Nowhere Man
“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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This song is the only Beatles song with the AABAABABA song form.
Songwriter(s)LennonCredited as Lennon–McCartney
RecordedOctober 21–22, 1965
ReleasedDecember 3, 1965
Song familyFragile LennonSelf-doubt, creative paralysis
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Text197 tags
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
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]
Distinctive word
commandla-la-la-lalends
Music110 tags
People11 tags
Info21 tags
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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