Paul McCartney Asked a Songwriter Who Called Him an Idiot to Appear on ‘Band on the Run’
Paul McCartney won over music fans around the world with his genius-level songwriting skills. Kenny Lynch was not one of them. At least not immediately. The British entertainer once called Paul and John Lennon idiots, but that didn’t prevent him from working with Macca a decade later for the Wings album Band on the Run.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon were ‘bloody idiots’ according to Kenny Lynch
The Beatles wrote enduringly popular tunes. Albums such as Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Clubs Band are stuffed with all-time classics. Many of those hits came from Paul and John since they were the dominant songwriters in the band.
Yet, in 1963, they needed time to grow as songwriters.
They asked for Lynch’s help on “From Me to You” as they worked on the song in the back of a tour bus. A frustrated Lynch called Paul and John idiots when they struggled to finish writing the song. He added another dig, saying they didn’t know music from their backsides.
Lynch’s harsh criticism didn’t prevent him from collaborating with Paul a decade later.
Lynch collaborated with Paul for the Wings album ‘Band on the Run’
Paul, Linda McCarney, and Denny Laine handled everything on the Wings album Band on the Run. Macca proved he was far from an idiot by the time the album came out in 1973. He had fully blossomed into a talented songwriter.
Lynch called Paul an idiot in 1963, but he was more than willing to work with Paul on Band on the Run. The ex-Beatle didn’t need help with the music, but he did need a cover model. Lynch and five other British celebrities joined the Wings trio of Laine and the McCartneys next to a brick wall in a park for the photo shoot.
The resulting cover, depicting a supposed prison break and a group going on the run, became one of the most recognizable front sleeves ever. Interestingly, Lynch stands directly behind Paul, whose songwriting skills caused consternation a decade earlier.
In addition to the McCartneys, Laine (lower right), and Lynch, English journalist Michael Parkinson, actor James Coburn, Clement Freud (standing behind Linda), actor Christopher Lee, and Liverpool boxer John Conteh appeared on the cover.
The Beatles proved Macca and John were hardly songwriting idiots
Lynch called Paul and John idiots in 1963 when their songwriting skills didn’t meet his expectations. It’s safe to say time proved him wrong.
The Beatles scored 20 No. 1 hits in the United States. It’s a record that seems poised to stand the test of time. Nearly all of those songs belong to John and Paul. Looking closer, you find Paul outpaced John and wrote more of the Fab Four’s hit tunes.
Paul McCartney was an idiot who didn’t know music from his backside in 1963, but Kenny Lynch was more than happy to stand side-by-side with Macca for the cover of Band on the Run 10 years later.
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