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Charles Manson believed the Bible contained a prophecy of The Beatles. Specifically, Manson connected the Fab Four to four angles in the Book of Revelation.
TL;DR:
- Charles Manson might’ve felt the Bible referenced The Beatles’ Stuart Sutcliffe.
- He may also have interpreted the same passage to be about himself.
- Paul McCartney reacted to these interpretations.
Charles Manson believed the Bible contained a prophecy of The Beatles. Specifically, Manson connected the Fab Four to four angles in the Book of Revelation. Although Manson felt he understood the passage, it’s incredibly opaque.
Charles Manson might’ve thought a passage of the Bible was about a former Beatle
According to the book Helter Skelter, Manson was interested in the Book of Revelation, particularly chapter 9. Manson felt The Beatles’ “Revolution 9” referenced that chapter. Notably, Revelation 9 mentions five angels at the start, but there are only four angels at the end of the chapter.
According to Manson Family associate Gregg Jakobson, Manson interpreted this as a reference to Stuart Sutcliffe, a member of The Beatles who died in 1962. On the other hand, members of the Manson Family said Manson believed he was the fifth angel.
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Charles Manson read The Beatles into a strange Bible passage involving mass death
The relevant passage of the Book of Revelation is oblique as is the rest of the book. “I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates,” it says. “The four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
“And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone,” the passage continues. “By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.”
The Beatles’ Paul McCartney wasn’t even familiar with the relevant book of the Bible
According to Rolling Stone, Paul McCartney discussed the supposed connection between The Beatles and Revelation in the 2000 book Beatles Anthology. He said he never read the Book of Revelation. In addition, he thought it was frightening that someone would get violent because of the lyrics of his song “Helter Skelter.” Paul said he didn’t write songs for such reasons.
At the end of the day, Manson’s interpretations of The Beatles’ lyrics and the Bible are nonsense. There’s not reason why he should have connected the two in the first place. However, his Beatles obsession means The White Album will always have a place in the history of true crime.
The Beatles are a classic band even if there aren’t any prophesies about them in the Book of Revelation.
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