Paul McCartney Reveals the 1 Thing He’d Tell John Lennon Today
Paul McCartney and John Lennon are two iconic members of The Beatles. Following the band’s split, the two had a rocky relationship that was fortunately mended before Lennon’s assassination. In a recent interview, McCartney shared what he would want to say to his friend and former bandmate if he were still around today.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon remained friends until the end
John Lennon and Paul McCartney formed The Beatles with George Harrison and Ringo Starr in 1960. The Beatles became worldwide superstars and are still among the most successful bands ever. Following the band’s split in 1970, Lennon and McCartney developed a more complicated relationship. In his new book Lyrics: 1956 to the Present shared via iHeart.com, McCartney wrote that Lennon began writing songs with directed insults toward his former bandmate.
“John was firing missiles at me with his songs, and one or two of them were quite cruel,” McCartney expressed. “I don’t know what he hoped to gain other than punching me in the face.”
However, McCartney did share in the book that the two were able to reconcile before Lennon’s assassination in 1980. The artist says it would have been one of his biggest regrets if the two had been on bad terms.
“I was very glad of how we got along in those last few years, that I had some really good times with him before he was murdered,” McCartney wrote. “Without question, it would have been the worst thing in the world for me, had he been killed, when we still had a bad relationship. I would’ve thought, ‘Oh, I should’ve, I should’ve, I should’ve…’ It would have been a big guilt trip for me. But luckily, our last meeting was very friendly.”
Paul McCartney would tell Lennon today that he’s a fan of his music
In an interview with GQ, Paul McCartney reflected on his relationship with Lennon. He discussed what he would say to the Imagine singer if he were still alive today. McCartney said he would want to express an appreciation for him, which he didn’t do enough when Lennon was alive.
“I was very lucky because before he died, we had a good relationship, so I think it would have just got better and better as we matured,” McCartney shared. “I probably would have been able to tell him what a fan of his I was now. These days, I can tell everyone else, and I think I would have been able to tell him now. Whereas I implied it when we were together, I never said, ‘Oh, you’re f***ing great, man, I’m such a fan of yours.’ We just hinted at it with each other. We were Liverpool guys, and you don’t do that—you don’t complement each other. It’s just how you’re brought up.”
McCartney says he is more open with his friends now
When asked if McCartney regrets not telling Lennon he was a fan, the British artist said he doesn’t and blames it on a product of the times. He says he is more open with others and expresses his love for friends more often, including former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr.
“I mean, we sort of indicated it, and it’s okay, because that was the world then,” McCartney said. “You asked me how it might have been now, and I think that I’ve certainly loosened up a hell of a lot, and I think John would have loosened up a hell of a lot. If Ringo’s anything to go by, we’re great: ‘I love you, man,’ ‘I love you, man,’ and we hug and everything. And we’re very complimentary to each other.”
