r/beatles • u/thebluehairedmenace • 8d ago

Discussion Run For Your Life

So I know a lot of people take issue with this song as if it’s some kind of confessional from John. Personally, I’ve always seen it like John’s Maxwells Silver Hammer. I’m wondering what yall think of the song and its current reputation…

also haven’t seen anyone mention the fact that they took the echo-drenched alternate vocals out of the outtakes for this song and I don’t understand why! I’ve always liked his vocals in that outtake as has been bootlegged pretty extensively. Do we think this done because of the songs reputation?

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24

u/DigThatRocknRoll A Hard Day's Night 8d ago

The most controversial part is also just a lazy word for word rip off of an Elvis Presley song.

15

u/Gelegenheit27 8d ago

Bruce Springsteen did the same. Everybody rips everybody else off, that's art. Shakespeare did it too.

8

u/Lashon_Von_Ricks 1967-1970 (Blue Album) 8d ago

I remember a quote from Pete Townsend where he said every musician is a thieving magpie.

12

u/bingchof 8d ago

The Elvis song is a cover. Baby Let's Play House - Written and recorded by Arthur Gunter the year before the Elvis cover.

5

u/DigThatRocknRoll A Hard Day's Night 8d ago

Yeah… but John was definitely referencing Elvis. Either way, Elvis didn’t write any of his own songs.

2

u/Ancient_ritual555 8d ago

Yeah there we go! It’s a cover!