Nowhere Man
The Beatles (The U.S. Albums) Lyrics


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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 till 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

Overall Meaning

"Nowhere Man" by The Beatles is a thoughtful meditation on the human condition, exploring themes of purposelessness, apathy, and the search for meaning. The song's narrator describes a person who is frozen in place, unable to take control of their life and make real progress. The "nowhere man" in question is passive and directionless, "sitting in his nowhere land" and not bothering to make any real plans or connections with the world around him. He's blind to the possibilities that exist for him, only seeing what he wants to see and missing out on the larger picture.


The chorus urges the nowhere man to take action and shake free of his existential malaise. He's told that the world is at his command, but he needs to wake up and start making something of himself. The song suggests that we are all a little bit like the nowhere man, trapped in our own heads and hesitant to take risks. We all have the potential to create something meaningful with our lives, but we must first overcome our own inertia and embrace the possibilities that exist in the world.


Line by Line Meaning

He's a real nowhere man
He's a person who is lost and directionless


Sitting in his nowhere land
He's stuck in a place that is meaningless and unproductive


Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
He spends his time creating plans that don't have any purpose or benefit for anyone


Doesn't have a point of view
He's apathetic and indifferent about things happening around him


Knows not where he's going to
He's unsure of his life's direction and purpose


Isn't he a bit like you and me?
He's relatable to the common person who struggles with finding meaning and purpose


Nowhere man please listen
The singer requests him to pay attention


You don't know what you're missing
He's missing out on life's opportunities due to his lack of direction


Nowhere man, The world is at your command
He has the potential to achieve anything he wants, but he has to find purpose and direction


He's as blind as he can be
He's ignorant and unaware of his limitations


Just sees what he wants to see
He only acknowledges things that align with his beliefs and values


Nowhere man, can you see me at all
The artist questions whether he can comprehend other people's struggles and emotions


Nowhere man don't worry
The singer reassures him to take it easy


Take your time, don't hurry
He doesn't have to rush to find direction and purpose


Leave it all till somebody else Lends you a hand
He should ask for help and guidance from others to find his calling


He's a real nowhere man
Reiterating that he's lost and directionless


Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Reiterating that his plans are useless and have no purpose




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, JOHN WINSTON LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES MCCARTNEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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