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© 2026 Nadav (Nahdi) Lazar. Beatles music © Apple Corps. Fan-made – not affiliated with The Beatles or Apple Corps.

“In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Extended metaphorText · Lyrical device · 19 songs
CategoriesTextLyrical deviceExtended metaphor
Text · Lyrical device

Extended metaphor

A sustained metaphor carried across multiple lines or the entire song

19
songs
See alsoLyrical device:AnaphoraLyrical device:Double meaningLyrical device:WordplayLyric shape:[WORD] of [VERB] [VERB]Recurring words:rainLyric shape:they [WORD]Vocabulary:Poetic lyricsKey:A♭ major
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Top lyrical devices by writer – Lennon: Anaphora (39), Simile (11), Wordplay (10); McCartney: Anaphora (21), Extended metaphor (8), Pastiche (8); Harrison: Anaphora (11), Extended metaphor (4), Double meaning (3).

John LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonAnaphoraSimileWordplayPasticheDouble meaningLyrical device

Analysis

By Year

Song count per year

By Songwriter

% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)

By Era

Early2 · 13%
Mid-period5 · 31%
Late9 · 56%

By Album

The Beatles (The White Album)4
Beatles For Sale2
Help!2
Let It Be2
Past Masters2
Rubber Soul1
Revolver1
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band1
Abbey Road1

Songs(16 of 19)

Year
Album
Writer
Lead vocal(s)
#TitleYearAlbumLead Vocal(s)Notes
1I'll Follow the Sun1964Beatles For SalePaulSun = pursuit of happiness elsewhere
2I'm a Loser1964Beatles For SaleJohnClown/mask conceit hiding true self
3Yesterday1965Help!Paul'Yesterday' as lost happiness
4I've Just Seen a Face1965Help!PaulFalling in love
5I'm Looking Through You1965Rubber SoulPaulLooking through someone as seeing true nature
6Eleanor Rigby1966RevolverPaul'Face she keeps in a jar by the door'
7Fixing a Hole1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPaulHome repair = mental/creative work
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8Piggies1968The Beatles (The White Album)GeorgePigs = the establishment throughout
9Julia1968The Beatles (The White Album)JohnJulia as natural elements
10While My Guitar Gently Weeps1968The Beatles (The White Album)GeorgeWeeping guitar as grief for the world
11Blackbird1968The Beatles (The White Album)PaulBlackbird as oppressed person
12Old Brown Shoe1969Past MastersGeorgeOld brown shoe = old self
13Here Comes the Sun1969Abbey RoadGeorgeSun/winter as emotional renewal
14Across the Universe (Wildlife version)1969Past MastersJohnMind as cosmos/universe
15The Long and Winding Road1970Let It BePaulRoad as life's journey back to lover
16Across the Universe1970Let It BeJohnWords, thoughts, images as cosmic forces

I'll Follow the Sun

1964·Beatles For Sale·Paul

Sun = pursuit of happiness elsewhere

I'm a Loser

1964·Beatles For Sale·John

Clown/mask conceit hiding true self

Yesterday

1965·Help!·Paul

'Yesterday' as lost happiness

I've Just Seen a Face

1965·Help!·Paul

Falling in love

I'm Looking Through You

1965·Rubber Soul·Paul

Looking through someone as seeing true nature

Eleanor Rigby

1966·Revolver·Paul

'Face she keeps in a jar by the door'

Fixing a Hole

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Paul

Home repair = mental/creative work

Piggies

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George

Pigs = the establishment throughout

Julia

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

Julia as natural elements

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George

Weeping guitar as grief for the world

Blackbird

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Blackbird as oppressed person

Old Brown Shoe

1969·Past Masters·George

Old brown shoe = old self

Here Comes the Sun

1969·Abbey Road·George

Sun/winter as emotional renewal

Across the Universe (Wildlife version)

1969·Past Masters·John

Mind as cosmos/universe

The Long and Winding Road

1970·Let It Be·Paul

Road as life's journey back to lover

Across the Universe

1970·Let It Be·John

Words, thoughts, images as cosmic forces

Updated 2026-09-02

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