview.
By this time The Beatles had privately broken up. While the breakup was
still a secret and would not be announced for months, Paul states: "The
Beatle thing is over." The public and press missed the importance of this
passing comment.
Life Magazine spoke briefly with Paul about the various "death clues"
including the OPD badge on his Pepper suit (which fans took to mean
"Officially Pronounced Dead"), his black flower in Magical Mystery Tour,
and his barefooted appearance on the Abbey Road album cover.
"It is all bloody stupid. I picked up that OPD badge in Canada. It
was a police badge. Perhaps it means Ontario Police Department or
something. I was wearing a black flower because they ran out of red ones.
It is John, not me, dressed in black on the cover and inside of Magical
Mystery Tour. On Abbey Road we were wearing our ordinary clothes. I was
walking barefoot because it was a hot day. The Volkswagon just happened to
be parked there."
"Perhaps the rumor started because I haven't been much in the press
lately. I have done enough press for a lifetime, and I don't have anything
to say these days. I am happy to be with my family and I will work when I
work. I was switched on for ten years and I never switched off. Now I am
switching off whenever I can. I would rather be a little less famous these
days."
"I would rather do what I began by doing, which is making music. We make
good music and we want to go on making good music. But the Beatle thing is
over. It has been exploded, partly by what we have done, and partly by
other people. We are individuals-- all different. John married Yoko, I
married Linda. We didn't marry the same girl."
"The people who are making up these rumors should look to themselves a
little more. There is not enough time in life. They should worry about
themselves instead of worrying whether I am dead or not."
"What I have to say is all in the music. If I want to say anything I write
a song. Can you spread it around that I am just an ordinary person and
want to live in peace? We have to go now. We have two children at home."
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