Manson's Warped Interpretations of the Beatles' Songs

[Norbert K]

According to [Gregg] Jakobson, Manson believed "the Beatles were spokesmen. They were speaking to Charlie, through their songs, letting him know from across the ocean that this is what was going to go down. He believed this firmly...He considered their songs prophecy, especially the songs in the so-called White Album...He told me that many, many times."

[Paul] Watkins and [Brooks] Poston also said that Manson and the Family were convinced that the Beatles were speaking to Charlie through their music. For example, in the song "I Will" are the lines: "And when at last I find you/Your song will fill the air/Sing it loud so I can hear you/Make it easy to be near you..." Charlie interpreted this to mean the Beatles wanted him to make an album, Poston and Watkins said. Charlie told them that the Beatles were looking for JC and that he was the JC they were looking for. He also told them that the Beatles knew that Christ had returned to earth again and that he was living somewhere in Los Angeles.

"How in the world did he come up with that?" I asked him. [It's not clear whether "him" refers to Poston or Watkins.]

In the White Album is a song called "Honey Pie," a lyric of which reads: "Oh Honey Pie, my position is tragic/Come and Show me the magic/Of your Hollywood song." A later lyric goes: "Oh Honey Pie, you are driving me frantic/Sail across the Atlantic/To be where you belong."

Charlie, of course, wanted *them* to sail across the Atlantic, to join him in Death Valley. While residing in the Gresham Street house (in January and February of 1969, just after the White Album was released), Manson and the girls sent several telegrams, wrote a number of letters, and made at least three telephone calls to England, attempting to reach the Beatles. No luck.

-- from Helter Skelter, by Bugliosi and Gentry

Thank goodness they didn't get in touch with John Lennon! He might have fallen for Manson.