Analysis of Beatles Lyrics — No AI Deployed — Turns Up Connection to PR

The San Francisco Giants paid tribute to the Beatles a few weeks ago.

It reminded me that deciphering the inner meaning of Beatles lyrics was a public sport during the band’s heyday. Those over 50 will remember playing the White Album backward and supposedly hearing “Paul is dead.”

Rather than play all the albums backward, I’ve taken a more hand-crafted approach to sift through the Beatles lyrics. My crack researcher Grace Hoffman — who says nepotism is dead? — combed through virtually every Beatles’ word that made the vinyl page. I should add that she performed this exercise without the benefit of AI.

The conclusion —

Paul and John and to lesser extent George often channeled the PR agency business in crafting lyrics (sorry, Ringo).

Here are 10 proof points that make the case:

 

 

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We Can Work it Out (1965)

“Try to see it my way, Do I have to keep on talking till I can’t go on?”

In spirited discussions with clients, strength of conviction can easily give way to yada yada yada.

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“Nowhere Man” (1965)

“Doesn’t have a point of view, Knows not where he’s going to”

Few things torpedo a thought leadership campaign faster than an executive who isn’t willing to take a stand.

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I Want to Hold Your Hand (1963)

“Oh please, say to me You’ll let me be your man”

The Beatles empathize with the anxiety that comes from a new-biz pitch. You desperately want the business. Yet, you don’t want to come across doing the two-step grovel.

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Hello, Goodbye (1967)

“You say yes, I say no You say stop and I say go go go, oh no”

What comes at you when you tangle with the client’s legal department over what appears to be an innocuous news release.

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From Me to You (1963)

“If there’s anything that you want If there’s anything I can do Just call on me and I’ll send it along”

Clients do love a can-do attitude.

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Revolution (1968)

“You say you want a revolution Well you know We all want to change the world”

There’s nothing quite like launching a startup.

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Hard Day’s Night (1964)

“It’s been a hard day’s night And I’ve been working like a dog. It’s been a hard day’s night, I should be sleeping like a log.”

24 X 7 accessibility often means today’s PR pro grinds into the evening, finding joy in the Falafel joint that stays open late.

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Don’t Pass Me By (1968)

“You said that you would be late about an hour or two I said that’s all right, I’m waiting here, just waiting to hear from you”

How can I put this diplomatically? Many clients’ track record for being on time for meetings makes the airline industry look like a bastion of promptness. Still, we deliver a chirpy face with the perfunctory “no problem.”

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Glass Onion (1968)

“Well, here’s another place you can go Where everything flows”

Sure, there are times when you’d like to tell the client where to go. Using the destination “where everything flows” gives it finesse instead of using a cuss word.

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You Never Give Me Your Money (1969)

“You never give me your money You only give me your funny paper”

What usually happens when an agency takes stock in lieu of cash from a startup to fund the PR campaign.

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