YouTube Gold: Nowhere Man

An early example of the Beatles spreading their wings

It would be impossible for people of today to fully understand how hard the Beatles hit the US in the early 1960’s.

Elvis had laid the groundwork but he was one of one and after he got drafted in 1957, his star dimmed rapidly. His somewhat ludicrous movie career didn't help either. It took him a long time to be taken seriously again.

In 1963, when the Beatles released “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “I Saw Her Standing There,” there were three TV networks, mostly still in black and white. There was no Tik Tok, no X, no social media and no cell phones. Phones were still tied to the wall. And the only way you got new music was to buy a record or to listen to the radio.

So when they hit the US like a tidal wave, there was nothing like it. And when they were secretly given LSD by Dr. George Riley (later memorialized by the song Dr. Roberts), their songwriting began to change.

Rubber Soul was a revolutionary album by the standards of the day. There was nothing quite like it. It included songs like Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, the odious Run For Your Life (even John Lennon later admitted that it was pretty awful), Michelle and, in the UK version, Nowhere Man.

This was a bit of departure since most of their early songs had been about romance and girls. Nowhere Man was a bit more philosophical.

In this clip, the Beatles play it live. Keep in mind that they quit touring before a lot of technical things had been figured out about how to perform and project in large venues.

Nonetheless, their insanely tight vocals come through as does Ringo Starr’s brilliant drumming. And look at the virtuosity of Paul McCartney, playing a complex baseline while also managing backup vocals with George Harrison. These guys were brilliant musicians.

It also to an extent marks the beginning, or close to the beginning, of Lennon’s personal decline. He had to deal with massive psychological issues about both of his parents abandoning him to a greater or lesser extent and a heroin addiction loomed in the not-too-distant future. The Beatles made great music but fame both saved and greatly damaged Lennon.