What’s the Real Reason Paul McCartney was Barefoot on the ‘Abbey Road’ Cover?

For some reason, Paul McCartney‘s decision to go barefoot on the album cover for Abbey Road sparked a pervasive conspiracy theory that he died and was replaced by a convincing look alike. How did such a simple action get taken so far out of context? Trek a course through the whirlwind that is the “Paul is Dead” conspiracy theory, below.

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What’s the Real Reason Paul McCartney was Barefoot on ‘Abbey Road’ Cover?

Abbey Road was released on September 26, 1969. Along with a host of new songs, fans were given an intriguing album cover. The famous image sees the foursome walking along a crosswalk outside of the namesake studio. The cover has captured the awe of fans for generations–particularly McCartney’s bare feet.

The conspiracy that McCartney died and was replaced developed slowly but surely during the Beatles’ tenure. Fans pointed to several different “clues” that the rumors were true, including the band’s decision to stop touring and backwards messages on their albums. However, what really kicked the conspiracy into high gear was the Abbey Road cover.

According to fans, McCartney’s bare feet were reminiscent of a corpse while John Lennon’s all-white suit made him out to be a religious leader, Ringo Starr’s black suit made him the undertaker, and George Harrison’s denim ensemble made him the grave digger. It’s a little bit of a reach to be sure, but a significant amount of fans give weight to that rumor.

On the opposite side of things, McCartney and designer John Kosh have vehemently denied the conspiracy. According to the Beatle, it was a simple, almost mindless action that had “no deeper meaning.”

“It was a hot day, and I was wearing sandals,” McCartney once said. “I simply took them off as I crossed Abbey Road. There was no deeper meaning.” According to reports, there were behind-the-scenes photos taken that feature those sandals.

Kosh backed up that idea saying, “The reason he kicked his shoes off was because they were too tight.”

Despite McCartney and those close to him denying the rumors, there will be some that continue to believe he died and was replaced. Either way you lean on the subject, there is an answer.

Photo by Richard Nicholson/Shutterstock