You are still the analyst here. So are we all. In doing what we do in rec.music.beatles, we all try to make sense out of the grand conundrum of Beatles music. You are not restricted by what the artist says. As much as there is of value in what each Beatle has said about his own work and the collective efforts of the group, you would be privy to only a segment of the analytial universe if you stopped there.
Artists are often blind to their own gifts.
They wasn't trained to do so. They were operating from a level of great creativity, using talent and intuition to feel their way through the morass of musical and lyrical development. Just a vivid illustration, for your enjoyment. Ray Coleman recounts an altercation between trad-jazz singer George Melly and John Lennon circa 1964. John refused to admit any influence, Coleman reports, and further mentions that the conversation almost came to physical violence over the argument.