Text · Motif

Madness

Insanity, breakdown, or mental dissolution as theme.

songs

It is in the words of thirteen songs, from 1965 to 1969. 'Another Girl' is the earliest and 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' the last. More of them come from 1967 on than from the first four years, nine against three. It sits on much the same share of each man's songs, 7% of McCartney's and 6% of Lennon's. On 'Helter Skelter': chaotic delivery and breakdown. On 'She Said She Said': 'Make me feel that I'm mad'.

The Madness motif first appears in the Beatles catalogue on 'Another Girl' (1965).

Analysis

Song count per year

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

Early0 · 0%

Mid-period5 · 42%

Late7 · 58%

Book

The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics

Alan Aldridge

Book

Revolution in the Head

Ian MacDonald

Software

Native Instruments Komplete

Native Instruments

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Year

Album

Writer

Lead vocal(s)

#	Title	Year	Album	Lead Vocal(s)	Notes
1	Ticket to Ride	1965	Help!	John	Mad
2	Another Girl	1965	Help!	Paul	Fool
3	She Said She Said	1966	Revolver	John	'Make me feel that I'm mad'
4	Penny Lane	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	Strange
5	The Fool on the Hill	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	Paul	Foolish, fool
6	Helter Skelter	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	Chaotic delivery and breakdown
7	Honey Pie	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	Crazy
8	Revolution 9	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	-	Weird, insane
9	Sexy Sadie	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	Fool
10	I'm So Tired	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	'I'm going insane'
11	Martha My Dear	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Paul	Silly
12	I Want You (She's So Heavy)	1969	Abbey Road	John	'Driving me mad'