Title: Another clue for you all' : the hysterical realism of the 'Paul is dead' conspiracy theory in the golden age of paranoia
Source document: Theory and Practice in English Studies. 2020, vol. 9, iss. 1-2, pp. [29]-43
Extent
[29]-43
-
ISSN1805-0859
Stable URL (handle): https://hdl.handle.net/11222.digilib/143484
Type: Article
Language
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International
Notice: These citations are automatically created and might not follow citation rules properly.
Abstract(s)
When a rumor spread in 1969, that Paul McCartney had died and been replaced by a double, American Beatlemaniacs scrambled to examine every album in search of death clues.' This paper examines the Paul Is Dead conspiracy theory by building on studies of the cult of celebrity, James Wood's concept of hysterical realism, Emily Apter's concept of "oneworldedness", and Timothy Melley's theory of "agency panic." It ultimately argues that our tendency to bury celebrities and create alternate (paranoid) narratives about them stems not only from our rejection of consensus reality but also our simultaneous desire to mythologize our idols to seek comfort in eras of social uncertainty.
References
[1] Apter, Emily. 2006. "On Oneworldedness: Or Paranoia as a World System." American Literary History 18, no. 2: 365–89. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.tamu.edu/10.1093/alh/ajj022. | DOI 10.1093/alh/ajj022
[2] Ballinger, Dean. 2014. "'Live Fast, Die Young and Leave a Good-looking Conspiracy': Celebrity Death Conspiracies." Australasian Journal of Popular Culture 3, no. 2: 183–89. https://doi-org.ezproxy.muni.cz/10.1386/ajpc.3.2.173_1.
[3] Berman, Garry. 2008. "We're Going to See the Beatles!": An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were There. Santa Monica, Calif: Santa Monica Press.
[4] Davies, Hunter. 2014§. The Beatles Lyrics: The Stories Behind the Music, Including the Handwritten Drafts of More Than 100 Classic Beatles Songs. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
[5] Ehrenreich, Barbara, Hess, Elizabeth, and Jacobs, Gloria. 1992. "Beatlemania: Girls Just Want to Have Fun." In The Adoring Audience: Fan Culture and Popular Media, edited by Lisa A. Lewis, 84–106. New York: Routledge.
[6] Frontani, Michael R. 2007. The Beatles: Image and the Media. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
[7] Glenn, Alan. 2009. "'Paul is Dead!' (said Fred)". Michigan Today, November 11. https://michigantoday.umich.edu/2009/11/11/a7565/.
[8] Neary, John. 1969. "The Magical McCartney Mystery." LIFE 67, no. 19: 103–6.
[9] Harper, Timothy. 1969. "Is Beatle Paul McCartney Dead?" Drake Times-Delphic 88, no. 2: 1 & 3. http://content.library.drake.edu/digital/collection/p15183coll1/id/701/.
[10] Harris, Daniel. 2011. "Celebrity Deaths." The Antioch Review 69, no. 4: 884–92. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.muni.cz/stable/41330970.
[11] Harvey, David. 1989. The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change. Oxford England Cambridge, Mass., USA: Blackwell.
[12] Hassold, Cris. 1994. "The Double and Doubling in Modern and Postmodern Art." Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts 6, no. 2/3 (22/23): 253–74. Accessed April 15, 2020. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.muni.cz/stable/43308220.
[13] LaBour, Fred. 1969. "McCartney Dead; New Evidence Brought to Light." The Michigan Daily 80, no. 35: 2. https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071754159/374.
[14] Melley, Timothy. 2000. Empire of Conspiracy: The Culture of Paranoia in Postwar America. New York: Cornell University Press.
[15] Patterson, Garry R. 1994. The Great Beatle Death Clues of 1969. London: Robson Books.
[16] Reising, Russell. 2006. "Vacio Luminoso: 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and the Coherence of the Impossible." In Reading the Beatles: Cultural Studies, Literary Criticism, and the Fab Four, edited by Kenneth Womack and Todd F. Davis, 111–28. New York: State University of New York.
[17] Slethaug, Gordon. 1993. The Play of the Double in Postmodern American Fiction. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
[18] The Beatles. 1967. "A Day in the Life," track 13 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone.
[19] The Beatles. 1967. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," track 1 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone.
[20] The Beatles. 1967. "She's Leaving Home," track 6 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band, Parlophone.
[21] The Beatles. 1966. "Tomorrow Never Knows," track 14 on Revolver, Parlophone.
[22] The Beatles. 1967. "With A Little Help From My Friends," track 2 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone.
[23] Wood, James. 2004. "Hysterical Realism." In The Irresponsible Self: On Laughter and the Novel, 168–183. London: Johnathan Cape.
[2] Ballinger, Dean. 2014. "'Live Fast, Die Young and Leave a Good-looking Conspiracy': Celebrity Death Conspiracies." Australasian Journal of Popular Culture 3, no. 2: 183–89. https://doi-org.ezproxy.muni.cz/10.1386/ajpc.3.2.173_1.
[3] Berman, Garry. 2008. "We're Going to See the Beatles!": An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were There. Santa Monica, Calif: Santa Monica Press.
[4] Davies, Hunter. 2014§. The Beatles Lyrics: The Stories Behind the Music, Including the Handwritten Drafts of More Than 100 Classic Beatles Songs. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
[5] Ehrenreich, Barbara, Hess, Elizabeth, and Jacobs, Gloria. 1992. "Beatlemania: Girls Just Want to Have Fun." In The Adoring Audience: Fan Culture and Popular Media, edited by Lisa A. Lewis, 84–106. New York: Routledge.
[6] Frontani, Michael R. 2007. The Beatles: Image and the Media. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
[7] Glenn, Alan. 2009. "'Paul is Dead!' (said Fred)". Michigan Today, November 11. https://michigantoday.umich.edu/2009/11/11/a7565/.
[8] Neary, John. 1969. "The Magical McCartney Mystery." LIFE 67, no. 19: 103–6.
[9] Harper, Timothy. 1969. "Is Beatle Paul McCartney Dead?" Drake Times-Delphic 88, no. 2: 1 & 3. http://content.library.drake.edu/digital/collection/p15183coll1/id/701/.
[10] Harris, Daniel. 2011. "Celebrity Deaths." The Antioch Review 69, no. 4: 884–92. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.muni.cz/stable/41330970.
[11] Harvey, David. 1989. The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change. Oxford England Cambridge, Mass., USA: Blackwell.
[12] Hassold, Cris. 1994. "The Double and Doubling in Modern and Postmodern Art." Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts 6, no. 2/3 (22/23): 253–74. Accessed April 15, 2020. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.muni.cz/stable/43308220.
[13] LaBour, Fred. 1969. "McCartney Dead; New Evidence Brought to Light." The Michigan Daily 80, no. 35: 2. https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071754159/374.
[14] Melley, Timothy. 2000. Empire of Conspiracy: The Culture of Paranoia in Postwar America. New York: Cornell University Press.
[15] Patterson, Garry R. 1994. The Great Beatle Death Clues of 1969. London: Robson Books.
[16] Reising, Russell. 2006. "Vacio Luminoso: 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and the Coherence of the Impossible." In Reading the Beatles: Cultural Studies, Literary Criticism, and the Fab Four, edited by Kenneth Womack and Todd F. Davis, 111–28. New York: State University of New York.
[17] Slethaug, Gordon. 1993. The Play of the Double in Postmodern American Fiction. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
[18] The Beatles. 1967. "A Day in the Life," track 13 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone.
[19] The Beatles. 1967. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," track 1 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone.
[20] The Beatles. 1967. "She's Leaving Home," track 6 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band, Parlophone.
[21] The Beatles. 1966. "Tomorrow Never Knows," track 14 on Revolver, Parlophone.
[22] The Beatles. 1967. "With A Little Help From My Friends," track 2 on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone.
[23] Wood, James. 2004. "Hysterical Realism." In The Irresponsible Self: On Laughter and the Novel, 168–183. London: Johnathan Cape.