About this episode
In this Beatles Lecture Series episode, Kenyon offers a critical musicological analysis of “Nobody I Know,” written by Paul McCartney and performed by Peter and Gordon. Though it charted in 1964, the song is marked by lyrical vagueness, structural flatness, and harmonic awkwardness. Kenyon unpacks the song’s root–seventh melodic motif, a classical-sounding line reminiscent of Für Elise, and how its rhythmic monotony undercuts its emotional impact. Special attention is given to the song’s middle eight, which offers rare harmonic relief and syncopation. The analysis touches on the use of flat VII chords as functional substitutes, parallel octaves, and why the modulation to C♯—while bold—fails to mask deeper melodic issues. Though the song gestures toward romantic timelessness, its lack of thematic development and musical tension leave it sounding more like a “work song” than a finished piece. Kenyon argues it’s a curious outlier, offering insight into McCartney’s songwriting evolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.