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SongsRubber SoulNowhere Man
Rubber Soul album cover

Nowhere Man

1965 · Rubber Soul

“Doesn't have a point of view”

Lennon's existentialist self-portrait, written in frustration at Kenwood after hours of staring at a blank page. The Beatles' first wholly non-romantic original - released as a US #3 single and centrepiece of the Nowhere Man EP.
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Year1965
AlbumRubber Soul
Track4 · Side 1
Duration2:44
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon-McCartney
Lead VocalJohn
RecordedOctober 21–22, 1965
ReleasedDecember 3, 1965
Song familyFragile LennonSelf-doubt, creative paralysis

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Text197 tags

Motif

Self reflectionQuestionLonelinessPhilosophicalAutobiographySocial commentaryCharacterPleaAnatomyDirectionsTruthSelf deprecation

Influence

Bob Dylan influence

Title

Person in titleNegation in title

Vocabulary

Negative toneCasual language

Narrative

Third personSecond personConversationalImperative

Lyrical device

AnaphoraWordplayRhetorical question

Rhyme type

Half rhymeMulti-syllabic rhymePerfect rhymeFeminine rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA form

Sections

Standard choruses (1-3)Many verses (5+)Has outro

Section links

Outro based on verseChorus variationSolo based on verse

Repetition

Recurring verseConsecutive lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

bitblindelsehurryknowslandmakingmissingnowhereplanspointseessomebodywantsworrya bita handa pointa realand meas heat yourcan becan youdon't knowhave ahe canhe wantshe's ain hisit allknow whatleave itman canplease listensitting intake yourto seewhat hewhat you'reyou adoesn't have adon't know whathe wants tome at allpoint of viewyou and meyou don't knowwhat he wants toyou don't know what

Cover-shared words

ahhallgoinghandhehisitknowleavelikelistenmanmenobodypleaserealseesittingtaketilltimeworldyouyourat allgoing tolike yousee methe worldyou andyou don'tyou see

Lyric shape

[ADJ] as[NOUN] can[VERB] not[WORD] hisfor [NOUN]he's [VERB]his [ADV]it [WORD][NOUN] [VERB] you[NOUN] the [NOUN][VERB] for [NOUN][VERB] it [WORD][VERB] of [VERB][VERB] what he[VERB] what you're[VERB] you a[WORD] his [ADV]as [ADJ] asat your [NOUN]can you [VERB]don't [VERB] whathe [VERB] toit [WORD] [NOUN]what he [VERB]your [NOUN] [WORD][VERB] you a [NOUN]a [NOUN] [VERB] youa [NOUN] of [VERB]can you [VERB] mehe [VERB] to [VERB]you don't [VERB] what[VERB] what he [VERB] toyou [VERB] me at [WORD]

Cover-shared shape

[NOUN] don't[NOUN] the[VERB] for[VERB] in[VERB] it[VERB] me[VERB] of[VERB] to[VERB] what[VERB] you[VERB] youra [ADJ]a [NOUN]at [WORD]don't [VERB]he [VERB]just [VERB]of [VERB]the [NOUN]to [VERB]you [VERB]you're [ADJ]your [NOUN][ADV] [NOUN] don't[NOUN] don't [VERB][VERB] to [VERB][VERB] you and[VERB] your [NOUN]a [NOUN] [VERB]a [NOUN] [WORD]a [NOUN] ofdon't [VERB] [WORD]the [NOUN] [WORD]you [VERB] meyou don't [VERB]a [NOUN] [WORD] [WORD]

Rhyme scheme

AABCABCDAABAA

Line length

6-7-1111-11Unique line length

Distinctive word

commandla-la-la-lalends
You might also like:The Beatles Illustrated LyricsRevolution in the Head

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Music110 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarLead guitarRhythm guitarBass guitarDrums

Instrument group

Guitars

Guitar work

Guitar solo

Bass work

Stepwise bass line

Music genre

Folk rockJangle popRockFolkPop

Influence

Motown influence

Vocal work

Aah vocalsVocal harmoniesThree-part harmonyScat singing

Solo / Riff

Defining riffGuitar soloSolo based on verseSolo on verse

Melody

Call and responseAppoggiaturaDefining riff

Tempo

Upbeat

Key

E major

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA formUnique structure

Sections

Standard choruses (1-3)Many verses (5+)Has outroHas solo

Section links

Outro based on verseChorus variationSolo based on verseSolo on verse

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

I to iiiV to I

Harmony

Borrowed chordPlagal cadenceHalf cadenceRock/Mixolydian cadenceMinor plagal

Composition

Only basic triadsTonic openingTonic endingVerse in ITonic verseChorus in iiiNon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminor

Scale degree

IiiiIVivV

Chord degree

I–VV–IVIV–II–IVIV–iviv–II–V–IVV–IV–IIV–iv–IIV–VI–V–IV–I–IVIV–I–IV–iv–IIV–iiiiii–IV–VV–IV–I–IVI–IV–iviii–IV

Chord shape

C → GC → B♭C → FC → CmAm → EC → G → FC → B♭ → FC → F → FmC → Cm → GC → BmC → DC → G → F → C → FC → G → C → Cm → GC → B♭ → F → B♭Am → B♭ → CAm → B♭

Chord literal

B → AA → EE → AA → BE → A → AmG♯m → A → BB → A → E → AA → AmG♯m → AAm → EA → G♯mE → B → AB → A → EE → B
You might also like:Sheet Music Plus – Beatles CollectionThe Musician's Guide to Theory

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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

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