He's a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody

Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he's going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere man please listen
You don't know what you're missing
Nowhere man, the world is at your command

He's as blind as he can be
Just sees what he wants to see
Nowhere man, can you see me at all
Nowhere man don't worry
Take your time, don't hurry
Leave it all 'til somebody else
Lends you a hand
Ah, la, la, la, la

Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he's going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere man please listen
You don't know what you're missing
Nowhere man, The world is at your command
Ah, la, la, la, la

He's a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody


Lyrics submitted by Ice

Nowhere Man Lyrics as written by Paul Mccartney John Lennon

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Nowhere Man song meanings
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  • +8
    General Comment

    This is one of my favourite Beatles songs. This is how I interoperate it....

    At the time it was written, The Beatles were trying to break out of their shell and become more opinionated (their views on Vietnam for example). Their first "break away" record was REVOLVER.

    With the song "Nowhere Man", they continue with this "breaking away". In the first five lines they try to establish a sad almost pathetic character. A "Nowhere" man if you will. Then, when the listener is thinking about what a pathetic individual this nowhere man is, the line "Isn't he a bit like you and me" comes along. The listener now compares himself/herself to this man and thinks, "could I be like that?", just like The Beatles probably did at some point. The lines "Nowhere man please listen, you don't know what your missing", and, "Nowhere Man, the world is at your command", try to establish that having an opinion is better than not having one. The rest of the song just continues this theme. I

    n short, it is a reply to people who feel that the new direction The Beatles took was too controversial and, all in all, a bad decision.

    If you agree with my view, or even if you don't, please feel free to e-mail me.

    jslatzon May 06, 2002   Link
  • +6
    My Opinion

    The Nowhere Man is a lot like the Fool On The Hill. He is making all of these plans for no one, has no opinion or point of view, but that is what makes him free. It is what separates him from everyone, and at the same time, makes him like everyone else. The fact that Nowhere Man can be anyone is what makes the song take on a dynamic property in the story-telling of the song. The listener thinks this guy is a loser, but John is basically saying that because the Nowhere Man has cleared his head, he can become anyone. He is truly free. John revisits the theme of melancholy so many times in his songs, and later in his solo work. The same theme of Nowhere Man can be heard in the Free As A Bird demo. You can almost hear the sadness in the chords. But listen carefully to the VOX chimes, the purity of the singing, and the vibrancy of the band as a whole. In this moment, they are redefining the history of rock and roll forever. Right on this recording. The Beatles, musically, spiritually, and culturally, transcend the barriers of pop and rock music with this song. After this, every single album they make doesn't become exponentially better, it exponentially changes the landscape of pop, rock, country, and r&b music forever. They are basically letting go of the "silly love songs" that confined them. Here is where The Beatles go from being pop-friendly young kids ala ("A Hard Day's Night") to the four greatest revolutionary artists of the 20th century. Music changes after this song. After the break-up in 1969, there are movements in rock and roll that involve desperately trying to imitate this band's sound and desperately trying to repudiate them (punk rock, etc). Following this song, countless bands emerge where their entire record sounds like this one song. The Beatles basically drop an atomic bomb on music with the release of Rubber Soul.

    muzacon July 04, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this isnt a "make a change" hippy song

    DONT POST IN HERE IF YOUR ONE OF THOSE STUPID BEATLES "fans" who thinks they're hippy-dippy led zeppelin fans who like acid. your opinions are wrong

    john wrote this about himself. he is the nowhere man. he felt like nothing people do really takes them anywhere. like no one is really "alive". he then realized that this applies to everyone, that we are all nowhere men. its a big explaination of human life

    dubtigeron October 29, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this song reminds me of this really sad man i saw buying sandals at LIDL

    alexandraqwertyon October 08, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    this song is partially about everyone, and how unimportant most people are, another great guitar solo by George, he played in standard tune even though the other guitar has a capo on the 2nd fret

    Billie_Joeon June 30, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    its about the working class person that's just does what he does and doesnt have much a life. and the truth is the world is at his command any time he wants to alter the world he can

    yeahyeahyoyoon December 08, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I agree with yeahyeahyoyo. Its about aperson who hasn't seen through the bullshit.

    kevmicleeon December 16, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    omg this makes me cry. i watched Yellow Submarine when i was about 5 years old (my dad was watching it) and it made me cry then- the Nowhere Man is just so pathetic and sad. i wanna give him a hug. i am so pleased that the Beatles befriended him in the movie :)

    pete4carlon September 22, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    reminds me of Holden Caufield and "I Know There's an Answer" by the Beach Boys. "I know so many people who think they can do it alone, isolate themselves and stay in their comfort zone". It's about people who deny love out of fear of loss of control over their world.

    alex114954on December 12, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I feel like this is about political apathy and John kind of railing against his own wishy-washy mind, artistic or otherwise

    Alice_in_Soundweezeron October 03, 2017   Link

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