Beatles Singles lyrics - Paperback Writer
This site covers the original British Beatles Albums plus analyses of the lyrics of non-album tracks.
Information on how the Beatles wrote the lyrics to their singles can be navigated from below.
Find out how the lyrics to Paperback Writer by the Beatles came to be written.
In 1965 one of Paul's Aunties asked him if he was capable of writing a song that was not about love; with this in mind Paul McCartney wrote the Beatles Paperback writer. This was the first Beatles A side that did not have love as a subject and so marked a radical change in direction in their releases.
The inspiration for the Paperback writer song cam when Paul saw Ringo reading a book, knowing that he was not allowed to sing about love, Paul decided to write a song about the book. Deciding to take the view of an author Paul wrote the paperback writer song in the style of someone who has just written a book and was writing a letter to an agent begging for it to be published.
In the song the writer quotes Lear who was one of John's favourite poets at the time. Musically Paul was inspired by Wilson Pickett and made the sound of the Bass the prominent instrument on the record.