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Inside John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s partnership and the song that shifted the ‘balance of power’

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The Beatles are not only the most successful musical group ever, but they have also been intensely studied, broken down, and scrutinized more than any other entertainers since recorded music began.

It seems we often believe we’ve grasped everything, but author Ian Leslie challenges that notion. His latest work, “John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs,” stands out as one of the rare books providing a comprehensive account of the relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. This book is truly enlightening. Leslie paints a comprehensive picture of this incredibly prolific and often tormented creative alliance, which began in Liverpool in 1957 and ended tragically in New York City on December 8, 1980, with the murder of Lennon.

The essential details of their initial meeting are widely recognized. This encounter took place in the summer of 1957, during a garden party in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton. At this event, John Lennon, who was 17 and performing with his skiffle band called the Quarrymen, was being scouted by McCartney. Already known for his electrifying stage presence, Lennon had caught McCartney’s attention. Boldly summoning up his courage, 15-year-old McCartney approached Lennon following his performance; their friendship began when they shared a common love for Little Richard and Elvis Presley’s song “Heartbreak Hotel.

They quickly embraced songwriting, fueled by a strong desire to produce their own music at a period when no band was expected to write its own tunes. Leslie explains that it involved the two of them learning songwriting together and starting from ground zero. There was no clear division of tasks. One of their early collaborations was “Love Me Do,” penned in 1958, which they recorded four years later as the Beatles. All of their songs, whether completed or still in development, were diligently jotted down by McCartney in a notebook he had borrowed from school.

Initially, popular hits such as “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” along with others, were quickly produced during a whirlwind of creative thoughts driven by a disciplined work routine. In this duo, Lennon and McCartney were so intertwined that their consciousness seemed to merge, resulting in shared vocals on the same track, like “A Hard Day’s Night,” or combined voices in a shared confession such as “If I Fell.” This balance persisted for four highly productive years. However, as with all great love stories, a point arrives when one partner becomes restless and begins to drift apart. As Leslie notes, this moment occurred in 1966, when McCartney penned “Yesterday” without any contribution from Lennon.

Leslie notes, “Yesterday” seemed to tip the scales of power. Initially, The Beatles were equals, but “Yesterday,” being not only a huge hit but also the most covered Beatles song, stirred up John’s feelings of inadequacy when Paul sang it solo on stage.

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In April 2028, Sony Pictures plans to debut four movies, each focusing on a different Beatle, as they revealed during the CinemaCon trade event on Monday.

1967 saw a new division as Lennon, accompanied by George Harrison and Ringo Starr, decamped from London to the suburbs, leaving McCartney in the city’s artistic hub. Leslie also discusses Lennon’s experimentation with LSD and McCartney’s hesitation to join him. According to Leslie, “They no longer lived in close proximity, songwriting took on a more routine feel.” Yet, “as they grew apart, their songs remained nothing short of remarkable.

Competitiveness among partners fueled Lennon’s determination to excel, and McCartney reciprocated this drive. When Lennon shared “Strawberry Fields Forever,” a dreamy composition reminiscent of his youth, McCartney composed “Penny Lane,” another nostalgic piece in response. Later, after the Beatles disbanded, Lennon penned “Imagine.” He believed this song might surpass McCartney’s “Yesterday,” as he played it for others seeking feedback. This is according to Leslie’s account.

Although they were revolutionizing pop music, tensions within the group started to grow, particularly after the passing of their manager Brian Epstein. A major conflict arose when Epstein’s brother sought to sell 25% of the band’s future income to merchant bankers, which led to a complex series of lawsuits. McCartney selected his brother-in-law John L. Eastman as his legal representative, while the other three opted for Allen Klein. This marked the beginning of their downfall, a story that has been extensively chronicled.

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Although things seemed to have ended between Lennon and McCartney after The Beatles disbanded, Leslie points out that there were several instances where they reunited socially. According to Leslie’s account, it was McCartney who facilitated a reconciliation between Lennon and his estranged wife, Yoko Ono, in 1974 during Lennon’s difficult time in Los Angeles. McCartney visited Lennon at his Santa Monica beach house to inform him that Ono wished to reunite. In another instance, in 1975, Lorne Michaels extended an offer of $3,000 for The Beatles to perform on “Saturday Night Live.” At the time, McCartney was with Lennon in New York, and they contemplated surprising everyone by rushing to Rockefeller Center, but ultimately decided against it.

Leslie remarks, “Regardless of their divergences, a sense lingered with John that maybe they’d reunite someday.” John deeply respected Paul’s musical talents and songwriting abilities, and despite their legal battles, there was always a mutual respect. Even after they stopped collaborating, an unspoken conversation continued between them.

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2025-04-04 13:31

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