DM's Beatles forums
Solo forums => John Lennon => Topic started by: Normandie on July 05, 2023, 11:41:33 PM
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I came across the following article while poking around on the web earlier: https://medium.com/illumination/10-odd-weird-and-kinky-facts-about-the-beatles-you-might-ignore-3c95258fd40a (https://medium.com/illumination/10-odd-weird-and-kinky-facts-about-the-beatles-you-might-ignore-3c95258fd40a)
Most of these "unusual" facts are well known to every Beatles fan, but my curiousity was piqued when the author mentioned the first "devil horns" gesture appeared on the cover of the Yellow Submarine LP. So I did a search and found this: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/beatles-john-lennon-heavy-metal-horns/ (https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/beatles-john-lennon-heavy-metal-horns/)
Sounds like John was indeed the first one to use this gesture, both via illustration on the LP cover and in a photo. I hadn't been aware of this. This isn't anything earth-shattering, but I found it interesting and thought folks here might, too. Unless everyone already knew about this except me. ;)
My Lithuanian grandparents taught us the same gesture as a means of warding off evil spirits, but we held our "horns" horizontally, sort of pointing them at the person as if to shoo them away. (I haven't made this gesture in years, but maybe I can make it to my computer screen when dealing with frustrating authors. ;D)
Here are the images. Obviously everyone knows what the cover of Yellow Submarine looks like, but just for ease of access:
(https://i.ibb.co/DwW08r7/Arcade-Fire-Yellow-Submarine.jpg) (https://i.ibb.co/rtxLr1d/HW52AH-1.jpg)
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A curious case indeed. I think this sign was another Paul is Dead clue wasn’t it? Seems the sign does have a history in Mediterranean cultures but it appears John was the first rock star to use it. Not a first I’d normally associate with the Beatles.
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Not a first I’d normally associate with the Beatles.
Neither would I. That's why it jumped out at me. I'm curious as to why the author didn't include that in his list of "10 odd facts" about the band.
I just noticed that that same article states they were the first band to use a harmonica. That doesn't sound right. I found this site—https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/history-harmonica-180977157/—but don't have time to peruse it in depth right now.
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Seems the sign does have a history in Mediterranean cultures
The first time I saw the sign given was in Thunderball where Emilio Largo puts a hex on James Bond in a game of chemin de fer...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTMHrljIW0g# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTMHrljIW0g#)
2:00
Fil of Wings of Pegasus always ends his videos with that sign saying "Rock!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-u3IC7YYDM# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-u3IC7YYDM#)
27:20