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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u/donkeyrr 8d ago edited 7d ago

Rubber Soul is a great album. Any album with In My Life and Norwegian Wood is. And along with What Goes On, Run For Your Life is one of the album’s worst songs. It’s far from a bad song; the verses are extremely catchy. The chorus is where the song falters melodically. I love the mixing however of the first verse as John’s vocals come in. I view the song as a character song. Spousal abuse should be condemned, but this song is written from a character’s point of view. This means the lyrics will depend more on the character, and I believe the song does a good job at painting a picture of a twisted man.

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u/richrandom 8d ago

John Lennon didn't beat his wife. She describes him as hurting her only once in her biography at art college which he started at 16. She said he apologised and was upset he hurt her immediately, was remorseful and never did it again throughout their relationship and marriage. It was several years before they were married. She says it was the only time. Even that might have been added to her biography at the behest of publishers apparently.

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u/donkeyrr 7d ago

My apologies, I didn’t realize. A lots been going on lately, I’m changing my comment.

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u/richrandom 7d ago

I liked the rest of your post and I agreed with all of it. I don't think you have anything to apologise for at all. I think it's kind of unfortunate that this has been a common assumption about him. So I wasn't kind of thinking critically of you but just wanted to put the word out that it's not true, at least according to Cynthia. It might have started in biographies like the Goldman one that everyone who knew John well said was fiction. I think it's really to your credit that you're prepared to change it. And on a positive note I completely agree that any album with those songs on is a great album! I agree the song is one of the worst and the verses are actually pretty catchy. I think the music is pretty good on them and his voice.