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12.23pm
18 April 2013
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I have a question…I am reading a book that has referred to this song more than once as “confessional.” But I had always thought he was pointing the finger at other people, saying they can’t hide their crippled nature.
Is he admitting to being crippled inside himself?
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
12.39pm
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17 December 2012
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I certainly think he would include himself among those “crippled inside”, @Expert Textpert.
Remember, this isn’t that long after Primal Scream, and one of the tenets of that as a belief system is that we are all crippled by the unexpressed pain we hide within ourselves, which often results in our more self-destructive personality traits (thus revealing the existence of the suppressed negative emotions buried inside).
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
2.07pm
18 April 2013
Offline Ron Nasty said
I certainly think he would include himself among those “crippled inside”, expert-textpert.Remember, this isn’t that long after Primal Scream, and one of the tenets of that as a belief system is that we are all crippled by the unexpressed pain we hide within ourselves, which often results in our more self-destructive personality traits (thus revealing the existence of the suppressed negative emotions buried inside).
Interesting, that would make sense. I guess maybe he is pointing out that all of the unfair ways in which people think and behave are as a result of their inner turmoil. I hadn’t though of it that way.
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10.34am
26 January 2017
Offline Ron Nasty said
I certainly think he would include himself among those “crippled inside”, @expert textpert
I think that is the irony behind the song. An upbeat tune with a fun rhyme scheme turns out to be a dreary reflection made by a damaged man.
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2.07pm
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20 August 2013
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From page 1 of this thread:
Number Nine said
This song feels so lively and upbeat, but the lyrics are the opposite: Dark and bleak.“One thing you can’t hide is when you’re crippled inside.”
What are your thoughts?
Pterodactyl said
I just listened to it for the first time. I like it. It almost has a Maxwell’s Silver Hammer feel in a way, upbeat, but a little dark.*9, how appropriate for the John board*
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sir walter raleigh said
Ron Nasty said
I certainly think he would include himself among those “crippled inside”, @expert textpertI think that is the irony behind the song. An upbeat tune with a fun rhyme scheme turns out to be a dreary reflection made by a damaged man.
I agree with the Maxwell’s Silver Hammer comparison. On the flip side, you have heavy music to go with lyrics about an amusement ride in Helter Skelter . Beatles music, group and solo, can be schizophrenic.
Now I am reminded of the Was John Haunted By His Inner Emptiness? thread.
Expert Textpert said
Interesting, that would make sense. I guess maybe he is pointing out that all of the unfair ways in which people think and behave are as a result of their inner turmoil. I hadn’t though of it that way.
It takes strength to overcome that inner turmoil sometimes and not act upon it.
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12.49am
31 July 2014
Offline Ah, but then there is the angry song Gimme Some Truth on that album about politicians as whiny hypocrites. I always saw Crippled Inside as the funny/cynical side of Gimme, not as John flogging himself. Could have been a perfect side 1 & side 2 of a single about the same thing! Listen to them back to back…
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18 April 2013
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17 December 2012
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
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17 December 2012
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
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6 July 2016
Offline I just read a quote by the film director Elia Kazan talking about James Dean and couldn’t help thinking about this song..
“Dean’s body was very graphic; it was almost writhing in pain sometimes. He was very twisted, as if he were cringing all the time. Dean was a cripple anyway, inside–he was not like [Marlon Brando]. People compared them, but there was no similarity. He was a far, far sicker kid and Brando’s not sick, he’s just troubled.”
Ok there may be no connection but I just thought Dean was probably a 50’s icon to John so there’s perhaps a small chance that John read the quote and took some inspiration.
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